The Impact Issue #73: How To Keep Your Board Focused + 3 Grant Skills You Need!

Hey there!

Welcome back to The Impact—your weekly roundup of grant writing tips, nonprofit inspiration, and funding opportunities to help you do more good with less stress.

This week, we’re tackling a challenge every fundraiser knows all too well: board members with big (and sometimes random) ideas. We’ll show you how to harness their enthusiasm to work for you, not against you.

Plus, we’re spotlighting a powerful mobile giving tool, nonnegotiable skills for grant managers, and new grant opportunities you can still catch this summer season.

Ready to sharpen your strategies? Let’s dig in.

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Pitfalls and Pointers

⚠️ Pitfall: Letting Your Board Steer You Off-Track

Sometimes, it feels like every board has that one member who’s ready to “just call Oprah” to solve all their funding problems.

While board members are often full of passion and ideas, their enthusiasm for big-name funders or off-the-cuff opportunities can unintentionally derail a well-thought-out funding strategy. Chasing every shiny new opportunity can overwhelm staff, disrupt active programs, or even jeopardize compliance with existing awards.

💡 Pointer: Channel Board Energy Into Funder Relationships

Keep your board’s energy working for you instead of against you. Here’s how:

• Report grant activities regularly: Share updates on current grant progress at every board meeting so members can see where your time and energy are being invested.
• Redirect suggestions into relationships: When a board member pitches a random idea, ask them instead to help build relationships with current or prospective funders.
• Leverage their networks: Encourage your board to scan your list of current funders and see if they know any decision-makers—their connections can sometimes open doors you can’t.
• Get Personal: Invest time to truly understand board members’ interests, passions, and skills so you can match them with funder relationship-building opportunities.
• Tie Back to Long-Term Goals: Remind the board how your fundraising and grants strategy support the organization’s overall long-term goals, helping them stay focused on what truly matters.

Here’s the bottom line: A well-informed, engaged board can amplify your grant work instead of derailing it with “shiny object syndrome”.

🔎 Learn more about how to keep your board focused and engaged!

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Tech You Should Know

What: 

Snowball is an all-in-one fundraising platform with powerful mobile features, including text-to-give and streamlined mobile-optimized donation pages. Donors can give instantly from their phones, and returning donors don’t have to re-enter their payment info—talk about removing friction.

How Fundraisers Can Use It: 

• Boost event donations: Add a simple text-to-give keyword to your event signage or program to capture spontaneous generosity in the moment.
• Simplify follow-up giving: Drop a mobile donation link into thank-you emails or social posts so supporters can contribute again with just a tap.
• Highlight grant-funded programs: Share mobile-friendly donation pages in campaigns tied to grant initiatives to keep supporters engaged and show measurable impact.

Keep in Mind: 

• Mobile UX matters: Always test the donation process on multiple devices (e.g., Apple, Android) before launch to ensure a smooth experience.
• Donor data: Text-based gifts may collect limited info, so sync phone numbers with your CRM to build lasting relationships.
• Compliance: When using text messaging, be clear about opt-in requirements and to maintain transparency and compliance with the law.

Ready to learn how mobile giving can fuel your next big campaign?

👉 Explore Snowball’s features!

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Expert Perspectives

🏆 Sara McLaughlin on Nonnegotiable Skills Every Grant Manager Needs

In a sector where you’re juggling dozens of deadlines and relationships, grant management can feel like a high-wire act. Sara McLaughlin, Program Manager at Laureus Sport for Good Foundation USA, leverages her years of experience in funding programs and evaluations to break down for us some of the non-negotiable skills that every grant manager needs to have.

Here’s her expert advice:

• Be a system builder. Efficient systems are your safety net. Sara suggests building workflows that track applications, reports, and deadlines in one place so you can spend less time chasing down information and more time strategizing.
• Communicate like a pro. Grant managers sit between funders and program teams. That means listening deeply, adapting your style to different audiences, and ensuring that information flows smoothly so that nothing gets lost.
• Keep learning. From evaluation to compliance rules, grant managers thrive when they stay curious and up-to-date. Sara recommends carving out time to keep your skills fresh, whether through webinars, online courses, or just by asking more questions.

Want to see all seven skills she says are mission-critical?

📚 Read Sara’s full article to give your grant management skills the upgrade they deserve!

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The Latest Numbers

Online giving keeps growing—and nonprofits who adapt are reaping the benefits.

According to the 2025 Online Fundraising Statistics report by Nonprofit Tech for Good, here’s what’s shaping up so far this year:

• Recurring donors give 42% more than one-time donors. Steady, predictable support is the name of the game.
• 28% of online gifts now come through mobile devices. If your donation page isn’t mobile-friendly, it’s time.
• The average online donation reached $134 last year, demonstrating the power of volume over large checks.

