How to Build a Grant Calendar for Your Nonprofit

Keeping up with grant deadlines can feel like trying to drink from a fire hose. Between foundation cycles, federal opportunities, and last-minute invites from partners, it’s easy for important deadlines to fall through the cracks.

A grant calendar isn’t just a spreadsheet. It’s a strategic tool that helps your nonprofit stay proactive, funder-ready, and aligned with your organizational goals.

At Just Look Left, we build custom grant calendars designed for busy nonprofit teams. Here’s how we think about the process.

Why a Grant Calendar Matters

Let’s start with why it’s worth the time. A well-built grant calendar helps you:

• Avoid deadline panic. You can anticipate submission windows months in advance.

• Align with program needs. Fund development becomes intentional, not reactive.

• Plan staff time wisely. Everyone knows what’s due and when.

• Increase your win rate. Better preparation = stronger proposals.

It turns your grant strategy from chaotic to calm.

Step 1: Clarify Your Funding Priorities

Before you start plugging in deadlines, ask: What do we actually need funding for this year?

Consider:

• Core general operating support

• Specific programs or expansions

• Capital projects

• Capacity-building (e.g., tech, staffing, training)

This step ensures your calendar focuses only on funders that align with your real needs, not just what’s trending or available.

🛠️ Pro tip: Pull in your leadership team, finance director, and program staff to make sure funding priorities are realistic and rooted in your org’s current capacity.

Step 2: Identify Potential Grant Opportunities

Once your priorities are clear, it’s time to research funders. Look for opportunities that match your mission, population served, geography, and readiness.

Your sources might include:

• Foundation directories (we use Instrumentl but there are plent of other databases)

• State and federal grant portals

• Past funders

• Recommendations from peers or funder liaisons

• RFPs shared by funder networks

Capture the following info for each opportunity:

• Name of funder

• Website

• Eligibility

• Focus area(s)

• Deadline(s)

• Amount range

• Contact info (if applicable)

Not every opportunity you find will be a fit, and that’s okay. Quality > quantity.

Step 3: Build a Living, Searchable Tool

Now it’s time to turn your grant research into something your team will actually use—and continue using.

You’ve got options. The best format for your grant calendar depends on your internal capacity, team preferences, and tech setup. Here are three approaches we recommend:

Option A: Simple Spreadsheet (Great for Small Teams)

For leaner teams or early-stage organizations, a Google Sheet or Excel document does the trick. Just make sure it’s thoughtfully structured. Your spreadsheet should include:

• Funder Name

• Opportunity Name

• Deadlines (LOI + full proposal, if applicable)

• Status (e.g., Upcoming, Applied, Declined, Funded)

• Key Requirements or Notes

• Assigned Staff or Owner

Color-coding, filters, and conditional formatting can also help make the tool more visual and user-friendly. Keep it simple, but don’t skip structure.

Option B: Tiered Calendar System (Strategic & Prioritized)

This is the model we most often build for our clients, because it works.

By organizing opportunities into tiers, you can direct your time and energy toward the grants that align best with your goals and capacity:

• Tier 1 – High-priority, high-alignment funders: These are the “must-do” applications based on fit, timing, and likelihood of success.

• Tier 2 – Strong fit but lower priority: These may be more competitive, offer smaller awards, or be slightly out of sync with your timeline.

• Tier 3 – Long-term, exploratory, or speculative: Opportunities to revisit later or build relationships with over time.

This approach prevents your team from spreading too thin—and ensures you’re always moving toward your top priorities.

Option C: Grant Project Management Tool (For Collaboration & Automation)

If your team is juggling multiple applications, collaborators, or departments, a more robust solution might make sense.

We currently use GEMS (Grant Easy Management Software) and love it. It’s purpose-built for grant management, with helpful features like:

• Automated reminders and checklists

• Application status tracking

• Built-in reporting dashboards

• Team-based task assignments

We’ve also worked with clients who use Coda, Asana, and even Notion to build their own custom grant management systems.

The key benefits of these tools:

• Ideal for team collaboration across roles and departments

• Built-in automation to prevent anything from falling through the cracks

• Better reporting and data visualization for leadership and board use

Whatever system you choose, make sure it's something your team will actually update and that helps you stay both organized and strategic throughout the year.

Step 4: Integrate It into Team Planning

A calendar is only useful if people actually use it. Here’s how to make it part of your nonprofit’s workflow:

• Review it monthly (some prefer quarterly) at your development or leadership meetings

• Assign proposal owners and timeline checkpoints

• Use color coding for visibility (e.g., yellow = LOI, red = full due)

• Link to shared folders with attachments or funder notes

We also recommend setting automated reminders 3–6 weeks ahead of deadlines so nothing sneaks up on you.

Step 5: Revisit and Refine

The grant landscape constantly changes. So should your calendar.

Once a quarter:

• Review results (what you won, lost, or skipped)

• Update deadlines for annual or recurring opportunities

• Archive dead leads

• Add new prospects

Make it a breathing, evolving tool that grows with your organization.

Bonus: Consider a Consultant-Curated Grant Calendar

If this all feels overwhelming or time-consuming, you’re not alone.

Many of our clients come to us when they’re spending too much time researching or missing deadlines they didn’t even know about. Our custom grant calendar service takes that burden off your plate, and gives you a funder-aligned roadmap built just for your goals.

We don’t believe in generic lists. We build curated, tiered calendars tailored to your mission, capacity, and growth plan.

💬 Want help building your grant calendar?

Let’s talk.

Final Thoughts

A grant calendar isn’t just about staying organized, it’s about shifting from reactive to strategic fundraising. Whether you build one internally or with support, it’s one of the highest-leverage tools your team can use to win more grants without burning out.

Let your calendar work for you so you can focus on the real work: creating impact.