Who can submit a grant application?
Do you accept grant applications from applicant organizations that are essentially a one-person incorporated entity (with one individual responsible for all aspects of the grant, including financial management and disbursements)?
If so, how do you approach funding decisions in these situations? Do you fund this type of organization as you would other organizations, or do you apply specific safeguards? If you use safeguards, what kinds have been most effective?
We’re reviewing our approach and would appreciate hearing how others manage this.
Let me know what you think.
Answers
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This is such a relevant question that many of us grapple with! I hear this frequently while working with clients. One-person organizations can bring incredible passion and efficiency to their work, but they do present unique considerations around capacity, sustainability, and oversight.
I'd love to hear from others about their experiences with this. Some questions that might spark discussion:
For those who do fund one-person entities:
- How do you assess organizational capacity differently in these cases?
- What due diligence processes have worked well for you?
- Have you found certain program areas or grant sizes where this model works particularly well (or poorly)?
Regarding safeguards:
- Are there specific financial oversight mechanisms you've implemented?
- How do you handle succession planning or continuity concerns?
- Do you require different reporting structures or check-ins?
For the broader group:
- Have you seen one-person organizations successfully scale, or do you typically view them as inherently limited in scope?
- How do you balance supporting emerging leaders with managing institutional risk?
@GloriaDillard raises important points about financial management and disbursements. I'm particularly curious if anyone has creative approaches to address these concerns while still supporting innovative, founder-led work.
Looking forward to learning from everyone's experiences and approaches!
Thank you!
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Good afternoon! The SLPO has provided grants to grassroots organizations with limited staffing and budgets, some of which are fairly recently formed entities (within the last two or three years) or those who have been operating with limited to no grant funding or other external resources. Because the Board is sensitive to the challenges of smaller, grassroots organizations in securing funding, they are willing to make that investment and support the agencies, recognizing the risk. These organizations are reviewed and funded the same as those that have more of a track record. As the SLPO has a maximum grant amount of $10,000, the level of funding awarded typically falls below $5,000. The agencies must also submit a Progress and Final Report, and based on what's communicated in the Progress Report, I may reach out to touch base. We have had some successes and some that are no longer in existence (as far as we know), and I will be doing research next year to this effect to help develop additional criteria for the Board when considering this type of request.
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