Systems Thinking in Nonprofit and Grants Management
Create systems to work smarter, not harder
My husband and I frequently say, “Work smarter, not harder.” In other words, think about ways you can work more efficiently. I sometimes find myself in the middle of a project doing things harder and need to step back to think through how I can work smarter.
One way to work smarter is to consider the systems you can introduce into your work that will help you do more in less time. I love thinking about processes and systems, so here are some questions I ask myself when considering how to introduce a new system.
1. Keep track of repetitive tasks
What tasks do I carry out repetitively? Are these tasks the same for each project, or do they vary in some way?
If tasks are repeatable, consider a standardized checklist that you can duplicate for each project, or even a set of standardized checklists, to help you accomplish everything you need. I highly recommend The Checklist Manifesto by Atul Gawande. Depending on the project, I have checklists in Asana (business) or Apple’s Reminders and Notes apps (personal). My favorite systematic, templated checklist is a list I use right before and right after I submit a grant.
2. Systematically store important information
What files do I find myself looking for regularly for this project? Are they easy to find? What would make it faster or easier to locate them in the future?
Think through your hierarchy of file storage. I don’t like having more than 5-10 files in each folder, so I will subdivide files into further categories. Also, similar to using an institutional language document to keep track of grant language, I have a Google Drive folder for each client where my clients’ institutional documents are stored (990, audit, board list, etc.). These documents are necessary for most grant applications, so methodically storing them in one place makes it easier for us to submit a new grant application.
3. Consider systems that work for others
Who else do I work with to accomplish this task? How do we work best together?
Not everyone thinks the same way you do. I’ve been working on a project with a person who tends to think on a more holistic, big-picture scale, whereas I’m a systems/process thinker who likes to get into the details. How you approach working together and creating your systems will change depending on who else needs access to your information.
4. Incorporate technical tools
How can technology help me work faster? What technical tools do I already know how to use? What tools are available that I might be able to learn more about?
There are a number of project management tools out there, and some might be more intuitive than others. While you might have everything you need in Microsoft or Google Suites, poke around with other tools to see if spending time learning a new project management tool could ultimately save you time. I use Airtable most frequently and have several clients whose grant calendars are now housed there.
5. Audit your time
Over the life of the project, where am I spending the most time? Do I feel that time is well spent? Does the time spent directly relate to the outcome?
This step will take some time for you to track and reflect on time spent, but it’s worth it. I religiously track my time each day. Then, on a quarterly basis, I evaluate how I spent my time (I’m a data nerd, so I whip out pivot tables and charts/graphs). Sometimes this evaluation leads me to restructure my services, while other times it serves as a reminder about what my priorities should be. For instance, it’s easy for me to get sucked into a rabbit hole while designing a piece of support material for a grant application, even though I know it will have little to no impact on whether the grant gets funded. The system I can incorporate here could be as simple as a 15-minute timer: don’t spend more than 15 minutes designing this piece.
Conclusion
Thinking through how you work can help save you time and effort in the long run, ultimately allowing you to work smarter, not harder.
What systems do you use to work smarter? Do you have a favorite checklist or tech tool you’ve found that helps you work methodically?
Cover photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash