You Hit Submit. Now What Do You Say to the Funder?
A few years ago I was working with a foundation during its review period. The deadline had passed a day or two earlier when one of the applicants called. She had just received notice of another grant award for the same project. That award brought her organization closer to its goal, and the grant proposal she had just submitted to this foundation would be the final piece if it was fully funded.
What impressed me was that she wasn't pitching or selling anything. She had news since she submitted the application, and she thought the foundation would want to know. The foundation was impressed that she had thought to update them, and that call built trust.
Her organization did win the grant, but it would have won anyway on the strength of the project. What the phone call quietly did was build the relationship. A while later, the foundation wanted to try a new initiative: a small-dollar loan program with no penalties, offered as an alternative to payday lending for people with low incomes. Foundation staff called her organization first to ask whether it was interested in providing the service.
That is the kind of return good communication brings. Many of us are waiting on fall decisions right now. And it’s a harder season than most. In a February 2026 survey of 380 nonprofit leaders by the Center for Effective Philanthropy, almost 60% of CEOs said it has become harder to secure foundation grants since January 2025, and 77% said they are engaging their existing funders as a response (Grundhoefer et al., 2026).
Here is how to handle the conversations that come after you hit submit.
Table of Contents
How to follow up after submitting a grant application
Should you call or email a grantmaker with updates while your grant proposal is under review? The answer depends on whether the grantmaker is open to hearing from applicants. If they list a phone number or email address, we take that as a strong signal that they want to know.
Over the years, I have asked many foundations whether and when they want to hear from applicants after submission. News is the big one, especially funding received toward the project that gets the applicant closer to its goal. Staffing changes come next, and a change in executive director tops that list. Funders want to hear about a new Executive Director right away, and some will be upset if they learn about it any other way. They also want to hear about other progress toward the impact you described, such as clearing permits for a capital campaign or choosing the curriculum a program will use.
Staying in touch matters more than many of us realize. Research from the Center for Effective Philanthropy, drawn from tens of thousands of grantee surveys, found that almost a quarter of grantees have contact with their funder once a year or less, and those grantees rate their relationships less positively (Buteau & Buchanan, 2013).
Who should reach out
The Executive Director should make the call. But anyone can make the call if that’s the only way to get it done.
It's best when the executive director makes the call or sends the email. The Executive Director is the face of the organization, and picking up the phone to build that relationship shows respect. Not every Executive Director enjoys this kind of outreach, though. It's better that it gets done by someone than not done at all, so if the role falls to you, embrace it.
First, make sure your organization is comfortable with you leading the communication. Ask around to see whether anyone has questions or updates you can combine into one contact. You don't want several people calling the grantmaker with different information, or learning something from the funder and never sharing it with the rest of the team. Afterward, record in your tracking database who was contacted, when, what was discussed, any action items, and the follow-up steps.
When not to reach out
Avoid calling or emailing with questions you could answer yourself from the grantmaker's website. Before asking when decisions will be made, check whether the timeline is already published. That's the point where communication turns into annoyance. Spend as much time reading their website and guidelines as you hope they will spend reading your grant proposal.
Basic courtesy
Write a short phone script before you call, and proofread every email. Keep it to the point. Friendly small talk is fine, so go ahead and mention the weather, but leave out personal news like a recent diagnosis. Those are ordinary professional boundaries.
Then listen. Whether it's a call or an email, leave room for the grantmaker to ask questions and talk. That's where you learn what's going on inside their organization, and it's some of the most valuable information you'll get. They may suggest something or mention an angle you hadn't considered. When they reply by email, read it carefully and respond to every point.
A sample update script
Here is a script for the kind of call described at the top of this post. Adjust it to fit your news.
"Hi, [Program Officer Name]. This is [Your Name], executive director of [Organization]. We submitted a grant proposal for [project name] on [date], and we've had some news since then that I thought you'd want to know.
We just received a $[amount] award from [funder] toward the project. That brings us to $[amount raised] of our $[project goal] goal, so your grant would close the remaining gap if it's fully funded.
I'm not asking for anything today; I only wanted to keep you updated. Do you have any questions for me, or is there anything else that would be helpful for your review?"
If the grantmaker prefers email, or only lists an email address, here is the same update in writing:
Subject: Update on our [project name] grant proposal
Hi [Program Officer Name],
We submitted a grant proposal for [project name] on [date], and we've had news since then that I thought you'd want to know. We just received a $[amount] award from [funder] toward the project, which brings us to $[amount raised] of our $[project goal] goal. If fully funded, your grant would close the remaining gap.
