Giving Compass' Take:

• Kris Putnam-Walkerly explains how funders can make the grantmaking too difficult or too easy to the detriment of grantees and impact. 

• Are you striking the right balance with your grantmaking? How can feedback from grantees help funders understand the impact of the grantmaking process? 

• Read about ten ways to be a better grantmaker. 

Too Hard, Too Soft, or Just Right?
Remember the story of Goldilocks and the three bears? At every turn, the blond-haired trespasser was confronted with choices, and in every case she picked the middle ground. Not that I condone breaking and entering, but there is something to be said for the idea of being neither too hard nor too soft on grantseekers. Either extreme – being too hard or being too “soft” ­- is a bad practice. Here’s why:

Too Hard
There is a longstanding philosophy among some funders that grants should be hard won by only those who can show themselves to be the most deserving.

Too Soft
If being too hard is akin to cruelty, then being too soft on potential grantees is enabling at best, and insulting at worst.

Just Right
Exactly how long and how rigorous your grant application process should be depends on several factors:

  • What are you trying to accomplish with your grant? How much detail do you need to make decisions relative to that goal? Ask for that, and let the rest go.
  • How much are you giving away? I’m a firm believer that the level of rigor in an application should reflect the value of the potential grant.
  • Who are you hoping to fund? Are your applicants academic types who are used to writing long documents, or are they grassroots organizations with leaders who barely finished high school? What approach makes the most sense for your potential grantees?

Read the full article about goldilocks grantmaking by Kris Putnam-Walkerly at Putnam Consulting Group.