As a nonprofit grantwriter or development professional, you’re busy. You know that social media is popular, but how exactly, is it going to help you get your job done?

Here are 3 ways we use Twitter at [Joining Vision and Action] to help with grantwriting.

1. Researching and understanding trends, current events affecting your work.

On twitter, you’ll find keywords and hashtags for you that help organize information. For example, if you’re an afterschool program, typing in “afterschool programs” or  “#afterschool” in the search menu today will show a lot of articles and links on the current funding climate for afterschool programs, as well as funding threats. Understanding what people are currently talking about can also help you position your grant proposals in the context of what is going on in the larger environment and help you make your case. You can easily do a google search to fine the relevant hashtags for your type of programs.

2. Securing great statistics and articles.

Searching for those hashtags can also give you links to current articles and statistics that can help you create more compelling needs statements.

3. Understanding what funders are thinking.

By following funders you’re planning to apply to on twitter, you get much richer thinking about what they are thinking about, and what is influencing their thinking that is far beyond what you’ll find in an annual report or their 990. While annual reports can summarize what they funded in the past, the posts and links that a funder shares on twitter tells you what they are concerned about NOW. JVA has compiled a list of Foundations/Investors on our twitter account to help get you started. Connect with us at @JVA_Consulting to access the list.

So if you’re not on twitter now, START. It’s easy. 

Go to: https://twitter.com/account/new

All you need to do is enter your name and email, create a password and choose a user name. That’s it! Welcome to Twitter. Once you’re there, connect with us @JVAs411. Look forward to seeing you there.