AEGN

Guide to grantmaking

This step-by-step guide can help you or your foundation focus your intentions and give you the tools to develop a program of environmental giving.

Step 9. How are you going to administer your funding?

It is important to complete the grantmaking cycle by deciding how structured you want your funding to be.

The book Savvy Giving provides some great guidelines which you can dip in and out of. You don’t need to take all of the steps below but they can be used in developing a comprehensive giving program.

  1. Choose your priorities and funding mix
  2. Draw up guidelines
  3. Establish systems to monitor and manage information
  4. Invite applications or gather proposals informally
  5. Research and assess funding applications received
  6. Shortlist and refine the selection of proposals to consider
  7. Meet to make grantmaking decisions
  8. Communicate grant decisions to applicants
  9. Release the grant and receive receipt from grant recipient
  10. Maintain contact throughout the life of the grant
  11. Request report and acquittal of grant
  12. Receive report and acknowledge
  13. Take stock of your progress and achievements
  14. Disseminate and share the learning
  15. Review where you have been, where you are going
  16. Celebrate

Ask yourself

Are you taking the right steps in the funding cycle? Check the worksheet to see where you are at and record your answers in the worksheet (pdf).

Join a funder group

Connect with the issues, connect with members, and connect with members around the issues. Find a funder group that is right for you.