We are only hours away from 2019, and many of us are reflecting on the past year. What did we learn? How did we grow? What successes did we have? What were the shortcomings? What will we do the same? Different?
As we gather around our loved ones and share our resolutions and plans for the next year, it is always important to include goals for your organization as well.
One of the keys to sustained funding is continuous growth.
When it comes to planning a successful year including a grant strategy is vital. The goal is longevity, and having a long-term grant strategy can be instrumental in sustaining funding, growing your organization, and serving more people each year. Additionally, implementing practices that are required for many foundations into your organization can also help ensure that your organization celebrates the New Year for years to come.
As an example, many funders require that your Board complete Standards of Excellence, however it is more than a funding requirement. It is a proven way to help your organization run better by setting clear expectations, roles, and guidelines from the top down. Furthermore, many funders require at minimum two years of audited financials. Getting into the practice of completing an audit every year shows funders that you are serious about your organization, and it allows you to plan better, avoid the small errors that can significantly hurt your organization, and motivate you to track your inputs and outputs even better. These are only a couple of many good habits that organizations get into when they begin their grant seeking plans.
Having good habits is what makes your goals, your growth sustainable. Just like stretching and running every day is a good habit to pick up for your health, it is what will make your goal of running a 5K a reality.
I am not one to make New Year's Resolutions. I like to make achievable goals with a plan on how to get there. Whether you love resolutions or hate them, having a roadmap to take you to where you want to be by December 31, 2019 is a necessity. We've developed a free assessment to help you begin your map. Click this link to take it now, and get started on making 2019 the best year yet.