Spending Grant Money 

Grant money comes with a catch. Often, you will need to submit a report back to the grant maker detailing how you allocated the grant money. This report is just as important as the initial grant proposal. Most likely you will be asking for more money next year. The first thing the grant maker will do will be to review how you previously spent grant money. Therefore, document everything, and don’t go one inch over the line. The quickest way out of the grant game is to get caught spending narcotics grant money on a new patrol car. 

Informing the Public 

It is important to inform the press and public about your successful grant award and projects as they progress and complete. Contact your legislators and other important members of your community for a quote to include in your own press releases. 

In addition to informing local newspapers and television stations though press releases, there are several other ways to broadcast what you have accomplished: 

• Business journals 
• Radio spots 
• Industry newsletters 
• Union publications 
• Blogs 
• Conference presenters 
• Dissemination on the Internet 
• Private mailings to the affected populace or grant target 

Prepare a fact sheet that outlines the highlights of your grant (who, what, where, when, why, and how). Also, make sure to acknowledge the entities that funded your grant (i.e., “This project/program is supported in whole, or in part by…”). 

Your successful grant can now become part of your ongoing credibility file!