Reconnaissance

• Gather many sources of grants which your Clubhouse of Clubhouse International would be qualified to apply for.

  • Possible websites:

    • https://www.grants.gov/

    • https://www.grantwatch.com/

  • Local grants are also effective. Look for members of your community and organizations with a history in philanthropy. 

• Hone in the number of grants to focus only on those worth your team's time and energy.

• It’s important to consider the time it takes to complete a grant in comparison to the financial value of the grant. Additionally, pay attention to whether grants are recurring or distributed over a period of time and make sure to keep track of the recurring deadlines.

Keep a collective document that all team members have access to. Here you can track your progress on the various grants you plan on applying for.

• You can find a sample progress document here.

Reach out to the contacts for the grants and express interest.

• You can find a sample email here.

Create a Collective Calendar

• A calendar is helpful for keeping your whole team on track!

Writing the grants

• The other sections of this toolbox include general information about Clubhouse International that could be copy/pasted into grant proposals.

• Establish your own goals for the individual Clubhouse and express what you would like to do with the money.

Progress Reports

• Once awarded a grant, reports will need to be written and provided to the benefactor. You need to report mile markers and give someone the responsibility to do so.

• Often in a six month to one year cycle, expect a request for information on progress associated with the goals outlined in the grant. Typically, data will be required in this request to support the progress of your goals. It’s recommended to create both in the grant application along with follow-up on how to best capture data to support your work.

Site Visits

• Site visits are often requested by those who awarded the grant. In these visits, there will most likely be questions about the grant's impact and how it is meeting the goals set out in the grant application.

• In order to make strong connections within the community and possibly receive more grants from the same benefactor, it is important to stay up to date with progress reports and site visits.