Grant Writing for Associations: 5 Key Tips to Get Started

Picture this: your association has a revolutionary idea that could transform your field. There’s only one thing standing in the way of your idea and its realization—funding.

The need for diversified funding is the one thing that unites associations across the board. That’s why more associations are turning to grants as a key financial strategy. Grants offer the financial boost needed to launch new programs, expand reach, and amplify impact.

Whether you’re looking to strengthen your association’s financial sustainability, build out the capacity of your association, or form valuable relationships, grant writing is how you make it happen.

Here are five of the most important tips to keep in mind as you get started.

1. Understand the Grant Landscape

Grants for nonprofits come from three primary sources:

• Foundations: These include public foundations, technically called public charities (like community foundations), and private foundations (like family foundations).
• Government agencies: Grants can come from government sources at the local, state, and federal levels.
• Corporations and corporate foundations: Many businesses set up official grant programs to support their social responsibility initiatives.

Each of these sources may offer viable grant opportunities for your association. The key to finding the right funding begins with carefully reading (and rereading) their particular requirements—more on this below.

You’ll also need a working understanding of different grant structures. One of the most common funding structures that you’ll encounter is matching grants. With these opportunities, the grant will cover a set portion of the total cost of your proposed project. In your proposal, you’ll need to lay out a feasible plan for covering the remaining costs. 

Grant Databases and Resources

Finding relevant grant opportunities is the first major hurdle that new grant seekers face. The landscape can be overwhelming, with a wide range of databases and sources that offer varying degrees of comprehensiveness or specialization:

• For federal grants, grants.gov is the official resource to know. 
• For others, there’s a diverse field of free and paid resources to explore.
• To identify opportunities faster, grant databases and other technology can replace the old school methods of scouring Google.

As you get started, do your research and compare the sources you find. Consider investing in a subscription to your top pick if you already know that grant writing will be a sustained priority for your association. The right resource will easily pay for itself, buying you back time while helping you find the grants that yield the highest likelihood of success.

2. Study Grant Eligibility Requirements Closely

Most grants are geared toward 501(c)(3) nonprofits, which can complicate things for some associations. 

Your association might be a 501(c)(5) or (6)—this does not immediately disqualify you unless funder guidelines state otherwise. However, it’s on you to determine your eligibility before sinking your teeth into a proposal. 

Thankfully, it’s standard practice for grantors to clearly state their requirements in their grant guidelines. Often, a quick visit to the funder’s website or a phone call with the program officer will clear things up. 

A pro tip when you’re exploring funding guidelines: pay attention to specifications around what a grantor doesn’t fund. Take, for example, the Woodruff Foundation and its funding guidelines. The “What We Do Not Fund” section of their Grants page includes these organizations/projects:

• Organizations operating outside of their region
• Professional associations
• Organizations that do not have 501(c)(3) status
• Conferences
• Fundraising events

If your association or its proposed project clash with funder guidelines, save yourself the headache of applying. However, if the funder is aligned, they fund similar projects, and you don’t fall in their “do not fund” category, reach out to the foundation to confirm your eligibility. 

Confirming eligibility is crucial for saving time and energy. Your association will be more productive when you spend time on those opportunities that are more likely to be fruitful rather than those for which your application won’t even be considered.

You’ll also want to familiarize yourself with the concept of fiscal sponsorship. In some cases, your association may partner with another organization, usually a 501(c)(3), whose mission aligns with yours and is fully eligible. This sponsor receives the funding on your association’s behalf. Then, your fiscal sponsor grants funds for implementing the proposed project, somewhat like a contractor relationship. A fiscal sponsor can also support administrative capacity for managing the grant reporting post-award. 

Note that there are all kinds of requirements and unique conditions for fiscal sponsorships. These opportunities are rare, but they’re still worth understanding and asking about if needed.

3. Get Some Initial Training to Learn Grant Writing Basics

Grant writing has many moving parts, so jumping in with zero preparation isn’t advised. However, we know this happens more often than not. You’re thrown in the deep end to figure out how to secure funding for your association, and you have to work with what you have. 

