The grant world is a tough place, isn’t it? So many amazing organizations are all trying to get the same funding, each with their own powerful stories and plans. To really stand out, having a great mission and a well-written proposal just isn’t enough anymore. You need to think ahead, understand who else is out there, and figure out how to make your organization the clear choice. That’s where digging into how your competitors are doing with grants becomes crucial. It’s not just a basic task, it’s a vital strategic tool that lights up your path to success and makes your proposal shine in a crowded field.
I’m going to walk you through a clear, actionable plan for doing a competitor analysis that goes way beyond simple observations to truly deep, strategic insights. We’ll explore how to find out who your real competitors are, pick apart what they’re good at and where they struggle, and then use that knowledge to sharpen your grant strategy, make your proposals stronger, and ultimately, get the funding you need to push your mission forward.
It’s More Than Just the Usual Suspects: Defining Your Grant Competitors
The first, and often most important, step is to correctly figure out who your competitors are. It’s not just about other organizations doing similar work or in the same area. For grants, your competitors are anyone trying to get the same funder’s attention, even if their ultimate goals are different.
Finding Direct Competitors: The Obvious Ones
These are the organizations that practically mirror your mission, the people you serve, and the projects you propose, usually in your same geographic spot. They’re probably applying for the same grant programs from the same foundations or government groups as you.
Here’s How You Can Do It:
* Really Look at Funder Grantee Lists: Larger foundations, especially, often list who they’ve given grants to in the past on their websites. This is a goldmine. Don’t just glance at the names; click on their websites.
* For Example: If you run a youth literacy program in Denver, check out the grant lists from foundations like the Gates Family Foundation or the Colorado Trust. Find other Denver-based organizations that focus on youth development or education.
* Check Out Annual Reports from Key Funders: Many funders detail their grant priorities and specific projects they’ve supported in their yearly reports.
* Keep an Eye on Public Announcements: Watch local news, industry publications, and even social media for news about organizations getting big grants, especially from funders you’re targeting.
Identifying Indirect Competitors: The Wider Landscape
Indirect competitors might not have the exact same mission or serve the exact same people, but they could still be going after the same funding pot. This is especially true for general funders or those with broader interests.
Here’s How You Can Do It:
* Analyze Funder RFPs (Requests for Proposals): Pay close attention to what the RFP says. What are the bigger themes the funder cares about? If an RFP focuses on “community betterment” or “equity,” organizations dealing with homelessness, public health, or economic development might all be competing for the same money, even if your main focus is arts education.
* For Example: A foundation’s RFP for “environmental sustainability” might attract not only conservation groups but also organizations working on sustainable farming, city planning, or even renewable energy education – all indirect competitors for your specific community garden project.
* Brainstorm Related Missions: Think broadly about organizations that are tackling similar root problems or serving similar groups of people, even if they do it in completely different ways.
* For Example: If you run an after-school STEM program, an indirect competitor could be a sports league or a performing arts center – they’re all trying to get youth involved and developed, especially if the funder values a well-rounded approach to youth development.
Uncovering Substitute Competitors: The “Other Choices”
Substitute competitors aren’t direct or indirect, but they represent other ways a funder could achieve their charitable goals without funding your specific type of solution. This is really important when a funder has a very broad purpose.
Here’s How You Can Do It:
* Think About the Funder’s Ultimate Goal: What’s the big change the funder wants to see happen? Are there completely different strategies they could support to reach that goal?
* For Example: If your organization provides job training for people with disabilities, a substitute competitor for a funder focused on “economic independence” might be an organization lobbying for policy changes to improve disability employment rights, or even a tech startup developing tools for adaptive employment. The funder might decide a broad systemic change or a tech solution is a more effective use of their money than your direct service model.
* Consider the “Least Common Denominator”: What’s the most basic need or problem the funder is trying to solve, and how else could it be resolved?
Reflect and Refine:
* Keep a running list of potential competitors, broken down into direct, indirect, and substitute. This initial brainstorming phase should be very broad.
* Set up Google Alerts for specific keywords related to your mission and the types of grants you apply for. This can help you spot new players or successful organizations you hadn’t thought of.
Picking Apart the Competition: What to Analyze in Grant Competitors
Once you have a solid list of competitors, the real work starts: analyzing them. This isn’t about copying them; it’s about understanding their strategies, what they’re perceived as being good at, and finding gaps they leave open for you to fill.
1. Mission, Vision, and Values: Their Core Identity
Understanding their central identity helps you grasp their fundamental appeal to funders and how they talk about their work.
Here’s How You Can Do It:
* Website Deep Dive: Carefully look at their “About Us,” “Mission,” and “Vision” pages. How do they explain their purpose?
* Annual Reports & Public Statements: Look for recurring themes, wording, and what they prioritize.
* For Example: If a competitor emphasizes “holistic community empowerment” while you focus on “targeted skills development,” this shows different strategic approaches that might appeal to different funder philosophies.
* Keywords & Language: What buzzwords do they use often? Do they match specific funder priorities?
2. Program Offerings & Impact: What They Do and How Well They Do It
This is where you truly understand their actual work, not just what they say they do.