The bottom line? Digital-first fundraising isn’t optional anymore; it’s mission-critical.

🤓 Learn more by reading the full report here!

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Opportunities Spotlight

📱 T-Mobile Hometown Grants

Who It’s For: 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(6) nonprofits, or local government entities in small towns (pop under 50,000)

Next Deadline: September 30, 2025, at 5 PM 

Grant Amount: Up to $50,000 per project

The Details:

• Supports shovel-ready placemaking projects—think library tech upgrades, parks, trails, plazas, murals, historical building revitalization
• Funds must be spent within 12 months
• Up to 100 towns awarded per year, with 25 awarded each quarter
• Application requires a project plan, budget timeline, anticipated impact, and up to 5 letters of support
• Selection criteria include community need, impact, feasibility, local engagement, and alignment with T-Mobile’s small-town strategy

👉 Apply Here!

💪 James M. Cox Foundation Grant

Who It’s For: Nonprofits or government entities located in communities served by Cox Enterprises, particularly in or near Atlanta, GA.

Next Deadline: October 15, 2025

Grant Amount: Varies based on project; eligible requests include capital campaigns and special projects (e.g., renovations, program expansion).

The Details:

• Supports projects in 4 focus areas: environmental conservation, early childhood education, empowering families, health
• Prioritizes capital campaigns and special projects
• Applications accepted year-round and reviewed 3x annually
• Nonprofits outside metro Atlanta must include a letter of endorsement from a Cox business leader

👉 Apply Here!

🔍 Explore thousands of other grant opportunities now!

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Networking Nook

💻 Webinar: Double Your Grants: How to Engage the Right Funders

August 7, 2025 | 1:00 PM CT

Finding grants is hard. Chasing the wrong ones is even harder. Join Instrumentl for a high-impact workshop that will help you double your funding opportunities—without doubling your workload.

In just 60 minutes, you'll learn:

• 🔍 How to evaluate funders with our proven “Funder Evaluation Scorecard”
• 🤝 The 7 key strategies for building long-term, high-value funder relationships
• 🚀 How to access a database of over 24,000 active funding opportunities and spot the right ones faster

If you're ready to ditch the guesswork and make every grant pursuit count, this session is for you.

Professional Credits: This session covers GPCI Competency 2. Full participation in this event is applicable for 1.0 points in Category 1.B - Education of the CFRE International application for initial certification and/or recertification.

Don’t miss it!

✅ Register Now!

📅 Conference: Nonprofit Innovation & Optimization Summit (NIO Summit)

September 30 - October 2, 2025 | Kansas City, MO

Hosted by NextAfter, the Nonprofit Innovation & Optimization (NIO) Summit is designed for nonprofit marketers, fundraisers, and leaders eager to rethink their donor engagement strategies. This lively, interactive conference is packed with workshops, games, and even skits, all focused on donor psychology, modern fundraising tactics, and retention strategies. Expect a vibrant mix of big ideas and actionable takeaways, wrapped in an upbeat and energizing atmosphere.

Hurry

✅ Register Now!

To check out more recent and upcoming live events, go here.

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In Case You Missed It

📑 Article: Grant Financial Report Template

Need to show your funders exactly how their dollars were used? This free Instrumentl template helps you create a clear, organized financial report that makes reporting easier and funders happier.

👉 Get the Full Story!

📼 Video: Fundraising Masterclass: Fundraising Self-Identification & Engaging Your Networks

In this 44-minute YouTube masterclass hosted by Catalyst Now, nonprofit pros dive into how to define your fundraising environment and build meaningful relationships that drive donor engagement.

👉 Watch the Master Class!

🎙️ Podcast: Nonprofit Hub: Straight from the Grant Writing Expert

Hosted by grant expert Teresa Huff, this podcast teaches nonprofit leaders and grant writers how to develop millions of dollars in sustainable funding through clear, actionable strategies and real-world case studies.

👉 Listen to the Episode!

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Ready to Level-Up Your Grant Strategy?

Juggling funder research, deadlines, and reporting shouldn’t feel like running a marathon with no finish line. With Instrumentl, you can finally simplify the way you discover good-fit opportunities, build stronger funder relationships, and keep track of every proposal—all in one place.

✅ Find the right grants faster

✅ Get funder insights you can actually use

✅ Stay on top of tasks without the spreadsheet chaos

Bottom line? Less overwhelm, more impact.

👉 Start your free 14-day trial and see how much smoother grant work can be!