Funding Archives - Nicole Clark Consulting

13 May, 2026

How Funders Can Identify Structural Funding Barriers

By Nicole Clark, LMSW|2026-05-11T12:37:41-04:00May 13th, 2026|Categories: Strategic Planning & Sustainability|Tags: Funding, Grantees, Grantmaking, Nonprofits, Philanthropy|0 Comments

Illustration of a Black woman using a wheelchair while working at a computer, with the text “How Funders Can Identify Structural Funding Barriers ” and Nicole Clark Consulting branding.

When program officers evaluate their funding portfolios, it’s natural to focus on grantee performance: Did organizations meet their goals? What outcomes did they achieve? Which approaches showed the most promise?

These are important questions, yet they tell only part of the story.

Sometimes the biggest barriers to impact have nothing to do with grantee organizations. Instead, the biggest barriers may be embedded in the structures surrounding the funding itself.

From application requirements and reporting expectations to payment terms and assumptions about what “capacity” should look like, If funders want to build stronger investment portfolios, they should identify not only how grantees perform, but how funding practices shape who can access resources and succeed.

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6 May, 2026

Ask Nicole: What Is A Strong Funder Portfolio?

By Nicole Clark, LMSW|2026-05-11T11:41:53-04:00May 6th, 2026|Categories: Strategic Planning & Sustainability|Tags: Ask Nicole, Funding, Grantees, Grantmaking, Nonprofits, Philanthropy|0 Comments

Have a question you’d like to be featured? Let me know.

I wrote about why funders should create a process for evaluating their portfolios. Since then, I’ve been sitting with a related question: What makes a funder portfolio strong?

In my work with funders — particularly those who have brought me in to support their grantees — I’ve seen how easy it is for portfolios to take shape organically rather than intentionally. Over time, investments accumulate, priorities evolve, and new opportunities emerge. And while each individual grant may be well-intentioned, the portfolio as a whole may not reflect a clear strategy.

That’s where a more strategic, portfolio-level lens becomes essential.

Here are five questions to ask:

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4 Mar, 2026

Ask Nicole: Why Should Funders Evaluate Their Portfolios?

By Nicole Clark, LMSW|2026-03-03T23:32:14-05:00March 4th, 2026|Categories: Research & Evaluation|Tags: Ask Nicole, Funding, Grantees, Philanthropy, program evaluation|0 Comments

Have a question you’d like to be featured? Let me know.

Over the past few years, I’ve found myself increasingly in spaces with funders.

Not only are they hiring me to evaluate individual grantee programs, but I’m also working alongside their grantees, support learning agendas, and strengthen strategy implementation.

In one recent engagement, I partnered with a funder to develop a theory of change designed to sharpen and improve their investments in sexual and reproductive health, rights, and justice. That work pushed me to think more deeply about the relationship between how funders award individual grants and the broader ecosystem a funder is trying to influence.

Recently, I’ve shifted my focus toward evaluating at a more strategic level.

Not only should we ask, “Did this grantee meet their outputs?”, funders should also ask, “Is this portfolio coherent?”Is it equitable? What measurable change is this portfolio driving, and how has it increased grantees’ capacity to sustain that change?

These are bigger questions. To answer them, funders — especially program officers responsible for managing funding portfolios — must step back and examine not only what they fund, but how and why they fund it.

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26 Feb, 2025

Beyond the Grant Award: Setting Up Evaluation Systems for Long-Term Success

By Nicole Clark, LMSW|2025-02-26T09:56:59-05:00February 26th, 2025|Categories: Strategic Planning & Sustainability|Tags: Funding, Grantwriting, program evaluation|0 Comments

Congratulations!

Landing a grant feels great—it’s validation that your work matters and your approach is solid. But the work doesn’t stop when the money arrives. In fact, securing funding is just the beginning.

Building sustainable evaluation practices helps your organization measure progress, stay on top of program updates, and be positioned for future funding opportunities.

Ready to turn your grant into lasting success? Let’s dive into setting up evaluation systems designed for the long haul.

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19 Feb, 2025

Try This: Making Your Case to Secure Grant Funding

By Nicole Clark, LMSW|2025-03-17T15:00:26-04:00February 19th, 2025|Categories: Strategic Planning & Sustainability|Tags: Funding, Grantwriting, Try This|0 Comments

*Try this out and let me know how it goes for you (or if you need support.)*

You know how to make your grant application stand out to funders, and how to avoid common data pitfalls in demonstrating your impact.

Yet data alone isn’t enough to convince funders—your application needs a strong, compelling case backed by real insights. Funders want to know that your program is not only needed but also effective, and that you truly understand the communities you serve.

This activity will help your staff connect the dots between data, community feedback, and a persuasive grant narrative that funders can’t ignore.

Ready to sharpen your funding appeal? Let’s get started.

Objective:

Help staff practice integrating research and community insights into a compelling grant application by identifying relevant data, crafting a strong case for funding, and refining their storytelling approach.

This activity is ideal for:

Funding and grant making staff
Staff responsible for leading data collection and sense making processes
Anyone interested in applying evaluative thinking

What you’ll need:

Recent community needs assessment, program evaluation reports, or external research relevant to your program
Sample grant application questions (or a real application your organization is working on)
Highlighters, sticky notes, or digital collaboration tools
Around 80 minutes for time management

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