As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, nonprofit organizations worldwide are facing increased demand and financial challenges that put their critical work at risk.
To quickly respond to the pandemic’s impact, nonprofit organizations are adapting their services and programming in innovative ways in order to continue serving their communities, but are struggling to secure the funds needed to sustain their work, let alone build financial resiliency for the future.
Governments, organizations, and citizens have taken extraordinary measures to contain the novel coronavirus spread, but for nonprofits this has also meant the cancellation of crucial fundraisers and conferences, the loss of donor attention and revenue, and service disruptions amid unprecedented demand for their work. Nonprofit organizations need increased and flexible funding to serve communities as the effects of the pandemic continue in the near-term and during the longer-term recovery.
To help nonprofit organizations manage this crisis, SurveyMonkey is proud to announce a Universal Grant Application. This tool is designed to help funders by providing a simple and efficient way for them to host and collect grant applications. This, in turn, helps nonprofits applying for funding, by keeping the process familiar and easy. As a result, a common grant application decreases resources needed by nonprofits to fill out multiple, lengthy and custom grant applications and instead allows for more time spent serving communities and maximizing the impact of their work.
“We hope that the Universal Grant Application will streamline access to critical funding for nonprofit organizations working on the frontlines of this crisis. We’re proud to do what we can through SurveyMonkey for Good to help these organizations continue serving our communities in need.”
Zander Lurie, CEO, SurveyMonkey
The Universal Grant Application augments a suite of tools SurveyMonkey has provided nonprofits during the crisis, including free access to the latest COVID-19 data, survey template resources, and product discounts. Since its earliest days, SurveyMonkey has used its resources to make a positive impact on communities by co-creating technology solutions with the social good sector and engaging its employees to give back.
Building on this legacy, the company launched SurveyMonkey for Good in 2018 to improve our institutions, people, and the planet by bringing the power of data to the social good sector and by ensuring that every employee has an equal opportunity to grow their skills and career. Through our products and other resources, we are making the communities where we live and work better, safer and healthier places for all.
Designed in collaboration with nonprofit organizations, grant-makers, and large-scale donors, SurveyMonkey’s Universal Grant Application can be utilized on the full range of SurveyMonkey core products, as well as SurveyMonkey Apply and Wufoo, providing powerful tools for all types or organizations, including local grassroots groups and nonprofit organizations with limited development teams, so that they can achieve their fundraising goals.
It also provides funders with best practices and guidelines to solicit comprehensive applications from nonprofit organizations that they might not otherwise be aware of and integrates grantmaking best practices to streamline the process for all stakeholders. The questions and information requested in the Universal Grant Application are designed to best capture the impact of nonprofit organizations for funders to evaluate, including some of the following prompts:
- What is your organization’s mission and what are your organization’s core programs?
- What demographic groups do you serve: (e.g. low income, underrepresented minorities, gender identities)
- Do you serve any vulnerable or under-resourced/underfunded populations: (e.g. LGBTQ+, Refugees, Undocumented Immigrants)?
- How do you describe the approach to measuring the impact of your programs?
- Tell us a story of the impact of your programs. This can be anecdotal or cumulative. We just want to know more about all the great work you’re doing!
As this crisis exacerbates existing systemic economic, gender, racial, and education inequalities, now is a critically important time to support nonprofit organizations that often serve as the social safety net for their communities.
More than 30 million Americans have filed for unemployment, causing an unprecedented need for food assistance and other necessities. With lines stretching for miles at food distribution centers, food banks are being struck by shortages of both donated food and volunteer workers. There has also been a sharp rise in domestic violence amid global coronavirus lockdowns, according to the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres. In some countries, “the number of women calling support services has doubled” while “healthcare providers and police are overwhelmed and understaffed,” he says.
During this challenging time, the services and resources provided by food banks, women’s support networks, LGBTQ nonprofits, and mental health organizations are crucial to helping communities meet immediate basic needs and recover from this public health and economic crisis.
If you know a funder who’d be interested in a Universal Grant Application designed to help them review available nonprofit organizations poised to increase their impact, share SurveyMonkey’s Universal Grant Application by download the resource below. Organizations that need an application collector based on the template can sign up immediately and for free with Wufoo. Organizations that need a full lifecycle grant management solution may benefit from SurveyMonkey Apply and the full suite of application, review, and financial management it provides.
Access the Universal Grant Application
Click here to download SurveyMonkey's Universal Grant Application template
Do you work at, or know of a US nonprofit (501c3) organization that needs flexible funding? Using our very own Universal Grant Application and SurveyMonkey Apply solution, SurveyMonkey will be providing grants to select US nonprofit organizations throughout the summer months.
Click here to apply.
