Program data is essential for public grant accountability, but there’s another, more grantee-centric reason to request it: with thoughtful processes and appropriate support, data reporting is an opportunity for organizational strengthening and impact growth. The key, of course, is support. Data capacity is an essential part of strong organizational maturation, but change is a process. Ideally one of continual improvement.
Well-designed grant programs are not supposed to stress test nonprofit organizations. They are supposed to be partnerships for impact. If the grantee organization fails, we all do, because the end-recipient is not served.
At the Primary Care Coalition (PCC), we’re really proud of how we’ve been able to support Asian American and Pacific Islander-serving organizations as grant administrators for the Healthy Communities Fund of the Asian American Health Initiative (AAHI), a division of the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services. For program data reporting, we have worked with both the funder and grantee sides of the equation: continuously streamlining data requests to reduce reporting burden and, in FY24, launching office hours to talk through reports with grantees before submitting them (or any other troubleshooting help they needed).
Additional funding through the Asian American Health Initiative in FY24 meant PCC was able to go beyond reporting assistance and offer grantees focused data strategy consultations that helped them develop convenient excel trackers for reporting. The virtual format also meant we could share our screen and demonstrate the excel processes—a bonus excel training for folks who were not sure how to use some of its features.
While the Healthy Communities Fund is not about building data capacity per se, small and emerging organizations end up stronger for future programs and proposals because of the muscle-building support in this one. It has been a pleasure seeing their training results.
When it comes to building data capacity grant regimens, we offer these observations:
After decades of quality improvement work, we should not be surprised by the power of a learning collaborative. Yet somehow, it is always a little bit wondrous. We all struggle with not knowing what we don’t know. When we are not privy to the internal workings of other organizations, we may not realize what is standard, let alone what is possible.
During one of our FY24 data workshops, we invited two organizations to present how they've been collecting and managing data. “People found that to be so helpful,” says Rachel Lee, PCC’s Senior Manager for Community Resilience who oversees PCC’s Healthy Communities Fund program work. “I could tell that for some organizations it was the first time actually seeing another local AAPI organization present something like that.”
During one of our FY24 data workshops, we invited two organizations to present how they've been collecting and managing data. “People found that to be so helpful,” says Rachel Lee, PCC’s Senior Manager for Community Resilience who oversees PCC’s Healthy Communities Fund program work. “I could tell that for some organizations it was the first time actually seeing another local AAPI organization present something like that.”
It is easy to assume the smaller organizations are the only ones who need focused support, but we have seen important growth among more established organizations as well. For example, one organization with generally strong data infrastructure also had a critical gap: a lack of connectivity among department data systems kept them from tracking the number of clients served by Healthy Communities Fund dollars who were new to the organization overall. That was a process they had to work through.
There are also distinct advantages to applaud among the most grassroots organizations. They may collect data with paper and pen, but they tend to know their clients very well. “They know them by their name, their address, they know exactly where they live,” Lee says. Their data capacity may be on the low end, but what she calls their “relational capital” is very strong.
There are also distinct advantages to applaud among the most grassroots organizations. They may collect data with paper and pen, but they tend to know their clients very well. “They know them by their name, their address, they know exactly where they live,” Lee says. Their data capacity may be on the low end, but what she calls their “relational capital” is very strong.
It is a truth universally acknowledged, and not only for client-facing organizations. Establishing common ground as human beings with a shared purpose creates space for growth. We have all felt the difference between working with someone who shows up as their whole selves and someone who is only concerned with work plans and compliance.
It can also help if key program figures have strong ties to the community being served. "As an AAPI person, I've been trying to build that relationship with grantees so that it's not just ‘Hey, I'm a grant person telling you to do something,’ but more like, ‘you know, this is really important to our community,” says Lee. “This means something in the long run. This is how the community gets future funding.”
It can also help if key program figures have strong ties to the community being served. "As an AAPI person, I've been trying to build that relationship with grantees so that it's not just ‘Hey, I'm a grant person telling you to do something,’ but more like, ‘you know, this is really important to our community,” says Lee. “This means something in the long run. This is how the community gets future funding.”
Equitable grant access does not just happen. The Asian American Health Initiative and PCC have been deliberate about incorporating equity strategies in the application process as well as grant management, to be sure funds are going where they can make a difference—not just to the organizations with the most proposal capacity. Key application choices include:
The Healthy Communities Fund is open for applications through August 5, 2024 to fund programs serving AAPI residents of Montgomery County with behavioral health, senior wellness, and health & social support services. There is no minimum award amount, and community organizations of all sizes are encouraged to apply. Organizations may reach out to [email protected] for assistance in the application process. Applicants can also get assistance with composing their applications by registering for free program strategy consultations.
This article has not been reviewed by the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services.
- Differentiation and visibility: There are separate application categories for small and large organizations to ensure the ones with fewer resources are not overshadowed by those at a different growth stage.
- Content over form: We not only allow but encourage applications from organizations with limited English proficiency. While we request that all applications be submitted in English, we suggest Google translate as an option for writing in whatever language is comfortable for grantees. Reviewer guides ask for an analysis of the service plan an organization is proposing, not their elements of style.
- Consultation before application: Organizations that are experienced in proposal submission will have a strong sense of what standard information to include. Newer and all-volunteer organizations may struggle to understand what information the application questions are designed to gather or to assess whether their project meets the requirements. Opportunities for 1:1 consultations before submission create space for those questions, shaping not just the best proposal but the strongest program. AAHI staff are holding consultations before this year’s grant deadline.
The Healthy Communities Fund is open for applications through August 5, 2024 to fund programs serving AAPI residents of Montgomery County with behavioral health, senior wellness, and health & social support services. There is no minimum award amount, and community organizations of all sizes are encouraged to apply. Organizations may reach out to [email protected] for assistance in the application process. Applicants can also get assistance with composing their applications by registering for free program strategy consultations.
This article has not been reviewed by the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services.
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