Let’s start by making sure that we are all using the same definition of what a grant calendar is NOT:

• An entry for each upcoming deadline on your own personal calendar.
• Set in stone, or a limitation on which grant applications you can apply for.

Rather, a grant calendar IS:

• An entry for each upcoming deadline on a shared calendar that ALL members of the grant team can access that is managed by the lead grant writer/professional.
• Accessible to the full team that uses the technology that is best suited to the organization – that may be Google Calendar, Microsoft Outlook, or a shared Excel file on the network server.
• Accessible to full team & uses tech best suited to org.
• Does include not only grant application deadlines, but also key dates related to key research dates like funder webinars and conferences, building relationships with grantmakers, maintaining relationships with current grant funders, grant management report deadlines, grant billing deadlines.
• A guide for your proactive grant seeking strategy for the year ahead to help achieve your grant revenue goals for the organization.
• A guide for your proactive grant seeking strategy.

Whether your fiscal year starts on July 1st, or you are focusing on wrapping up your year at the end of each calendar year, you should always have an eye on your grant calendar and laying it out as a living and rolling document. It is critical to have your full team engaged in approving the proposed plan as documented on the calendar as you head into a new budget and new fiscal year. However, during the course of every year, using the calendar year as a reminder to revisit and update the calendar during the fiscal year can help keep you and your grant team on track for achieving the goals of your proactive grant strategy.

Are you new to the idea of creating a shared grant calendar for your organization?

Here is a great article from Nonprofit About.com outlining 9 Steps to Create a Grant Calendar to help you get started if you are just embarking on starting a grant calendar for your organization.

What other tips or tricks do you have about you put your grant calendar together each year or how you give your team and colleagues access to the calendar? We’d love to hear! Share your comments with us in the comment section of the website, via email, or on social media using #granttips.