Advice Regarding Hard Copy Charity Grant Proposals vs. Online Applications

Shannon Brower
Shannon Brower
Fifth Anniversary Kudos 1 Participant Facilitator 1
in Blackbaud Grantmaking™ General Discussions
I would like advice on rolling out the “mandatory” use of online grant applications.   For years, our foundation accepted large charity grant proposals in person or by US mail. Now that we are up and running 100% online with our individual Helping Hands grant requests (under $2500), we would like to go 100% online with our larger charity grants as well. Did you proactively contact your customary grantee base to announce the switch when you began using BBGM?  Or do you still accept some hard copy grant proposals via US mail? 


Thanks!


Shannon

Comments

  • Paula Lentoni
    Paula Lentoni
    Ninth Anniversary Kudos 2 Name Dropper Participant
    Hi Shannon,


    We did announce we were moving online (10+) years ago, and then made it 99% mandatory. This would be my recommendation, except for the COVID crisis.

    I think it might be a burden to require the applicants to submit an online application right now. I might suggest making it optional through the end of 2020, but mandatory starting 2021.

    If they are not going to use the online application portal then I would only allow them to email you something vs. US mail, if only for the sanitary reasons.

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