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Securing Foundation Support Norma R. Murphy Executive Vice President June 2012 Grant Development Services America’s Fundraising Counsel

New devel grant writing

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Page 1: New devel grant writing

Securing Foundation Support

Norma R. MurphyExecutive Vice President

June 2012

Grant Development Services

America’s Fundraising Counsel

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Foundation & Corporate Support Facts and Figures

The total giving for 2010 – including foundations, corporations, bequests and individuals was $290.89 billion.

Foundations awarded $41.21 billion in 2010 or 14%

Corporations gave $15.29 billion in 2010 or 5%.

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$290.89 Billion Given in 2010

Source: Giving USA FoundationTM/Giving USA 2010

Individuals$229.03 74.8%

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Where it went

Source: Giving USA FoundationTM/Giving USA 2010

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Submitting vs. Getting

The difference between organizations that submit numerous grant applications, but get only nominal foundation support for their organizations can usually be attributed to the absence of a formalized plan.

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Submitting and Getting

Nonprofit organizations can no longer afford to apply for grants simply because the RFP has been announced or the deadline is approaching for a foundation’s grants program to which it always applies.

A coordinated and strategically driven program will allow your organization to focus its grant seeking efforts on those grant makers most likely to fund your projects rather than those grant opportunities that simply land on your desk.

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Preparation

Define your project:

Clarify the purpose of your project and write a mission statement.

Define the scope of work to focus your funding search.

Determine the broad project goals, then identify the specific objectives that define how you will focus the work to accomplish those goals.

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Preparation

Identify the right funding sources - Foundation centers, computerized databases, publications, and public libraries are some of the resources available to assist your funding search.

Do not limit your funding search to one source.

Look for a match between your project and the grants you seek by looking for consistency between the purpose and goals of your project and the funder.

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Contact the Funder

Think of the funder as a resource.

Identify a project officer who will address your questions.

Some funders offer technical assistance, others do not.

Ask for technical assistance, including a review of proposal drafts.

Inquire about how proposals are reviewed and how decisions are made.

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Contact the Funder (continued)

Inquire about budgetary requirements and preferences.

Are matching funds required?

Is in-kind acceptable as a portion of applicants’ share?

What may be counted as in-kind, and how might it be applied. Learn about payment processes, including cash flow.

Remember, the contacts you make may prove invaluable, even if not for now.

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Acquire Proposal Guidelines

Guidelines usually tell you about:

Submission deadlines

Eligibility

Proposal format: award levels, margins, spacing, evaluation process and restrictions on the number of pages, etc.

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Guidelines usually tell you about…

Budgets

Funding goals and priorities

Award levels

Evaluation process and criteria

Who to contact

Other submission requirements

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Additionally…

Read the guidelines carefully, then read them again.

Ask the funder to clarify your questions.

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Know the Submission Deadline

Plan to submit your proposal on or preferably before the deadline.

Be realistic about whether you have time to prepare a competitive proposal that meets the deadline.

Know the funder’s policies on late submissions, exceptions, and mail delays.

Find out how the funder will notify you about the receipt and status of your proposal.

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Determine Personnel Needs

Identify required personnel both by function and, if possible, by name.

Contact project consultants, trainers, and other auxiliary personnel to seek availability, acquire permission to include them in the project, and negotiate compensation.

Personnel compensation is important budget information.

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Update Your Timeline

This is a good point at which to update your timeline, now that you know about submission deadlines and review timetables.

Factor into your schedule time to write multiple drafts, gather relevant and permissible materials, and prepare an impartial critique of your proposal for clarity, substance and form.

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Writing the Proposal

Structure, attention to specifications, concise persuasive writing, and a reasonable budget are the critical elements of the writing stage.

There are many ways to organize proposals. Read the guidelines for specifications about required information and how it should be arranged.

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Standard Proposal Components

Narrative

Budget

Appendix of support materials

Authorized signature

Sometimes proposal applications require abstracts or summaries, an explanation of budget items, and

certifications.

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Tips on Writing the Narrative

Narratives typically must satisfy the following questions:

What do we want? What concern will be addressed and why? Who will benefit and how? What specific objectives can be accomplished and

how? How will results be measured? How does this request relate to the funder’s purpose, objectives, and priorities? Who are we and how do we qualify to meet this need?

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The RATIONALESometimes called “the Hook”

There are many ways to represent the same idea.

However, the RATIONALE tailors the description of the idea to the interest of a particular funder.

The RATIONALE aligns the project with the purpose, and goals of the funding source.

This is a critical aspect of any proposal narrative because it determines how compelling reviewers will perceive your proposal to be.

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Budget

Budgets are cost projections.

They also are a window into how projects will be implemented and managed.

Well-planned budgets reflect carefully thought out projects.

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Budget Tips

Many funders provide mandatory budget forms that must be submitted with the proposal.

Do not forget to list in-kind and matching revenue, where appropriate.

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Supporting Materials

Supporting materials are often arranged in an appendix.

Find out if supporting materials are desired or even allowed.

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Authorized Signatures

Authorized signatures are required.

Proposals may be rejected for lack of an authorized signature. Be sure to allow time to acquire a needed signature.

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Tailor proposal writing to specifications found in the guidelines.

Include only the number of pages allowed. Observe the format.

Caution! – the beautifully bound proposal is not always appreciated or allowed.

Specifications

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Submission Checklist

The proposal must be NEAT, COMPLETE, and ON

TIME, with the requested number of copies and

original authorized signatures.

Address the proposal as directed in the guidelines.

Be sure to include required documentation.

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Follow-Up

Contact the funding source about the status, evaluation, and outcome of your proposal.

It is important to request feedback about a proposal’s strengths and weaknesses, although the information is sometimes unavailable, especially with a large volume of submissions.

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A final note about good proposals

Quality writing is critical in all good proposals. It should be clear, concise, and free of jargon. There should be no spelling or grammatical errors, and the proposal should be easy to read.

Sloppy proposals and proposals laden with jargon do not provide a positive image of the funder, nor do they lend confidence that solid research will follow.

Proposals that are well-written and attractive are a pleasure to read, and they make a good impression with reviewers.

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Questions,

Comments,

Observations

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America’s Fundraising CounselSM

Thank You!Thank You!PO Box 410046 Kansas City, Missouri 64141

www.hartsookcompanies.com

[email protected]

866.630.8500