Here’s How You Can Do It:
* Explore “Programs” or “What We Do” Sections: How are their programs set up? What services do they offer?
* Look for Impact Data/Case Studies: Do they measure their impact? What numbers do they use? How do they tell their success stories? Really look at how thorough and sophisticated their reporting is.
* For Example: If a competitor shows a “30% increase in literacy scores” using a specific test, and your data is more descriptive, that’s an area where you can improve your own reporting.
* Analyze Their Target Population: Who do they serve? Are there specific groups they miss or areas they don’t serve enough?
* Unique Selling Proposition (USP): What makes their programs special? Do they explain it clearly?
* For Example: A competitor might use a patented program, while your strength might be deep trust within the community.
3. Funding & Financials: Following the Money Trail
Understanding where they get their money gives you crucial insights into who values their work and why.
Here’s How You Can Do It:
* Annual Reports & 990 Forms (for Non-Profits in the US): These public documents show their total income, expenses, and often, their biggest donors (foundations, corporations, government grants). Websites like Guidestar or Charity Navigator gather this information.
* For Example: If you see a competitor consistently getting big grants from a specific foundation you’re targeting, it tells you that the foundation likes their mission and how they operate. Figure out what makes that competitor appealing to that specific funder.
* Grantee Recognition Sections: Many organizations proudly list their funders on their websites.
* Diversity of Funding: How much do they rely on a single source? A competitor with many different funding sources might seem more stable.
4. Partnerships & Collaborations: Expanding Their Reach
Partnerships show credibility, reach, and often, efficient operations.
Here’s How You Can Do It:
* “Partners” or “Collaborators” Sections on Websites: Who do they work with (other non-profits, government agencies, businesses, universities)?
* Press Releases & News Archives: Look for announcements about joint projects or initiatives.
* For Example: If a competitor has a strong partnership with a local university for research and evaluation, and you don’t have such formal ties, that’s a distinguishing factor to think about building.
* Funding Announcements: Grant announcements often highlight the partners involved in a funded project.
5. Leadership & Board: The People Factor
The strength and variety of their leadership can be a big deal for funders.
Here’s How You Can Do It:
* “Our Team” or “Board of Directors” Pages: Who are these people? What are their professional backgrounds, affiliations, and proven expertise?
* LinkedIn Searches: Look up key leaders. Do they have strong professional networks? Are they published or recognized in their field?
* For Example: A competitor’s board might include a prominent civic leader or a famous academic in your field, which adds a lot of credibility. Think about how you can highlight your own leadership’s expertise.
6. Communication & Marketing: Their Public Face
How they talk about their work shapes how the public and funders see them.
Here’s How You Can Do It:
* Website Design & User Experience: Is it professional, easy to use, and engaging?
* Social Media Presence: Are they active? What kind of content do they share? How much engagement do they get?
* News & Publications: Do they regularly publish news, reports, or articles? Are they mentioned by the media?
* Language & Messaging: What tone do they use? Is their message consistent across all platforms?
* For Example: A competitor with a highly polished website, strong social media, and frequent press mentions might seem more “established” or “professional,” even if their programs aren’t necessarily better.
7. Perceived Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT)
Pull all the information you’ve gathered into a SWOT analysis for each key competitor.
Here’s How You Can Do It:
* Strengths: What do they do exceptionally well? What makes them attractive to funders? (e.g., strong evaluation data, unique program model, influential board, diverse funding).
* Weaknesses: Where do they fall short? What gaps exist in what they offer or how they communicate? (e.g., limited community reach, lack of data, too much reliance on one funder, weak online presence).
* Opportunities: Where might they grow? What new initiatives could they pursue? (e.g., new partnerships, entering a new service area, developing a new program).
* Threats: What outside factors or new players could challenge them? (e.g., new government rules, changing funder priorities, emergence of similar organizations).
Synthesize and Compare: Don’t just list facts; actively compare what you find about them with your own organization. Where are the similarities? Where are the clear differences?
Using Insights: Turning Analysis into a Grant-Winning Strategy
A brilliant competitor analysis is useless if it doesn’t lead to actionable strategies. This is where you transform observations into the polished narratives and strategic pitches that make your grant applications impossible to resist.
1. Identifying Your Unique Value Proposition (UVP)
Based on your competitor analysis, you can now clearly state what makes your organization distinct and superior for a specific funder.
Here’s How You Can Do It:
* Targeting Unmet Needs: If competitors are serving a general group of people, maybe you can focus on a specific, underserved part of that group.
* For Example: Competitors run general after-school programs. Your UVP: “We are the only after-school program providing advanced robotics education specifically for girls in underserved zip codes.”
* Superior Methodology/Approach: Do you have a more innovative, evidence-based, or cost-effective way to achieve impact?
* For Example: Competitors use traditional tutoring. Your UVP: “Our unique peer-mentorship model, combined with AI-driven adaptive learning, leads to twice the learning gains at 25% less cost per student.”
* Deeper Community Connection/Trust: If your organization is deeply rooted in the community, highlight that. Funders appreciate genuine engagement.
