One of the most frequent mistakes organizations make is allowing too much time to elapse between showing interest in applying for a specific grant and actually submitting an application for it. The longer it takes to respond, the greater the chance you have of lessening the grantor’s enthusiasm and giving them an area of doubt about funding your project. It is understandable that delays happen, so if there is a reason you’re response will be delayed, speak up – don’t let silence speak for you.
Once you have committed to apply for a grant, it is incumbent upon you to be diligent of the time frame and correspond accordingly. From the grantor’s perspective, a delayed response is most always interpreted as a lack of importance, consequently, a lack of appreciation and respect, which to a grantor is their only currency.
As simple as it may sound, timely responses are the most often forgotten courtesy. In the competitive world of grants, small oversights add up to work against you. There are many uncontrollable issues that can potentially affect a relationship so why not minimize the ones you can control?
Greg Hind
Hind Foundation