Project Streamline: Improving Grant Application and Reporting

Today, there are more than 70,000 foundations and other grant making organizations in the United States, most of whom have their own specialized process and information requirements for application and reporting. Specialized requirements often create duplication of effort or contradict each other. As part of their guidelines, foundations often require information from nonprofits that may be either unnecessary or readily available to the grantmaker from another source.

Even though each funder’s requirements may seem perfectly reasonable, thousands of different proposal and reporting guidelines place a heavy burden on organizations seeking funding, thereby hampering their ability to be efficient with their time and effective in their missions.

Determined to address the great waste of time and energy caused by inconsistent and inefficient reporting and application procedures, the Grants Managers Network has partnered with seven prominent organizations representing grantmakers and grantseekers to form Project Streamline.  Project partners include the Association of Fundraising Professionals, the Association of Small Foundations, the Council on Foundations, the Forum of Regional Associations of Grantmakers, the Foundation Center, Grantmakers for Effective Organizations, and the National Council of Nonprofit Associations.

Together, these diverse partners commissioned a report on grant application and reporting practices, the impact of these practices on grantseekers and grantmakers, and the implications for the field.  The goal of the resulting report titled Drowning in Paper, Distracted from Purpose: Challenges and Opportunities in Grant Application and Reporting is to spark thinking and dialogue on this topic across a wide range of grantmaking stakeholders of all shapes and sizes.  GMN will be releasing this report in early April.  Ultimately, Project Streamline’s goal is to create a set of Principles to inform grantmakers’ decisions about their information gathering practices. 

The eight partner organizations believe that a critical first step is opening an honest dialogue within and among foundations, and between grantmakers and grantseekers.  In the second phase of the project, Project Streamline will sponsor conference presentations, roundtables, teleconferences, and other convenings to gather feedback and learn more about how the recommendations presented in this report can come to life in real grantmaking organizations. 

Stay tuned for updates from GMN about how you can learn more and get involved in this important initiative.