* For Example: Competitors are large, established. Your UVP: “Unlike larger organizations, our hyper-local, community-led approach has built unparalleled trust and buy-in, leading to higher program retention and sustained impact.”
* Demonstrated Results & Data: If your impact data is stronger or more compelling, emphasize it. This is often the most convincing UVP.
* For Example: Competitors offer general testimonials. Your UVP: “Our rigorous longitudinal study, funded by [previous funder], shows a 90% success rate in job placement for our graduates, compared to the industry average of 65%.”
* Unique Partnerships: Leverage those distinct collaborations.
* For Example: Competitors work alone. Your UVP: “Our exclusive partnership with [leading tech company/university research center] allows us to use cutting-edge resources and expertise not available to other organizations.”
2. Tailoring Your Proposal Narrative: Speaking to the Funder’s Priorities
Use what you learned about your competitors to shape your proposal in a way that directly appeals to the target funder’s specific interests and addresses any potential concerns highlighted by competitor activity.
Here’s How You Can Do It:
* Addressing Competitor Pitches Beforehand: If you know a competitor is great at data reporting, proactively highlight your own (and even better, superior) data collection and evaluation. If they talk about their size, emphasize your deep impact in a focused area.
* Highlighting Gaps in Coverage: If competitors primarily serve urban areas, and you serve a rural one, emphasize the unique challenges and needs of your population.
* Matching Language: Use the specific terms, values, and impact measures that your target funder stresses in their past grant announcements or reports. If a funder constantly talks about “collective impact,” frame your initiatives in that way.
* Emphasizing Collaborative Advantages: If a funder has a history of supporting collaborative projects, and your analysis shows competitors mostly work alone, highlight your strategic partnerships and how they increase your impact.
* Mitigating Perceived Weaknesses: If your competitor analysis shows an area where your organization could be seen as weaker (e.g., less established), deal with it directly with honesty and a clear plan for growth or sustainability.
* For Example: Instead of ignoring it, state: “While we are a newer organization, our lean operational model and dedicated, experienced team allow us to achieve results comparable to organizations with significantly larger overheads, ensuring maximum funder impact.”
3. Strengthening Your Program Design & Evaluation
Competitor analysis isn’t just about grants; it’s about making your organization better all around.
Here’s How You Can Do It:
* Identify Program Improvements: Look at successful programs offered by competitors. Can you adapt parts of them or improve upon them to make your own better?
* For Example: If a competitor’s program successfully includes parent education, and yours doesn’t, consider adding a similar component if it fits your mission and resources.
* Refine Evaluation Metrics: Look at how successful competitors measure impact. Are their metrics more powerful, detailed, or aligned with what funders expect?
* For Example: If a competitor uses a national standard for literacy assessment, and you’re using a less recognized one, consider switching to the more credible standard to strengthen your reported impact.
* Explore New Partnerships: If a competitor’s strength comes from a particular partnership (e.g., with a specific university department for research), look into similar partnerships to strengthen what you offer.
4. Strategic Funder Selection
Don’t just apply to every open RFP. Use your competitor analysis to pick funders where you have the best chance to win.
Here’s How You Can Do It:
* Avoid Direct Conflicts (Sometimes): If a specific funder consistently gives big grants to a competitor doing almost identical work with a long-standing relationship, you might be better off finding funders who support your unique niche or approach.
* Identify Underserved Funders: Are there foundations whose stated priorities perfectly match your UVP, but your competitors haven’t really connected with them? This is a prime opportunity.
* Focus on Funder Philosophies: Does a funder prefer innovation, or proven models? Do they prioritize scaling up, or deep, local impact? Match your strategy to their philosophy, informed by seeing who they do fund.
* For Example: If a funder consistently supports organizations with strong policy advocacy and your competitor is doing just that, but your strength is direct service, perhaps that funder isn’t your main target. Instead, look for funders who champion direct, community-level impact.
5. Continuous Monitoring & Adaptation
The grant landscape is always changing. Competitors evolve, new ones pop up, and funder priorities shift. Your competitor analysis shouldn’t be a one-time thing.
Here’s How You Can Do It:
* Schedule Regular Reviews: Checking in on key competitors quarterly or every six months is essential to stay current.
* Set up Google Alerts & Industry News Digests: Keep an eye on news about successful grants, new initiatives, or strategic partnerships of your main competitors.
* Attend Sector Events/Conferences: These give you chances to see competitors’ presentations, network, and understand new trends.
* Track Funder Priority Shifts: Regularly check funder websites, annual reports, and new RFPs for changes in what they focus on. If a funder shifts towards something where a competitor excels, you need to know immediately to adjust your strategy.
In Conclusion: Getting Ready for Your Grant Victory
Doing a thorough competitor analysis for grants isn’t just about passively gathering data; it’s an active, strategic must-do. It moves you past just hoping for the best to making data-driven proposals that truly resonate with funders and clearly show your unique value. By understanding the competitive environment, analyzing what your rivals are good at and where they fall short, and cleverly using those insights, you can improve your programs, refine your message, and confidently position your organization as the most compelling and impactful choice. This systematic way of doing things turns the intimidating task of grant seeking into a manageable, strategic process, ultimately empowering your mission to get the resources it needs to thrive.