To receive grant funding, it is necessary to submit a proposal that identifies and successfully documents a dire need. The need has to be compelling enough to pull at the heartstrings and substantial enough to satisfy the intellect. It is also crucial to measure the need (yes, it isn’t just important to measure outcomes!) so that the problem is articulately described and so that realistic, quantifiable objectives are created.

1. Data Gets Grants
Mark Goldstein
March 27, 2013
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3. Affordable collaborative data
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4. Today’s Speaker
Mark Goldstein
CEO
Communication Mark
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5. Lead with the Need:
How Data Gets Grants
Mark Goldstein, CFRE
Nonprofit Webinars
March 27, 2013
www.communicationmark.com/datagetsgrantsonline.php

6. Needs Compel People to Give.
• Someone out there relies on what you do. You
could be spending your valuable time and skills
elsewhere. But you’re doing this. It’s critical—
more important than anything else that you could
describe. Thank you.
• Every successful grant proposal—and every other
type of request—hinges on a compelling need.
You know how HUGE the need is. The person
reviewing the request has to know, too.

7. “Need” Defined
A need is a condition or situation in
which something is required.
The Needs Statement is the part of the
proposal in which you articulate the need that
your will address. If organization leaders do not agree
on a need that the organization’s mission compels it to
address, the leadership will never be able to completely
agree on an effective solution.

8. How Can I Measure What My
Organization Does?
The need is often a good place to start. Consider the evidence
that the problem exists, and how the problem is quantified. If
the challenge you address is less obvious, such
as with arts organizations, this
may be difficult. However, it is
always possible to illustrate
that a need exists.

9. Which Measurements Am I Taking?
With grant proposals, you
are usually gathering
demographic information
(statistical characteristics of
a population) or other
baseline data (to show past
results, measure a current
situation or calculate future
results). The data is usually
either required by the
funder or desired to
objectively demonstrate the
need for funding.

10. Where To Get the Data
The source of your data should be well-documented. A potential
source is your organization’s internal files or databases. Your data
should be gathered from established, objective authorities, such
as a government agency, credentialed expert or established
nonprofit entity.

11. Data 101: How to Find Data
With grant proposals, the
desired data usually is baseline
I need data. data (to show past results or to
measure future improvements),
demographics or data that
proves a need exists. The data
needed is usually either
required by the funder or is
desirable to help make the case
Do I know for funding.
Decide which
NO exactly what
data I want. I need?
YES
NO
Does Fine, I'll
Investigate MAYBE anyone NO collect it
collect it? myself.
YES
NO
Do I know
where to get
it?
YES
Hooray, I
got the
data!

12. Data 101: How to Find Data
Example With grant proposals, the
desired data usually is baseline
I need data. data (to show past results or to
measure future improvements),
demographics or data that
proves a need exists. The data
needed is usually either
required by the funder or is
desirable to help make the case
Do I know for funding.
Decide which exactly what
NO
data I want. I need?
YES
NO
Does Fine, I'll
Investigate MAYBE anyone NO collect it
collect it? myself.
YES
NO
Do I know
where to get
it?
YES
Hooray, I
got the
data!

21. Data 201: I Found the Data, But It Doesn't Prove the Need!
Rats. The
data says
the wrong
thing.
Do I know
Investigate NO why that YES There really
happened? isn't a need.
YES
YES
This indicator just
Aha, the data was Can I get
doesn't show the
flawed! other data?
need.
YES
Back to
Especially if numbers
Address flaw "I need
data."
terrify you, have a
system. Take it one step
at a time, think it
through, and do not
Hooray, I
got the
abandon common sense.
data!

22. Data 202: I Found the Data, But Now I Have to Do Math
Hooray, I
got the
data! But it Back to
doesn't "I need
exactly data."
match what
I need.
NO NO
Can I make
it fit what I MAYBE Investigate
need?
YES YES
Use Excel,
document
work
Hooray, I
got the
data!

23. Data 202: I Found the Data, But Now I Have to Do Math
Hooray, I
got the
data! But it Back to
doesn't "I need
exactly data."
match what
I need.
NO NO
Can I make
it fit what I MAYBE Investigate
need?
YES YES
Use Excel,
document
work
Hooray, I
got the
data!

28. Data 202: I Found the Data, But Now I Have to Do Math
Hooray, I
got the
data! But it Back to
doesn't "I need
exactly data."
match what
I need.
NO NO
Can I make
it fit what I MAYBE Investigate
need?
YES YES
Use Excel,
document
work
Hooray, I
got the
data!

31. If a Need Is Hard to Document
• Get out there and document it!
• Two words: Survey. Monkey.
• Share an anecdote.
• Be creative.
• Are you sure that there is a real need, and that
this is the one to address?

32. Thank You for Listening!
Mark Goldstein, CFRE
(828) 650-0902
mark@communicationmark.com
www.communicationmark.com/datagetsgrantsonline.php

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