Giving Compass' Take:

• The Net Grant Calculator will tell you how much of your grant is actually making it to your grantee - potentially revealing inefficiencies in the grantmaking practices. 

• How efficient is your system? How can it be streamlined? 

• Read about ways to streamline your grantmaking practices.

How much does it cost to run each of your grant programs? How much does it cost potential grantees to apply?

Ten years after our launch of Project Streamline, we’ve continued to talk with members and peers in the field about how much time is spent on making and seeking grants, the burden that it can cause both grantmakers and grantseekers, and how we can better understand the true cost.

You can now get the answers with the Net Grant Calculator, a free online tool developed by PEAK Grantmaking in partnership with New America and the Mulligan Fund.

Why are these answers so important?

When a nonprofit applies for a grant, they spend a lot of time slicing and dicing their standard information to meet the requirements of various funders. Nonprofit staff spend time researching the opportunity, reviewing requirements, communicating with the funder, having internal meetings, gathering supporting documentation, preparing customized budgets, drafting grant narratives, and formatting to fit the application requirements. They may also dedicate time to answering follow-up questions and staffing a site visit – all before they even know whether they have received any funds.

After the grant is received, more time goes into setting up or customizing systems to track the data and financial information required in grant reports and preparing and submitting reports – quarterly, two times a year, or annually.

Read the full article about the Net Grant Calculator by Melissa Sines at PEAK Grantmaking.