XII.10.2018 - The Year of Funding Dangerously
We have been working with non-profit organizations for over 20 years. Our projects have included a range of initiatives within our core services of strategy, change and coaching but we have also provided assistance with funding proposals that the agencies submit to the various levels of government, philanthropic organizations or quasi-government institutions. We provide this service pro bono or for a very small fee relative to the work involved. It’s our way of putting our money where our mouths are when it comes to ensuring the ongoing viability of our pet projects.
Most agencies would not survive by relying solely on their community fund raising and donations so the funding proposals are the only way that they can continue to offer their critical services to clients. We have worked with agencies that specialize in immigration, refugees, homelessness, housing, gender-based violence, mental health, addictions and youth-based wellness — just to name a few.
Every year at this time, there are predictable calls from government for “expressions of interest” in various funding streams but there are also surprises. These come from Ministries in Canada or Departments in the United States that need to use up their budgets before their fiscal year-end on March 31, 2019. So, they put out a call to fund initiatives that are not necessarily part of the usual cattle call. This “use it or lose it” approach to budgeting puts institutional survival ahead of quality process and outcomes. Paradoxically, it’s indicative of the scarcity and austerity mindsets that have invaded government decision making in the past few decades. In some cases, this also results in some agencies receiving funding for projects that don’t deliver measurable outcomes but they happened to have enough time to submit a proposal. Good for them, not so good for taxpayers who expect a return for their social services investment.
The reason that we help our favoured agencies with their funding proposals is that they don’t have enough time, resources or expertise to complete the submissions. It’s highly disappointing when some are turned down and it’s reassuring when they “win” and we know that the funds will be invested in services delivered by talented professionals that help build stronger and better communities. The idealist in me wants the appropriate funding to go to the “right” places but I know from experience that this doesn’t happen consistently. I do know, however, that an effective Executive Director in any one of our non-profit agencies can crush a penny better than any CEO in a multi-billion dollar, private sector company.
We have a 60/40 win ratio for the funding proposals that we assist with on behalf of our non-profit clients and that’s a 10% improvement over last year. And, we will do better next year.