Whether you're working with me on a grant project or writing your own grant, you should put together the following resources and keep them updated and at the ready. That way you don't have to reinvent the wheel every time you embark on a grant project. If you have ideas for useful things to put in your grant toolkit,
let me know!
- Up-to-date Long Range Plan of Service (If you are a Massachusetts library and want to apply for LSTA funds, you must submit an annual action plan to the MBLC. For more on this, visit their website.)
- Your nonprofit EIN number of tax-exempt letter
- Your congressional district
- Your town's population and other demographic information
- A current list of Board members with their contact information and their affiliations (other Boards they serve on or where they work)
- A copy of your current fiscal year income and expenditures and/or budget, as well as those documents and/or an audit report for the last 3 fiscal year.
- Information on number of staff and FTEs
- Information on number of volunteers and volunteer hours
- Statistical information on your organization, including number of visitors, circulation (if a library), customers/clients/patrons served, program attendance, number of programs, types of programs, etc.
- A list of local stakeholders/supporters (people who have an interest in your organization who will support your project through advocacy, PR, or funding)
- A list of individuals/organizations/businesses that might supply matching funding
- If you are applying for construction or renovation funds, you'll need copies of any building studies or assessments done in the last 5 years, as well as building plans/blueprints.
- Cost estimates or project proposals
- List or PR outlets or ways that you publicize your organization, including PR contacts for newspaper, magazines, radio and TV stations, local cable channel, etc. Also keep a list of social media logins or who you work with to post to facebook, twitter, Contact Contact, email blasts, etc.
- A list of grants you've received in the past 10 years and grantor contact information.