05/15/2026
Here's something most nonprofits don't talk about openly: a grant can actually cost your organization money. πΈ
The good news? Funders are starting to wake up to this reality.
More and more, forward-thinking funders are moving toward multi-year funding models because they've seen the data. Several years of sustained support creates the kind of organizational stability that produces real, measurable impact. A one-time check rarely does.
Here's what that shift reveals: funders are ultimately focused on impact. They want to see the communities they care about actually change. And the organizations that thrive long-term are the ones who understand this and communicate around it clearly. π€
The sweet spot? When impact and relationship meet.
When you show up as a transparent, communicative steward of your funder's investment, when you tell the story of what's working, what's hard, and where you're headed, something shifts. Funders stop feeling like check writers and start feeling like collaborators. And when that happens, they want to help. They advocate for you. They come back.
Clear communication isn't just good manners. It's a financial strategy. π
Thank you to Marc Misiurewicz of Empreinte Consulting for joining our CEO, Karen Houghton, for a conversation surrounding grant stewardship.