The Impact Issue #26: Unraveling The Mysteries of Form 990s

Let’s face it: most funders have a type.

In this week’s edition of The Impact, we’re diving into how to find out if you’re their type by evaluating past grantees. We’ll also share some expert insights and helpful tools for maximizing your fundraising success.

Let’s dive in.

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Don’t Miss Out!

Before going any further, we want to make sure you know about two very exciting things we’ve got going on here at Instrumentl 👇

📊 Insights Report: The Causes Attracting the Most Funding

Ever wondered how much grant funding is actually out there for your nonprofit?

We were curious too—which is why we dove deep into Instrumentl's grant database, analyzing over 400,000 funders and 17,000 active grant opportunities. Here's what we uncovered:

• Top areas receiving the most grant funding
• Average grant sizes by sector
• Funders with the largest grants
• Success rates for new vs. repeat grantees

If you’re not sure how much funding is available for your specific focus area, these insights can set a new benchmark for your strategy.

👉 Read the full analysis!

🚀 Nonprofit Growth Summit: Secrets to Success From High-Performing Nonprofits

In just two days, we are hosting a virtual summit all about tapping into your nonprofit’s full potential.

Through panel discussions, hands-on workshops, and community building opportunities, you’ll gain:

• Five emerging strategies from high-performing nonprofits to immediately apply to your organization.
• Access to a treasure trove of 12+ resources from industry experts.
• A thriving network of nonprofit professionals eager to collaborate, learn, and succeed together.
• CFRE points toward initial or recertification.

Whether it’s limited funding, lack of collaboration, or disengaged stakeholders, this half-day virtual summit will equip you with the solutions to break through whatever is holding your nonprofit back.

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Pitfalls and Pointers

So you’ve found a grant that seems like a good fit. Based on the funding description, your organization would be a great candidate for support.

But as any seasoned fundraiser knows, actions speak louder than words.

What’s actually reflected in their giving history?

⚠️ Pitfall: Overlooking Past Recipients

It can be tempting to overlook the past recipients' section of a funder’s Form 990.

And we get why—looking over 990s in their original form can be a manual, tedious process that takes significant time and effort. With a lot of funders to evaluate, it might not feel worth it.

However, ignoring a funder’s past recipients will just lead to wasted efforts on grant applications you never stood a chance with.

💡 Pointer: Look for Patterns in Funders’ Past Grantees

Past giving is one of the best indicators of future giving.

Past grantees can tell you a lot about what funders are looking for and whether you’d be a competitive applicant.

When evaluating the past recipients section of a Form 990, make sure to take note of these kinds of patterns:

• Organizations Like Yours: Are you similar in some way to the other nonprofits on the list? Not just in mission, but also in size, funding need, and programming?‍
• Repeat Grantees: Are the same organizations listed year after year? This can be a great indicator that the funder likes to build strong relationships with their grantees.‍
• Geographic Location: Are most past recipients in the same few locations? Some funders have specific geographic areas they like to focus on.

Here’s some great news: you don’t have to comb through endless 990s to uncover these patterns. Just look up a funder within Instrumentl to get clear snapshots of these key giving trends.

🔍 Explore what else you can learn from a funder’s 990 in this guide!

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Tech You Should Know

You’re ready to pump up your fundraising efforts! Fantastic, who isn’t!?

But where do you start?

A great first step is assessing where you currently are—and that’s where the Fundraising Fitness Test comes in.

What:

The Fundraising Fitness Test is a free tool that benchmarks your nonprofit’s fundraising performance against industry standards. It’ll help you see how you’re doing now and identify ideas for opportunity for the future.

How Grant Writers Can Use It:

• Measure Donor Retention: Understand how your organization stacks up in terms of donor retention and loyalty. You can use those insights to help tailor your approach.
  
• Identify Growth Areas: Get data-driven insights to refine your fundraising strategies. Leverage this to help you get buy-in for pursuing new grants!
  
