Post by Tram Ngo

One thing I keep thinking about in this crowded, competitive grants landscape is how quickly funders will probably form an impression of your nonprofit organization. With so many proposals in the mix, a strong communications strategy matters more than ever before, as the Internet becomes a digital vetting tool of sorts. Funders will absolutely skim through websites and social media for quick signals about your nonprofit. They will definitely assess your credibility, your engagement in the community, and whether your organization looks capable of doing what it says it will do. Earlier in my nonprofit career, I once wore two hats at a nonprofit, assuming roles as grants lead, as well as communications specialist. That experience still shapes how I think about grant readiness, especially in 2026. Here are three comms-related advice I would give to any nonprofit actively applying to grants: 1️⃣ 𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘄𝗲𝗯𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗻𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀. If your communications and your grant materials are telling slightly different stories, funders will definitely notice. 2️⃣ 𝗔𝗰𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄𝗹𝗲𝗱𝗴𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗹𝘆 𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸. I do not just mean the standard thank-you post on Facebook or LinkedIn. I also mean mentioning them on your website, including on a Giving page if you have one. That kind of visibility quietly reinforces your credibility. 3️⃣ 𝗕𝗲 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗳 𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗺𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮 𝗳𝗼𝗼𝘁𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵. One homeless service provider I used to work for regularly partnered with Instagram accounts that focus on local issues in Hawaii. It's a win-win situation for both, as it helped the nonprofit reach more people, and it also gave those accounts meaningful community-centered content to share. Always remember that a strong grants strategy does not live in a vacuum. Your public-facing content is part of the story as well. P.S. Many of you probably don't know this, but before stumbling into the grants world, I pursued a BA in Communication at the University of Washington. For a brief, shining moment, I thought I was going to be a journalist. In case, some of you were wondering: Yes, I did have a good chuckle over the 2013 satirical article by 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘖𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯 about a recent UW Communication alum who was practically guaranteed a fast-tracked job offer 😅🤣 ♻️ Share this to help others in your network. 👉 Follow Tram Ngo for grant writing and life hacks