Why Most Nonprofits Aren’t Fundable (And How to Fix It)

Ty Boone
Apr 4
3 min read

🚫 The Harsh Truth: You Might Not Be Fundable (Yet)

Let’s get this out of the way: being a nonprofit doesn’t automatically make you funding-worthy. You might be deserving, but that’s not the same as being ready.

I’m Ty Boone—nonprofit consultant, strategist, and author of Be Worth Funding. After more than two decades of reviewing grants, writing proposals, and cleaning up nonprofit messes,

I’ve seen it all. And I’ve said it on my podcast, The Unraggedy Nonprofit:

“Folk out here asking for money and ain’t even worth it.”

Let’s talk about why most nonprofits don’t get funded—and what to do instead.

Not Ready = Not Fundable

If your board is filled with cousins, your mission is unclear, and your programs have never been evaluated—you’re not ready.

Readiness isn’t about having 501(c)(3) status. It’s about having a foundation.

Here’s what readiness looks like:

A functioning board that meets and makes decisions
Clearly defined programs with documented outcomes
A working budget (not just hopes and dreams)
Real community impact—not just a Facebook post saying “we serve”

The #1 Reason Grants Fail: You’re Faking It

Some folks apply for a $250,000 grant, claiming they’ll serve 10,000 people… with two staff members and no evidence.

That’s what I call a greed-based application.

Let’s be real. Funders can smell desperation. If your ask doesn’t match your actual capacity, you’re not just wasting time—you’re sabotaging your future credibility.

💡 Fix it: Build a program description and budget that actually reflect what you can do. Stop padding the numbers and start doing the work.

Grants Aren’t Guaranteed (And That’s Not the Writer’s Fault)

Newsflash: Grants are not guaranteed. I don’t care if your grant writer is the best in the country—if your org isn’t ready, the application is just glitter on garbage.

And let’s stop blaming the writer. I wrote a whole chapter on this in Be Worth Funding. The writer can’t magically make your organization ready. You have to do that part.

You Don’t Need More Money—You Need Strategy

Too many orgs are chasing dollars instead of designing programs. You want $100K for a youth development initiative… but haven’t defined what that initiative is.

Stop copying and pasting what worked for someone else. Build programs that solve real problems for your community.

If you don’t know what you’re solving, why you’re solving it, and how you’ll measure success—then you're not building anything funders can believe in.