Hi, friend!

Yesterday, my son came to me nearly in tears. His world was crashing because he couldn't find a specific LEGO. A LEGO broom to be precise.

The kids got a special Halloween pack of assorted Halloween-themed LEGO bricks and pieces and he couldn't find his broom. He thought that there were two and that his sister and he had each taken one. But now, because he couldn't find it, he was accusing his sister of lying and taking the only broom for herself. 😤

This meltdown over not being able to find a specific LEGO piece happens at least once per week. It's inevitable when you keep all of your LEGO in one giant bag like he does. Granted, it's easier to clean up. But it makes finding things harder.

Much like my son's LEGO chaos, managing grant-related information can be tricky. 🫤

(Even if you've never written a proposal or received a grant, you have information that will be valuable when you do start putting a proposal together. And right now is the perfect time to think about how you manage that.)

That's where our topic of the week comes in:

Knowledge Management

This is a fancy name for a system that helps you gather, organize, store, and find information. 🗄️

When it comes to grants, this basically means putting all your grant-related stuff in one place. This could be things like budgets, proposals, reports, and other important documentation.

This is super important because it helps increase:

👉 Efficiency and Accessibility

When you centralize grant information, you make it easier for you and your team to find what you need. This saves time by giving everyone quick access to important documents, templates, and past data. Not only will this help when you need to provide a quick response to a funder or have little time to submit an application (which will happen!), it will also help streamline your process, saving you time and energy!

👉 Consistency in Grant Writing

Imagine having a one-stop shop for templates, guidelines, and successful proposals. This ensures that everyone is on the same page and that you are consistent in how you're communicating about your programming. This consistency will not only help your submissions stay on brand and mission, it will make your life easier because you won't be putting something new together each time!

👉 Knowledge Transfer and Collaboration

A central hub of knowledge keeps things running smoothly. When someone new joins the team or if a team member leaves, a centralized knowledge management system helps create a smoother transition. It also encourages teamwork by giving everyone a shared space for sharing best practices and working together to improve grant-related processes. This collaborative environment will boost the overall effectiveness of your grant-seeking!

But what does that mean for you?

There's no one-size-fits-all method to knowledge management. It's going to look different for every organization and can be created within whatever systems you're already in. This flexibility not only ensures this will work with your organization now, it also allows organizations to adapt and evolve their systems over time.

The first place to start then would be to look at your current systems. Ask yourself, where do I typically put the information I collect or the documents I create? Where do I go to find information when needed?

You don't need to reinvent the wheel, just build upon what is already working for you!

So don't wait! Get started creating your knowledge management system now!

By keeping your grant information in one centralized place, you can increase your efficiency, maintain consistency in your proposals, and foster a collaborative environment. 🚀 All of this will contribute to long-term success in securing the funding you need, while also saving you a bunch of time and energy!

As we're celebrating Thanksgiving 🦃 in the US this week, I will be taking a week off from this newsletter. But I look forward to popping back up in your inbox on December 3rd!

This year, I am grateful for you, my friend! I am definitely grateful for your support as I get going on this journey. But most of all, I'm grateful for the opportunity to help you do the incredible work you're doing in any small way I can!

If you're celebrating the holiday, I wish you and yours a Thanksgiving full of gratitude, laughter, joy, love, and rest!

Kind regards,

Brandon Green, LMSW, GPC
www.brandongreenconsulting.com
bgreen@brandongreenconsulting.com

​

PS: I told you I'd follow up with a picture of the finished Christmas tree. So here it is in all it's glory!