Grants without borders: The case for multilingual grant platforms

Nearly 68 million people speak a language other than English. And across the world, there are over 7,000 languages used every day.

Despite that, many grant applications and forms are only available in English. As a result, some of the most important and promising nonprofits—those that are deeply connected to the needs of their communities—can suffer.

For both foundations looking to support these critical nonprofits and nonprofits looking to make a lasting impact, English-only applications can unfortunately serve to undermine both goals.

In this article, we’ll cover why multilingual grants are so important and how any foundation can open its borders with the right technology.

The problem with English-only grant applications

Lack of multilingual grant applications and processes doesn’t just hurt nonprofits — it hurts the foundations supporting them, too.

For nonprofits, English-only applications can lead to:

Disproportionate support

Grant funding is often already inequitable. For example, Latino-led nonprofits and communities receive disproportionately low funding (about 2%). English-only applications only serve to widen that funding gap, instead of closing it.

Stunted programs

Smaller nonprofits, as well as those serving historically marginalised people and their communities, often require the most support. However, English-only applications, in which they must compete with native English applicants, keep them in a state of need.

Ignored local expertise

Foundations value nonprofit organisations that have an authentic, intimate connection with their communities, and in turn, deeply understand their needs. English-only grants, however, can exclude these nonprofits entirely.

For foundations, English-only applications can lead to:

Wasted time

Grantmakers are busy. Without multilingual grant applications and technology, staff can spend hours trying to decode poorly translated applications and reviewing applications from non-English speaking organisations.

Costly translations

Foundations without multilingual support often have to hire expensive consultants for basic communication translation.

Limited impact

English-only applications can prevent foundations from reaching the most community-connected organisations, and even some of the most in need—all of which stunts their reach.

How foundations can reach more nonprofits

The good news is that with the right technology, foundations can transform international grants from an expensive burden into a seamless opportunity.

Platforms like Good Grants remove language barriers that have locked out effective community organisations for decades, while making the international grant management process easier for foundations to manage, with:

Native speaker translations

Good Grants uses professionally trained, native-speaking human translators to ensure language accuracy and precision. This ensures that the applicant experience is as accessible as possible, while saving your foundation hours and hundreds of dollars in translation costs.

Multi-language applications

Host your grants program in one or more languages at the same time, so applicants from all over the world can apply. From Hebrew and Hindi to Spanish and Russian, Good Grants supports 40+ languages so grant seekers can apply with comfort and ease.

Multi-currency funding

Good Grants’ online multilingual platform also lets you manage your funding in currencies of your choice—whether it’s dollars, pesos or yen, we’ve got you covered. No back and forth or manual conversions needed.

Go global with Good Grants

English-only grant applications can limit everyone: ambitious foundations and nonprofits striving to serve their communities as effectively as possible.

Inclusivity is essential to nonprofit work. With Good Grants’ international options, your foundation can align its values with its everyday practices and create impact on a global scale, faster and more efficiently than ever before.