Respond to each peer initial post and the question at the end with a response about 3-4 sentences long.
Peer #1
Grant writing can is the written documentation or application for funds requested by an organization. It can be a daunting, long drawn out task.
Before you start the process of writing a grant, you must know the dos and don'ts. Indiana University (n.d.) listed the following for successful grant writing:
Do
Do your research on the organization's mission and funding before drafting a proposal. Integrate critical phrases in the project.
Check website for previous grant winners and compare how your proposal lines up with it.
Pay attention to guidelines
Don'ts
Do not try to make the proposal mesh with your ideas, stick to what the organization's guidelines
Give up; if your proposal is rejected the foundation may have been inundated with numerous applications.
Wait until the last minute to get supporting documentation.
Grant writing is valuable to the success of a nonprofit organization. It should not be taken lightly. One tip provided by Lisa Chasan-Tabor (2018), is to start small and early.
Receiving several small grants is beneficial in today's economic climate. Research what other foundation was a grant recipient. Reach out to them to see if they would share their application with you. This will give you a better chance of being awarded because you'll know what the foundation is looking for.
If this is the first time you are writing a grant don't be alarmed. As stated earlier this is a long process that takes time and effort. Lori Womack (2012), explains the process as a skill that is learned over time and with lots of practice. As with any new subject tackled, you must do your research.
Grant writing is no different. Asking questions such as the following will be of great assist (Womack, 20120:
Who's your audience?
What needs to be done?
What's the completion date?
How are organization's mission and goals met?
Why is the success of the project of importance to the organization?
Where can I find partners to help with the project?
Once you get your answers, you are ready to start your proposal.
Nonprofit organizations receive funds/charitable gifts from donors all the time. Some of these funds may be labeled as "restricted." There are two types of restricted funds: temporarily restricted and permanently restricted.
Only the donor can determine if a donation is restricted or not. The designation can be made by a letter from the donor or through an explicit agreement with the nonprofit (Joanne Fritz, 2017). The organization is obligated to adhere to donor's stipulations. If not adhered to, the nonprofit can face legal actions or the donor requesting a refund of monies.
As the Executive Director of a nonprofit organization, I would prefer an unrestricted funding gift. This will allow me leeway to distribute the funding as I see fit. When dealing with restricted donations, the donors want too much control.
They are attempting to be charitable but telling you what to do with the money they are giving to help your organization. Organizations have found ways to work around restricted funding. As gifts arrive with restrictions, the charity moves money around internally, shifting the unrestricted income to where it is needed most (Ken Hoffman, 2001).
Nonprofit organizations are duty bound to follow governmental rules and regulations. These organizations are extremely regulated on state and federal levels. Nonprofits follow the state statutes for the state it is registered. According to Sherrie Scott (2018), state laws outline how the nonprofit should be run and who's in charge, including specifying the minimum number of board members needed to operate the nonprofit and what happens if the nonprofit wants to shut down operations. There are tax regulations, incorporation requirements, and fundraising registrations that must be adhered to in order to be in good governmental standings.
Peer #2
Suggestions to A Grant Writer
Writing that first grant can be a frightening and overpowering knowledge for beginner grant journalists. This article gives some down to earth counsel on the most proficient method to make that first grant writing opportunity somewhat less overwhelming errand. Further, it will get you amped up for the prizes that can originate from writing grants (Fritz, 2017).
The first run through grant author ought to dependably remember that grant writing is a procedure that requires some investment and exertion. Writing a grant is something other than rounding out an application and submitting it to the granting association. Grant writing is an expertise that is found out after some time and with parcels hone.
Grant recognized you are prepared to take a gander at the particular prerequisites of the grant. Set aside the opportunity to find out about the statement of purpose of the granting association (Womack, 2012).
It is dependably a smart thought to ensure your association and task meet the qualification prerequisites of any grant you apply for. Numerous grantees just honor cash for ventures that meet determined criteria.
As you set up your grant application deliberately consider how your undertaking and proposition will rate against the grant subsidizing and rating criteria. Grant writing is genuinely an ability that is found out after some time and is obtained with involvement. Try not to be demoralized on the off chance that you don't get the financing the first run through. Basically, regroup and assess what you have realized for the following grant opportunity that goes along (Womack, 2012).
Potential Pitfalls Are Associated with Restricted Gifts
Confined gifts introduce uncommon difficulties, a preservation association is very much served by building up a gift acknowledgment strategy that tends to limited gifts; additionally, fundamental to legitimate organization is a framework to monitor limitations with the goal that the association doesn't accidentally abuse the terms of the gift at a later date.
Regardless of whether an approach and framework are set up, before tolerating a limited gift, an association ought to assess whether the particular reason for existing is steady with the association's motivations and adequately convincing to respect for the life of the gift (Miree, 2014).
In the event that the benefactor plans a gift to be limited, a gift assention between the contributor and donee that spells out the gift's confinements and addresses related issues avoids mistaken assumptions and, if relations sharp severely, litigation [1]. The gift understanding likewise manages the donee the chance to consider the long-haul results of tolerating a gift with strings attached (Miree, 2014).
A gift to a protection association can bring about government tax cuts for the contributor. Limitations on utilization of the gift, contingent upon their temperament, can risk an expense reasoning. A contributor should work with lawful insight to comprehend the issues and dangers of setting confinements on a gift (Miree, 2014).
Regulatory Requirements For Charitable Contributions
Each state has a nonprofit statute that permits the arrangement of associations intended to do beneficent, instructive or metro objectives not related with making a benefit. Dissimilar to a consistent revenue driven business, a nonprofit isn't claimed by the individual or gathering beginning or running it.
So, the state laws plot how the nonprofit ought to be run and who's in control, including indicating the base number of board individuals expected to work the nonprofit and what happens if the nonprofit needs to close down activities (Scott, 2018).
Gifts are a vital wellspring of monetary help for most nonprofit associations. Certain tenets apply, be that as it may, to both the benefactors and the association tolerating the gifts. Benefactors must give gifts without accepting any products or administrations consequently, while a nonprofit that offers affectations in return for gifts could lose its expense absolved status.
Nonprofits are frequently required to enlist their raising support exercises with the state in which they propose to request gifts under neighborhood sales laws to shield givers and the general population from misleading foundations (Scott, 2018).
Question:
What are the benefits and drawbacks of unrestricted funds?