Fortunately, there are tons of accessible options available that can give you the background you need to get started productively: online resources, free classes, professional programs, collaborative communities for training and feedback, and more.

Additionally, AI is changing the grant writing game. You’ll probably encounter different types of training resources and tools as an option to help streamline the proposal drafting process. More than searching for a specific tool, you’ll find the most success when you immerse yourself in the fundamentals of using AI. Master the essentials, and you’ve got a revenue-generating skill for your association that can translate to nearly any tool you use. 

4. Take an Organized, Repeatable Approach

Grant proposals ask you to compile a variety of materials into a well-organized document that lays out a coherent narrative about what you want to do, how you’ll do it, and how funding will help.

Starting from scratch every time you want to apply for a grant is a recipe for wasted time and effort. You’ll have much better luck (and fewer headaches) when you have an easy, repeatable process to follow. 

You’ll learn what works best for your association over time, but this seven-step grant writing process from Learn Grant Writing will help you get started:

1. Study the funding guidelines and grant requirements very closely.
2. Prepare your “narrative skeleton,” or an outline that follows the funding guidelines and gives you an easy framework to build upon.
3. Host a kick-off meeting to gather relevant team members and explain what you need from them and when.
4. Finalize your grant budget—the cost of your proposed project and the makeup of its existing funding sources will be essential for the proposal, but they can take a while to secure.
5. Write your grant narrative, ideally with a fast-and-furious, revise-later approach. Momentum is key!
6. Prep your grant attachments, such as budgets, official resolutions, risk assessments, appendices, and more, as requested by the funder.
7. Review and revise your work with the help of fresh eyes, then finalize and submit your proposal.

This process is easily repeatable, which allows you to prep in a way that will drastically streamline the drafting process (which is where you’re most likely to lose momentum). Follow the steps above and watch how well you can turn the nuances of grant writing into a standardized workflow. 

Additionally, consider the complete grant lifecycle before you submit your first proposal so that post-award grant management requirements won’t come as a surprise. Funders need to know that organizations use their grants as intended. Ideally, your proposal will include steps for tracking success, leaving you to simply put the plan into action when the time comes. Again, organization and preparation are key!

5. Actively Build Your Relationships Along the Way

Remember, funders have their own missions to support organizations that create the projects and programs that drive change. Funders are valuable partners, so it’s worth catching their attention and showing them what your association is all about. Engage with them early to start building relationships!

The best funding partners will likely check off one or more of these boxes:

• Their mission aligns with your own.
• They’re located in your geographic region.
• You have existing connections with them.
• They have previously funded associations or projects similar to yours.

When you find well-aligned grant opportunities and potential funders in your area, don’t be afraid to reach out. Program officers are in place to help answer your questions. Ask questions about their grant opportunities. If appropriate, extend invites to your events. Remember that funders want to fund the people at your association, not the most polished proposal. 

Also, remember to think beyond foundations to find helpful partners and resources for your work. For instance, dig into your board members’ corporate connections to uncover potential corporate grant sources or sponsorship opportunities. 

Explore your local government offices, resource centers, and other associations. For smaller or locally based organizations, these offices and organizations can become trusted partners over time. They can point you to resources, make introductions, provide helpful guidance, and more. 

Here’s an example—the Albuquerque Office of Neighborhood Coordination offers all kinds of resources for neighborhood associations, like this grant writing guide. This office may be niche and hyper-local, but if you just happen to be an Albuquerque-based neighborhood association, it’s entirely worth getting to know them!

Associations do valuable work by connecting their members and communities to promote shared interests and the common good. Like other nonprofits, associations should tap into the power of grants to fuel that work and grow their organizations.

Even if grant writing is a new undertaking for your association’s team, it’s a highly learnable skill. Invest some time and effort into learning about grants, do your research, and try your hand at applying for funding for your programs. If you need more help AMR can help coach you through the process. Reach out today to see how we can help your association change the world!