Grant Requests that Get Noticed!
By Maureen Murray
Grant Writing Consultant
Did you know…
• Overall foundation giving rose by an estimated 2.8 percent in 2008 to $45.6 billion
• Foundation assets dropped an estimated 21.9 percent in 2008, setting a record
• Estimated 2009 foundation giving will decrease by 8 to 13 percent
At a time when there is greater competition for less funding, it is even more important than ever to craft a grant proposal that will get you noticed and generate income for your organization. Here are a few tips to keep in mind as you prepare a winning grant request! (Foundation Center: Foundation Yearbook: Facts and Figures on Private and Community Foundations, 2009 Edition)
Find the Right Foundation
Personal relationships are the best place to start. Have you or your organization had previous success with a foundation? Do you or does one of your board members know a foundation board member? Follow the personal link to build a relationship. If you do not have an established relationship or personal connection at a foundation, you can initiate one! Treat foundations like individuals. Get to know them. Don’t be afraid to call and introduce yourself. Find out what their interests are. Get acquainted with members of their foundation board and do your homework.
Homework
If you write enough grants to warrant a subscription to an online foundation directory service make good use of it! Many foundations maintain their own website so simply doing an online search can yield good results - even if it is a little more time-consuming. The FADICA directory is helpful and worth the investment.
Foundations use various criteria to limit the number of applications they receive. However, you want to approach every foundation appropriate to your project or organization. When considering a foundation, pay attention to the following:
• Does the foundation accept outside applications?
If so, inquire about the application guidelines, application form, deadlines and the expected length of the process.
If not, you have the option of approaching the foundation, demonstrating your mutual area of interest and your expertise. Ask how you can become one of their “pre-selected” organizations. A contact on the board is a big plus on this, but even without a contact, it is worth a try. After establishing your mutual interest, research the application process.
• Foundations typically have geographic areas of interest.
Some foundations fund only within the U.S., others fund internationally, some fund in several states, and others limit their funding to a designated county. Although your chances are best when you are in their designated area, there are a couple of exceptions. One, if many of your clients/students come from the designated geographic area, you are providing a service to their target population. Check with the foundation and see if they agree. If you provide a service in the designated area even if your organization is not located there, they might fund you. Get to know the foundation and help them get to know you.
• Foundations also define areas of funding interest.
This is open to more interpretation than the geographic area, so, once again, find out what the foundation wants. Review recent annual reports and websites to learn what they recently funded. See how many of their areas of interest match your mission—-for example, leadership development, higher education, Catholic programming, service, etc. Address each area of interest in your proposal. Capital campaigns, endowments, scholarships, and other specific needs should be matched to foundations who desire to fund those areas. If it is clear the foundation does not fund a particular program, don’t try to stretch it. It may hurt you in the long-term. Generally speaking, foundations do not fund operating expenses (with the exception of start-up funding), debt retirement, events, or individuals (except scholarships).
Do
• Answer all the questions in a foundation-specific application.
• Consider seeking a multi-year commitment from a foundation. Let the foundation know that you have a plan to keep this project running. Consider sending them a three-year projected program budget which asks for a decreased amount of support from their foundation each year. Show anticipated sources of income. Demonstrating fiscal responsibility greatly increase your chances of being funded in the first year, even if the foundation requires annual applications instead of giving the multi-year commitment.
• Show your own stakeholders’ contributions both financial and in-kind. In the campus ministry and university setting, this means showing what your students contribute in terms of time and talent.
• Tell the foundation why you specifically need their help. Let them know how their lead gift will inspire other donors, or how their gift will impact the ministry. Let them know with whom else you are partnering.
• Remind the foundation how funding your project will help the foundation to fulfill its mission. For example, their mission is to develop leadership and you provide experience in leadership.
• Apply first to the foundations with the most compatibility: geography, interest, open to your application, recent funding in similar areas. Then, move to slightly less compatible prospects. Remember, you can also write grants to companies for gifts-in-kind: computers, copiers, other supplies, etc.
• Include all of the typical “required” information: proof of 501(c) 3 status, project budget, organizational budget, brief history, ministry overview, listing of Board of Directors (Advisory Council) and their professional affiliations, and any requested letters of support.
• Say thank you. Thank the foundation for considering your request either in your cover letter or in the proposal itself. Naturally, you will send a formal thank you when they send you a check!
Avoid this:
• Sending a generic proposal.
A generic proposal is a good way to lay-out your purpose and mission in a proposal format. Use that generic proposal to locate compatible foundations. Then, spend time getting to know the interests of each foundation and personalize each proposal you send out.
• Losing touch with a foundation.
Make sure that you comply with any evaluation process the foundation has. You will also want to continue to update the foundation on the work of your organization. Keep building the relationship!
• Deficit spending.
Be pro-active; apply for grants before the money is spent. Foundations want to give seed money and to get projects started. They usually will not fund projects that have already happened.
• The Obvious: Missing deadlines, spelling/grammar mistakes, budget errors, oversights on required information, etc.
• Taking “rejections” personally.
Philanthropy is their business. They work to give away their money. Call and ask how to improve your proposal and your chance of being funded the next time!
In Brief
Search online and in published directories for a foundation that funds in your geographic area, is open to new applicants, and has mutual interests!
Tell them your mission and how funding your program will help the foundation fulfill its mission. Pay attention to all the application details.
Say thank you and follow up with evaluations and ministry updates in the form of newsletters and holiday cards.
Maureen Murray began writing grants in 1994 for the building campaign at St. Mary’s Catholic Center in College Station, Texas. In 2003, she accepted a position at St. Lawrence Catholic Campus Center at the University of Kansas where she worked until 2009 as a Social Justice Coordinator and Grant Writer. In addition to her experience writing grant proposals for Catholic campus ministry, she has worked on projects for a broad range of organizations. Maureen and her physicist husband, Michael live in Lawrence, Kansas where they are raising their seven children ranging in ages from 5 – 20 yrs.