Life as an Employee: Where Grant Professionals Fit in an Organization

It’s been over a decade since I was employed as an organization’s in-house grant professional, and there are some aspects of that particular brand of work life that I really do miss.

It should come as no surprise to our long-time subscribers that I LOVED interacting with my coworkers. I was always happy to leave my desk and visit a fire station, park, or road project to learn more about my colleague’s work. Thanks to 15 years in local government, I understand that hand-held breathalyzers are not admissible in court, which is why we needed a grant for an Intoxylyzer 5000 back in the day for our DUI enforcement program. I know that BFE stands for Base Flood Elevation when you are working with rivers and streams. I understand the importance of signal timing to move traffic seamlessly through a busy corridor.

And sure, you can learn all that as a consultant too, but I loved being able to step away from my desk and into the thick of so many things within a few minutes. Because truthfully, there are some things you can’t quite experience through a zoom camera.

But I get that life as an employee is not all sunshine and roses, especially if your organization doesn’t understand grants or appreciate the many skills you bring to the table. That’s why Kimberly decided to share some insights on navigating grant writing work as an employee in the latest episode of the Fundraising HayDay Podcast. To get the entire scoop, listen HERE.

The most important thing you can do is help define your roles and responsibilities. Are you in charge of grant prospect research, writing, and management? Does your organization understand the importance of a team approach to this work, even if you are the only one with “grant” in your title? At the very least, we need information from our colleagues, partners, and leaders. And to be truly successful, we need to meet regularly with key individuals to create and deploy a successful grant strategy. Defining who does what is a great way to start. Because if you don’t, everyone will expect you to do it all – a practice which is neither sustainable nor feasible. Heck, no one person should EVER be in charge of grant management – the Uniform Guidance requires checks and balances to ensure grant funding is properly managed.

Do you have a seat at the leadership table? Or are you simply told what your funding goals are? The truth is this: grant professionals are best equipped to match funding opportunities with funding needs within an organization. We know what grants can and cannot do, so it’s vital that we help plan how grants will enhance our organizations.

Speaking of funding needs, who sets your fundraising goals? Kimberly shares how simply expecting your grant professional to bring in an additional 10-25% year after year is a sure way to lead your employee directly to burnout. At some point, there are only so many hours in the day and so many funders who fit your organization’s mission and purpose.

Speaking of grant award goals – we talk about the metrics you should be tracking. And while knowing the dollars raised and your grant award percentage is pretty typical, grant professionals do so much more than write grants. You should track all the work you’re doing – from grant dollars managed and grant prospects found to hours spent building funder and partner relationships and educating your colleagues on how grants truly work.

Between the two of us, Kimberly and I have worked as an employee in a number of organizations. We don’t have all the answers, but we understand what grant professionals need to be successful in their role. We hope you’ll take a listen to the podcast. If you don’t already have a fantastic working relationship with your leadership and colleagues, and you’ve tried to do all the things we’ve suggested to no avail, then maybe it’s time to find the organization that appreciates all you bring to the table. Because a good grant pro is hard to find – we want you to know your worth!