For my Learning Connection class

1. Robin L. Cabral, CFRE
Raising Serious Money Through Grants
DEVELOPMENT CONSULTING SOLUTIONS
D e v e l o p m e n t C o u n s e l

2. A little about me…
 Director of development for the Northeast Community of
the Sisters of Mercy.
 Principal of part-time, Development Consulting Solutions.
 Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE).
 18 years of fund development experience: Progressive
social change agency (2), women’s center (4), YMCA
(2), outpatient Children’s Rehabilitation Center (7), and
Sisters of Mercy (3)

3. A little bout you…
 Share with your partner:
 A little bit about yourself
 What you hope to accomplish by attending this class
 What you are seeking funding for?

4. Before you even begin!

5. Partner sharing
Share with your partner (and head start on your homework!):
 What is your organization’s mission and vision statements?
 What is it that your organization does? What are you major programs?
What are your future goals? And what makes it unique?
 What other funding sources do you have to support your program?
 Have you received past grants and if so in what amounts?

6. Who are you?
 Before you even begin you should already know:
 Who you are.
 What your niche is.
 What kind of service you provides and how are you unique.
 What you need in terms of financial support for your programs and services.
 Overall organizational case and maybe individual case
statements for different entities:
 Corporations/businesses.
 Foundations.
 Government entities.
 Market segmentation: who is most likely to support you!
 Do you have the financial systems in place to monitor the use of funds?

7. Where to start
 With your organization!
 Mission/case statement
 Long-range plan? Goals?
 Others sources of funding?
 Programs and projects?
 Uniqueness?
 Cost-efficient?
 Regulations compliance?

8. A little perspective!
 Corporations : 4-6% of all giving in the U.S.
 Foundations: 7-10% of all giving in the U.S.
 Individuals: 79-81% of all giving in the U.S.

9. Three questions about support!
What do you think are:
 The types and forms of grant/foundation support?
 What are the possible motivations for support?
 What strategies are most effective?

10. Corporations and businesses
 Types of support:
 Corporate foundation.
 Direct corporate giving (case directly out of profits).
 Executive discretionary funds (personal connections).
 In-kind gifts of company products or equipment.
 Subsidiary or individual plant budget (local giving).
 Marketing budgets (cause-related support or for events).
 Research and development budgets (business interests).
 Motivations:
 Good corporate citizenship.
 Enlightened self-interest.
 Individual leadership initiative.
 Location.
 Quid-pro-quo interests.
 Of interest to corporate/business employees.
 Tax advantages.

11. Obtaining corporate support
 Research the business.
 Identify their motivations.
 Make your case for support.
 Involve key employees.
 Write a proposal.

12. Trends in corporate giving
 Smaller, one-time grants.
 Competitive applications.
 Want something in return for their investment.
 Specific problem area in society: poverty, illiteracy, etc.
 Areas most often funded: education, health and human
services, and environmental issues.

13. Foundations!
 Types:
 Independent foundations (known as family foundations, general purpose
foundations, special purpose foundations, or private non-operating foundations.)
 Company-sponsored/corporate foundation (contributions of a profit-making
business organization with close ties with the donor company.)
 Community foundations (build permanent, named funds established by
separate donors.)
 “Operating” foundations (privately supported or funded, actively conduct
charitable programs or activities rather than distribute funds.)
 Motivations:
 Community support (broad).
 Sociopolitical concerns.
 Historical roles (philanthropic interests of founders).
 Seed money for new projects.

14. Obtaining foundation support!
 Research the foundation.
 Analyze foundation guidelines.
 Make personal contacts.
 Write a letter of inquiry.
 Write a proposal.

15. The government!
 Types:
 Direct support (grants and purchase of service contracts).
 Indirect support (tax exemptions, reduced mailing rates, etc.)
 Federal and state governments provide the greatest amount of funding.
 Motivations:
 Promote public policy.
 Address a pressing social problem.

16. Strategies for support!
 Design a program that conforms to requirements of
funding agency or better yet match your interest to theirs.
 Enlist local counsel and support for your work (advocate).
 Meet with legislative staff who support the program.
 Complete and submit the required application in a timely
and thorough fashion.
 Report in a timely and thorough fashion.

