Staying true to our values
We will be announcing the finalists tomorrow, yet we wanted to share some insight into our thought process.
Since the beginning of the We Inspire grant program, we have tried to stay true to our core values. We are all firm believers in open communication, mutual collaboration and ongoing education.
Open Communication
When it came time to inform the applicants of their results, we wanted to give honest feedback. Due to the quantity of entries, it wasn’t possible to provide specific feedback about each application, yet we were able to share three key areas that could be improved for future entries.
Impact: We were drawn to applications that explained specific outcomes — something that could inspire a ripple effect. In the future, we encourage applicants to focus on explaining the intended impact and communities to be served.
Collaboration: We were looking for a willingness to collaborate with our professional team across a variety of mediums. Some applications were only seeking one piece of the whole, as opposed to a holistic and integrated solution.
Sustainability: It was critical that applications showed a realistic budget for implementation and travel costs (if applicable). Great design can only effect change if it can be produced and sustained over time.
Mutual Collaboration
We’re always looking for ways to improve our grant program and application process. We asked every applicant for some feedback. Here is one response we would like to share:
“As you must know, those of us in the nonprofit world spend a good deal of time asking for things…money, grants, services…so it isn’t that unexpected when we get a turn down. What IS unusual is that someone actually takes the time to tell us more than ‘no’. I appreciate your effort to share information about how we might improve our application.”
Ongoing Education
The We Inspire team also recognizes that a lot of time and energy went into creating each application. This process may have revealed some new strengths, weaknesses and areas for marketing improvement. This is why we are offering one free hour of design and marketing consultation to all qualified applicants. (Qualified applicants submitted their application on time and have been established for a minimum of five years.)
Free consultations will begin in March, and will be scheduled on Fridays only. Please email Emily Rawitsch to set up an appointment for 2010.