How to Approach a Grant Funding Source
According to the National Center for Charitable Statistics (NCCC), in 2009 there were 1,569,572 tax-exempt organizations in the United States, including nearly one million public charities and about 118,000 private foundations. NCCC reports that 2008 charitable giving totaled $284.99 billion. Those numbers represent a lot of competition for the charitable dollar and attest to the importance of informed planning when approaching a potential funding source. The most important steps in that plan are research and preparation.
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Instructions
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Determine the type of grant you need. Foundations may provide grants for operating support, program support, capital expenses such as construction or purchase or equipment and seed money to jump-start a nonprofit organization. Some foundations do not provide operating or capital grants.
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Indentify a funding source and learn about the organization, including its staff members and board of directors. Read brochures, annual reports, eligibility guidelines and information about focus areas and special initiatives. Ensure that your organization meets eligibility guidelines. Review past grants, including the types of programs supported and range of grant amounts.
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Learn the organization's preference for contact. Some organizations prefer a letter of inquiry, while others encourage potential applicants to contact program officers on the telephone. Some may prefer both prior to inviting submission of a full proposal. Program officers usually are available to talk with callers about proposals and current funding trends in the organization.
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Prepare a brief summary of the proposal you plan to submit. Include the grant type, grant amount, project and time period. Note how the funds will be used, how much of the project budget you are asking the funding source to support and if you will apply to other funding sources. Practice making a brief introduction of yourself and your nonprofit organization.
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Prepare for a telephone call by writing down talking points and information you will need, including research about the funding source, bullet points about your nonprofit organization, including staffing and budget, and the summarized proposal idea. Have your nonprofit's official documents at hand, such as the 501(c)(3) letter and articles of incorporation or bylaws.
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Call the program officer and introduce yourself and your nonprofit organization. Give a brief description of your organization and the reason for your call. Answer all questions clearly and briefly. Be specific about the proposal you plan to submit, state the amount you will request, ask for feedback and take notes.
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Follow the lead of the program officer and wrap up the call when it seems appropriate. Thank the program officer and repeat any advice or instructions given. Follow up quickly on any requests for information. Send a thank-you note and include your organization's literature, such as brochures.
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Prepare a formal letter of inquiry using the guidelines provided by the funding source. Most organizations that require letters of inquiry provide guidelines and forms on their website. Follow the instructions since this submission determines whether you are invited to submit a full proposal. Have someone proofread the letter before sending it to the funding source.
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Tips & Warnings
Add the funding source to your mailing list to receive future annual reports or newsletters. For in-person approaches, adapt the instructions and stress the basics of research and preparation. Identify a few organizations to which you will mail a letter of introduction and information about your nonprofit.
Keep a friendly, confident tone when talking to funding sources. Ensure there are no interruptions during a telephone call with a program officer.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit woman talking on cell phone / mobile phone image by Katrina Miller from Fotolia.com
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