Asking Accordant: Counting Government Grants
Q:
How do I apply state, federal and other grant funding to a specific area of a campaign as part of the accounting total? Do I count it in my total campaign amount? If so, do I designate it as a separate category for total transparency?
A:
Many health organizations use government grants in some way. Beyond supporting the program, they lend credibility with personal donors. Some organizations use them to leverage other funders to match the program and increase the impact. Some corporate grants coexist with contracts and can also be counted as strategic alliances, which can be part contract/part gift, in campaign totals.
Grant funding can be counted in the total campaign number, but I suggest keeping it as a separate program. For example, track your corporate funding, foundation grants and other grants as separate line items that contribute to the total. Dividing up your strategy by programs allows you to have transparency when sharing with leadership. If your campaign counting policies allow it (by setting it up as a comprehensive campaign, where everything counts) and it is clearly labeled as a grant, consider it counted. If the funding priorities contracted in the grant align with the campaign case and project timing, it can be counted.
