The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Grant Seeking—using the covey principles to transform our #nonprofit #fundraising work.

1. Be Proactive: Create a daily practice for grant seeking that has a bias toward taking action, regardless of the immediate outcome. Work from your center of influence outward. Take bite site steps to know to develop relationships, and articulate your message.

2. Begin with the end in mind: Envision the transformation you expect to see in society. Create a picture of that end that is vividly detailed. Use that picture to take the first action, and then the next action.

3. Put first things first: Create a process that is centered around your principles and your Why. Use the process to evaluate possible strategies, tactics, and actions. Make sure you are always taking the next best step, what is important and urgent.

4. Think to win/win: Think of your competitors as partners, your funders as collaborators. Imagine scenarios where there are beneficial solutions for all the partners, and they are able to bring their strengths to the table.

5. Seek first to understand, then to be understood: Active listening is key to understanding with empathy the needs of your beneficiaries, and the needs and interests of your funders. Worry less about presenting and more about listening.

6. Synergize: Create opportunities for collaboration, contribution and teamwork. We are seeking to achieve goals that are bigger than any one of us alone.

7. Sharpen the saw: We are in a process of growth and continuous improvement. Working with funders as partners makes us better at our craft, and makes that solutions more powerful. Renew your energy.

Now You: Which of these principles have you used the most?

#leadership #nonprofit #strategy #fundraising #7habitsofhighlyeffectivepeople #growth