• Compare Your Metrics: Access industry-wide benchmarks to see where you stand. If you don’t like what you see, you can take steps to create a new fundraising strategy to close the gaps.

Keep in Mind:

• Data Only Tells Part of the Story: Don’t just take what the report says at face value. Dig deeper to make sure it’s creating an accurate picture of your nonprofit.‍
• Don’t Panic: The report may seem overwhelming at first, but don’t panic! Tackle it piece by piece and integrate it slowly into your fundraising strategy. You’ve got this!

🌟 Assess your organization with the Fundraising Fitness Test today!

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Expert Perspectives

🏆 Instrumentl’s Expert Council’s 7 Tips on Decoding 990s

Though incredibly valuable, Form 990s reveal much more than just past grantees!

Instrumentl’s Expert Council of grant writing pros shared with us some tips for getting the most out of 990s and using them to your advantage.

Here’s their expert advice:

1. Identify Major Revenue Sources: You can see how they get their funding, which can give you insight into their organizational health and if they are a viable long-term funder.
2. Analyze Expense Ratios: Form 990s help you see how much funders are spending on program health and administrative costs. Again, this is a great indicator of the organization’s overall health.
3. Spot Growth Trends: There are several growth trends you can see from 990 data, including financial growth, how their giving has evolved, and what areas they have expanded their focus to. 
4. Understand Grant Distribution: Form 990s give a clear picture of an organization’s giving. You can see their focus areas, including geographic locations and areas of giving, and it will give you an idea if you have a shot with them. 
5. Evaluate Program Descriptions: Review all program descriptions listed in Form 990 with a fine-toothed comb to see if they align with your projects. This will help you confirm you’re a good fit. 
6. Investigate Board Composition: Look up the board members. Check them out on social media to see if you have connections and see if you can leverage them to make an introduction. 
7. Track Donor Lists: Donor lists can tell you a lot about the organization as a whole, helping to understand their interests and see if your project aligns with what they have previously funded. 

🔍 Learn even more about decoding 990s here!

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Opportunities Spotlight

🌍 Sea Pact: United for a Sustainable Future Grant

Who It’s For: Organizations focusing on sustainable seafood initiatives

Next Deadline: February 28, 2025

Grant Amount: Up to $50,000

The Details:

This grant supports projects addressing key issues in the seafood supply chain, such as climate change, habitat protection, and fisheries management. Ideal for organizations with projects promoting systemic improvements and scalable solutions.

👉 Apply Here!

🍫 Clif Bar Family Foundation Small Grants

Who It’s For: Nonprofits focused on environmental health, community building, and sustainable food systems

Next Deadline: March 1, 2025

Grant Amount: Up to $50,000

The Details:

This funding opportunity prioritizes projects that aim for measurable outcomes and community engagement. Preference is given to small and mid-sized nonprofits with limited funding.

👉 Apply Here!

🔍 Explore thousands of other grant opportunities now!

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Networking Nook

The opportunities that were originally shared in this issue of The Impact have since passed. To check out more recent and upcoming live events, go here.

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In Case You Missed It

📼 Workshop: How to Make the Most of 990s

This 60-minute seminar will teach you how to leverage a funder’s 990 to your advantage, gaining insights that can help you get a competitive edge in the application process.

👉 Get the Full Story!

📑 Article: How to Determine the Requirements for a Grant Application Using Instrumentl

Learn how to leverage Instrumentl to determine grant requirements, find good-fit funders, and use 990 insights to tailor your application.

👉 Get the Full Story!

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Leverage Instrumentl’s Form 990s to Get a Leg Up

Form 990s can tell you so much about a funder to ensure you are a good fit.

With our funder insights and 990 snapshots, we turn these tax documents into something that’s easy to read and understand. From identifying past grantees to identifying giving trends and everything in between, Instrumentl can help save you time as you deep dive into new funders.

Ready to see how it works?

👉 Try Instrumentl for free for 14 days today!