Applying for Grants - When to Say No
We just wrapped up a busy quarter helping many of our clients navigate grant programs and apply for funding. If you work in this field, you know that this time of the year is filled with numerous funding deadlines in our region. Much of our time goes to helping communities determine if they should apply to a grant program and when to say no.
It can be tempting to apply to anything and everything in the hopes that something sticks, and this is not the best use of time or resources. Instead, communities should spend their time preparing for a future call for projects and complete the necessary steps to be ready to apply and maximize scores. Applying for grants that are not a good match diverts time and effort from other projects. More importantly, if a community does receive funding for a project they are not prepared for and unable to implement or maintain, agencies are less likely to fund future projects.
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