No response is needed; I only wanted to keep you updated. I'm happy to answer any questions.
Warmly,
[Your Name]
[Title], [Organization]
[Phone]
After an award
When the news comes in a phone call, that’s the best!
We've written before about how getting the call that you've received an award is one of the best moments in this work. You share the excitement together, and it creates a bond you won't forget.
Whether the news comes by phone or email, respond promptly. Ask about next steps if anything is unclear, and read the contract carefully before your ED signs it. If the award is partial funding, negotiate the outputs and outcomes. You can't serve the same number of people with $50,000 as you can with $100,000, and the agreement should reflect that.
Then thank them. Call, email, and send both a formal letter and an informal note. Think of seven different ways to say thank you over the course of the year. Hint: some thank-yous can come with grant reports.
After a decline
Never argue or react negatively. It can jeopardize future awards.
Thank the grantmaker for taking the time to review your grant proposal. Ask for feedback, including whether reviewers left any notes they can share. Don't argue and don't react negatively. A decline is a learning experience, and many declines have turned into larger awards over the long term.
I've seen it happen. One organization received a decline and called the foundation to ask whether they might be able to share any feedback on the grant proposal. During the conversation, the grant writer mentioned some of the other programs the organization operated. One in particular was of keen interest to the foundation, and they ended up having not just one but multiple long talks about it. About four years later, the foundation gave the organization a large six-figure grant to expand that program. That's what nurturing a relationship looks like over time.
If you're not sure how to start that conversation, keep it simple: "Thank you for taking the time to review our grant proposal. We'd welcome any feedback that could help us strengthen future requests."
Mid-grant updates
Know what reporting the grant requires and get those reports in on time. If the funder doesn't ask for reports, we suggest sending one quarterly anyway. Share what has been accomplished, what challenges have come up, where the project is headed next, and how funds have been spent.
Tell them early if the project is off course, if something has changed, or if there are warning signs that you may not meet your objectives. Funders handle problems much better when they hear about them from you first.
According to the same study mentioned earlier, only about half of grantees had ever discussed a submitted report with their funder. Sending the report is the minimum; talking about it is where the relationship grows (Center for Effective Philanthropy, 2013).
The "of course" moment
Remember the organization that called to update the foundation after the deadline? When the foundation had a new program, it thought of that organization first, and that's the "of course" moment the book is named for. Communicating with grantmakers is one of the topics we cover in The "Of Course" Factor: A Guide to Meaningful Grant Writing, which releases October 14. We'd love for you to join us for a free preview event before then.
The "Of Course" Factor: A First Look
September 30 | 1 PT | 2 MT | 3 CT | 4 ET
Cheering you on,
Allison
Frequently asked questions
Is it okay to contact a funder after the application deadline has passed?
Yes, when you have real news that affects your grant proposal, such as new funding for the project, a staffing change, or progress toward your outcomes. Check first that the grantmaker lists a phone number or email for applicants. Don't call to ask questions their website already answers.
Should I call or email the grantmaker?
Follow the grantmaker's lead. If they list a phone number, a short call is often the warmest option. If they only list an email address, write a brief message with the same information you would share on a call.
Do I need to tell a funder when our executive director leaves?
Yes, and right away. A change in executive director is one of the updates funders most want to hear directly from the organization, whether your grant proposal is under review or already funded.
What should I say after a grant is declined?
Thank the grantmaker for reviewing your grant proposal and ask whether they can share any feedback or reviewer notes. Keep the tone gracious. Many declines turn into awards later.
What is the best way to earn a grant writing certification?
The Certificate in Grant Writing course from Spark the Fire Grant Writing Classes takes you through a full grant proposal from start to finish, with live instruction, feedback, and a community of grant professionals. Instrumentl has rated it among the best grant writing courses for four consecutive years. For experienced grant professionals, the Grant Professional Certified (GPC) credential from the Grant Professionals Certification Institute is the field's professional certification. Spark the Fire is an approved provider for GPCI and CFRE International.
References
Buteau, E., & Buchanan, P. (2013). Working well with grantees: A guide for foundation program staff. The Center for Effective Philanthropy. https://cep.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Guide_062613_online-1.pdf
Grundhoefer, S., Smith Arrillaga, E., & Buteau, E. (2026). State of nonprofits 2026: What funders need to know. The Center for Effective Philanthropy. https://cep.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/CEP_State_of_Nonprofits_2026_FNL.pdf
