A Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) continuously searches for various grants to aid their projects and often times go through the process of rejection. Although it’s something that can happen to even the most experienced NGOs, knowing why you failed is necessary to improve and know the mistakes you shouldn’t be repeating. In this article, we have concluded the basic problems NGOs encounter in seeking for grant proposals.
- Lack of proper research
Researching is not an easy task and often times people go through various sources until they come up with the information they need. While this is right, sometimes NGOs tend to forget to look at the simplest of sources, which is within themselves. The likelihood of reaching out to the same donor about a year later is very high. Likewise, there’s also a good chance that similar projects proposals have already been made in the past by different employees. Doing research internally will not only make you more time-efficient, but it will also give you firsthand ideas which you may not get elsewhere.
- Limited number of people raising funds
Raising of funds is vital for every NGO. Without it, NGOs will have no other option but to shut down, similar to the businesses who go bankrupt. In fact, this problem is so alarming that in South Africa, 30% of their NGOs have already been brought to a halt due to the same issues involving funds (Wyk, 2018). Thus, a common mistake organizations encounter is assigning fundraising only to a few employees. The few who are assigned are the only ones seeking for grants, while others don’t even look for opportunities. Given that raising funds is an inherent priority for NGOs to continually operate, everyone should be given that responsibility in each of their roles.
- No coordination
After old proposals and applications have been denied, they’re usually forgotten instead of optimized for improvement. Having previous proposals in a file which is easily accessible to those who are creating proposals will definitely guide them. Through this, they will also know what particular organizations like and dislike in proposals.
- Not opening the door for new opportunities
NGOs usually enjoy lasting partnerships with their donors. While this should remain a priority, NGOs shouldn’t be complacent and stop looking for new opportunities. To flourish further, NGOs will need to constantly seek for new opportunities from other agencies. Relying on previous partnerships without pursuing new opportunities is like stepping on unsafe ground as your organization isn’t aware of all the happenings in each of your partner organizations. For one, they can reduce the organizations they fund and possibly even cut you off. Thus, looking for new donors to partner with shouldn’t be paused.
While many NGOs keep striving to find ways to provide aid for those who are in need, especially underprivileged families in developing countries, some tend to fall short because of some common mistakes which can easily be avoided. Learning from the mistakes previous NGOs have made correcting the process of seeking for grants will certainly benefit your organization. The last thing an NGO needs would be trouble seeking for grants and inevitably close down, wasting the many opportunities to help those who are in need.
