Abstract
Purpose. This study was conducted to discover what decision-making challenges leaders of nonprofit leaders experience as they applied for and reported on grants. It also probed to discover the decision-making factors that were most important for these leaders as they applied for and reported on grants, what strategies they use in these processes, and their recommendations for change. Methodology. Twenty-five leaders of nationally-affiliated nonprofit organizations in California were interviewed in this descriptive study. Data were collected from brief demographic questions, three forced-ranking questions, and semi-structured qualitative questions in telephone interviews of approximately one-half hour in length. Findings. Leaders of nonprofit organizations experience challenges in the grant research, writing and reporting processes. The decision-making factors they use and the challenges they experience in applying and reporting on grants are different. Focusing on the organizational mission was most important in making decisions about applying for grants. Ethical considerations were most important in reporting on grants. Conclusions. (1) Nonprofit leaders are driven by the mission of their organizations and use their mission as the guiding factor for their leadership decision-making; (2) The grant process, from research to reporting, is becoming increasingly focused on the needs of funders, to the detriment of the needs of the nonprofit community and the people it serves; (3) In a time when the ethics of the nonprofit community are under mounting scrutiny, the ethics of the nonprofit leaders interviewed for this study are being increasingly challenged, particularly in the grant reporting process; (4) Funders and the nonprofit community are not talking enough with each other and amongst themselves in meaningful conversations about what nonprofits need, why they need it, and how best to meet these needs; and (5) The time required to research, apply for, and report on most grants is a detriment to nonprofit leaders and their organizations, particularly in those cases where it is the leader who is solely responsible for the process. Recommendations. Recommendations offered were for local, regional and national nonprofit leaders to meet with local, regional and national funders to discuss and reconfigure the grant process. The results of these meetings would be shared with leaders at all levels. In addition, national nonprofit organizations would develop ways to provide more assistance their local agencies in the grant process.