Beyond Grant Writing at Your Nonprofit

Welcome to our first lessons on managing grantmaker relationships! Managing these critical relationships is a core capacity of effective nonprofits, and this competency requires a special touch to ensure that we are maximizing the potential of our partners and funders.

We’ll begin our work by looking at some definitions related to grantmakers and our relationships with them. We’ll then explore why these relationships matter so much, and how we can apply selected skills to enhance our personal abilities in this regard. We’ll wrap up with a consideration of what effective practices look like when we’re relating to our institutional supporters and how we can measure our abilities here.

Let’s jump in on our first lesson, “What defines grantmaker relationships?

*Note that a transcript of all audio is available for download on the lessons to come, as well as an audio-only version of the lessons. You can always turn on closed-captions on the video player settings above.

In this lesson, we'll jump in on an overview of what defines grantmaker relationships is and what these relationships look like in your non-profit.

Be sure to download the transcript to begin building your reference library, and also feel free to use the audio-only download below for on-the-go learning.

Now that you have some basics about grantmaker relationships, let's take a look at why these matter.

Remember, you can download the transcript for this video below, and can also turn closed captions on and off for your convenience.

In this lesson, we'll look at the five skills needed for success with grantmakers. Remember: skills can be learned, practiced, and developed over time, so if you feel that you have a little (or a lot of!) room for improvement, know that you're on the right track!

Be sure to download the transcript to begin building your reference library, and also feel free to use the audio-only download below for on-the-go learning.

In this lesson, we'll turn our attention to what effective grantmaker relationship management looks like when done well.

Be sure to download the transcript to add to your reference library, and also feel free to use the audio-only download below for on-the-go learning.

There are four key principles regarding managing relationships with your funders. Let's take a closer look at them.

Remember, you can download the audio and transcript for this video below, and can also turn closed captions on and off for your convenience.

Welcome to our silver badge lessons on stewarding grantmaker relationships. You now have a solid foundation on what these relationships are, why they matter, and what it looks like when we effectively manage them.

In the lessons that follow, we will focus on how to activate this knowledge at the individual and team level, ultimately crafting a set of goals for improvement in this capacity area.

Let’s jump in on our next lesson, “Activating Your Relationship-Building Efforts for Grant Success”.

*Remember that a transcript of all audio is available for download below on the lessons below, and you can always turn on closed-captions on the video settings above.

Let’s start with activating your grantmaker relationship-building efforts and go beyond the focused skill-building we talked about in our bronze lessons. We’ll look at more deeply exploring your motives for improvement, managing innovation, and understanding others.

Be sure to download the transcript to review your learning.

Now that we have a little bit of foundation in your grantmaker relationship efforts, let's think about how we can apply this to your organization.

Remember, you can download the transcript for this video below, and can also turn closed captions on and off for your convenience.

In this lesson, we'll look at how to put grantmaker relationship efforts into practice with a look at how to build and enhance it in your nonprofit.

Be sure to download the transcript to review your learning.

In our consideration of how to build up your own capacity in developing and supporting effective grantmaker relationships at your nonprofit, we’re going to consider the principles behind goal-setting.

Be sure to download the transcript to review your learning.

Setting goals to improve your nonprofit’s overall grantmaker relationship efforts looks and feels different than setting goals as an individual.

Remember, you can download the transcript for this video below, and can also turn closed captions on and off for your convenience.

Welcome to our gold badge lessons on grantmaker relationship management! You are in the home stretch of putting your learning into practice about grantmaker relationships: what they are, how to lead them, and how to set and meet goals around their improvement.

Our gold badge lessons focus on how we can use the principles of motivational psychology to energize ourselves and our funding partners to continue to invest in our relationship. We’ll contemplate which human needs this type of relationship-building supports, and wrap up your learning with a review and the completion of a personal learning plan.

Let’s begin with a consideration of getting motivated about relationship-building for grant-seeking.

*Note that a transcript of all audio is available for download on the lessons to come, as well as an audio-only version of the lessons. You can always turn on closed-captions on the video player settings above.

In this lesson, we'll look at how motivation can be supported in building grantmaker relationship efforts in your organization.

Be sure to download the transcript to not only review your learning but also to see the research references used in this lesson.

In this lesson, we're going to discuss how we can inspire others to get personally motivated about nonprofit grantmaker relationship efforts, especially those who may be resistant.

Remember, you can download the transcript for this video below, and can also turn closed captions on and off for your convenience.

In this final teaching lesson on grantmaker relationships, we're bringing together all our learning into a capstone video on how we can grow from everything we've covered thus far!

Be sure to download the transcript to not only review your learning but also to see the research references used in this lesson.