Targeted Funding

• One of the best reasons to apply for a grant for a specific purpose, program or project is because the money is out there and getting a grant is attainable. Private, state and federal dollars are available for specialized purposes and if your organization's mission, goals and programs match those purposes, it may behoove the organization to apply for grant funding. For instance, certain foundations target children and education for funding. If your organization provides an after-school tutoring or educational summer program, this funding may be a good fit for the organization. Always review grant guidelines to ensure targeted funds are a good fit for the services, programs or projects the organization provides prior to application.
  
  

Reputation

• Gleaning grant funding is a great way to market the organization's mission, goals, services, programs and projects to the general public, enticing individuals and businesses to donate to the organization. When a foundation gives a large amount of funding to an organization, this sends a positive message that tells the public that this organization is "worth" investing in. It also sends the same positive message to other funding sources, making it easier to gain approval of funding from multiple foundations and state and federal organizations.
  
  

Creating Goals

• Writing a grant is akin to writing a business plan for the organization's project or program. Grant applications generally ask an organization to explain in great detail the workings of a particular program or project. An application may ask that goals, outcomes, objectives, measures and evaluations of the program or project be described. It also asks that a detailed, projected budget be provided and may sometimes ask that qualifications of staff providing services and administering the program or project be explained. In other words, applying for a grant for a particular project or program forces an organization to preplan and really think about how the project or program will be facilitated, the effect it will have on the targeted population and in the community the organization serves.
  
  

Big Money

• While private, individual donations and fundraising dollars are always helpful to an organization, these types of funding are usually small, taking a long time to build into amounts significant enough to assist in a meaningful way. Grant money is often big money. Grants can range from a few thousand dollars to hundreds of thousands of dollars. A large chunk of money can really propel a new or existing program or project forward in a short amount of time. Some state, federal and private foundations even give large grants that are portioned out over one to three years, giving the organization an excellent chance to get or keep a program or project in operation.