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6 Grant Resolutions for the New Year

It’s the time of year contemplation and resolutions. “While the tradition of New Year resolutions is generally focused on our personal lives, I suggest that we also establish a tradition of self-assessment and goal-setting in our work,” according to Barbara Floersch, chief of training and curriculum of The Grantsmanship Center in Los Angeles, Calif.

“The extreme demands on a grants professional push job-related self-reflection to the back of a long line of duties clamoring for attention. But to do our best work, and to get some joy from it, we’ve got to stand back now and then to understand where we are, where we’re going, and why,” she said.

Floersch proposes that grant professionals start their new work year with a day of reflection and planning that results in commentary, resolutions, and action plans they share with their supervisors. Each professional will have hot-topic items to consider. Here’s a list to help you get started.

1. Are you constantly working late and on weekends and holidays? Is your workload a set-up for burnout?

2. Do you have the technology you need to do your job? Or, is your work slowed by inadequate hardware or software, hard-to-reach IT assistance, or a slow Internet connection?

3. Would your efficiency be enhanced by grant management software, at-desk access to top-quality funder research tools, or other work-management tools and systems?

4. Do others within the organization understand your role and your work? Are they willing team players on grant proposal development, or are they reluctant participants you can’t count on?

5. Would you benefit from professional development? Is there a skill you need to strengthen to reach top-level performance?

6. Does the mission and work of the organization still excite you and motivate you to your best performance?

Taking time for self-assessment, self-reflection, and goal setting positions us to be proactive in meeting our work-related needs and promotes effectiveness and job satisfaction. “Make some resolutions that inspire you. Share them with your supervisor. Take small steps each week to move towards your goals. We expect the grant awards we bring in to result in attainment of meaningful change. Let’s apply that pro-active outlook to our job as well,” said Floersch. © Copyright 2019 The Grantsmanship Center