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April 15, 2009: Board Grant Seeking Role |
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Desperate times may call for more desperate measures but boards should
resist the tendency to slack off on oversight of revenue generating
activities. With new federal funds available in the U.S., there is
a temptation to re-engage in the "rock-throwing school of grant writing"
- if we just through enough rocks in good directions, then we are bound
to hit something! The emergence of this temptation should alert board
members: now is the time to review grant seeking policy and
parameters. Following are five basic questions that staffs are hopefully asking
when looking at new funding sources. Board members need to periodically
insure that these questions are being asked.
1)
Will this project divert us from our community role/niche/integrity or values
and guiding principles?
2) Do we have the matching funds and staff/service/administrative
capacity to comfortably operate this grant, could it possibly strain or reduce
our core productivity?
3) Is this program really the best fit for us, does it further attainment
of our strategic goals, and do we look like the sort of poster child that the
funding source is looking for?
4) What happens when the new funding stops: can we continue this
with other funding sources or should we be seeking a more ongoing revenue flow
such as earned income or a contract?
5) Do we have adequate time, partners or other resources to plan and
submit a competitive proposal?
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