17. A little more insider information!

18. Government RFP’s
 Bidders conference.
 Letter of intent.
 Request for proposals issued.
 Competition for dollars high.
 Highly specific and targeted.
 Education, research, etc.
 Eligibility, interest
compatibility, feasible, flexible, implementation, competitive.
 Need a DUNS # (Data Universal Numbering System Number) -
The DUNS number is a unique nine character identification
number provided by the commercial company Dun & Bradstreet
(D&B).

19. More on government RFP’s
 Direct grants (apply directly to the federal government.)
 “Flow-through” or “pass through” grants (federal grant is made to an organization
or state that then uses some or all of the money to make sub grants to other
organizations.)
 Appropriations from legislature.
 Difficult to find out about.
 Notify agencies that they already have a relationship with.
 Federal sources even more difficult.
 Competitive (compete with other grant applicants for limited pool) or formula
(disbursed by state agency to applicant based on a formula).
 http://www.grants.gov/ - the BEST resource!

20. Private foundations
 Many, many out there.
 Foundation Center – www.foundationcenter.org
 Billions in assets.
 Categories: general purpose, special purpose, corporate or
company foundations, family foundations, and community
foundations.

21. Professional Associations
 Many small groups.
 Awards for scholarships and fellowships, research projects,
or travel.
 Examples of these organizations include churches, Junior
Leagues, and civic organizations such as Rotary and
Kiwanis.

22. Researching foundations!

23. Partner sharing
Share with your partner:
 What is the importance of research to the foundation/grant process?
 Why should we do research before we begin?
 What kinds of things should we be looking for as we do our research?

24. Why research?
 At least 50% of successful foundation solicitation is
research.
 Research is undertaken by few.
 Vast numbers of nonprofits, stiff competition.
 Match between funder and mission/program.
 Foundations list broad funding areas.

25. Before you begin
 An eagle eye, a detective’s nose, and the patience of a saint!
 Patterns and similarities of grantees.
 Unearth a familiar name.
 Snoop out not readily available information.
 Cross-check sources.
 Record, record, record!

26. Record keeping
 Properly managed recordkeeping system.
 Document, document, document!
 Staff turnover.
 Share information.
 Grid system, rolling calendar, individual files.
 Database such as Raisers Edge ($10,000), Giftworks
($849) and others.

27. Importance of research
 Be thorough, but not an obstacle.
 Get specific information on each prospect.
 Online databases.
 Foundation Center at www.fdncenter.org.
 Great classes as well…Foundation Fundraising or Proposal
Writing
 Narrow your prospects to sources whose giving policies
match your needs.
 Develop a funding source ranking sheet.

28. Research your potential funder
 Profile.
 Funders interest areas.
 Types and sizes awarded grants.
 Geographical preference.
 Organizational preference.
 Application guidelines.
 Relationship with funder.
 Evaluates proposals.

29. Evaluation form
 Standardized form for data collection.
 Foundation annual report.
 Correspondence with foundation.
 Consult several different sources.
 Ranking (interest, geography, support).

30. Resources
 Local library (Foundation Center Cooperating Collections
Network).
 Published foundation directory.
 Online and subscription directories.
 Anything published by foundation.
 Form 990 – Federal tax return.
 Guidestar and Foundation Center.
 Periodicals and newsletters (Chronicle of Philanthropy)

31. Homework Assignment
Questions and Answers

32. More than a good proposal!

33. Debrief homework!

34. Elements of a good relationship
 Trust.
 Communication.
 Shared values.
 Honesty.
 Respect.

35. Six rules of engagement
 Know the landscape.
 Know who you are dealing with.
 Know their considerations.
 Know what they value.
 Know how to give it to them.
 Minimize the risk.

36. Know the grant making landscape
 Mega foundations (specialists, staff are influential)
 Competitive (Generalists, boards are more involved in
decisions)
 Family (the donor, the buck stops there)
 The institutional paradox.
 Entrepreneurial mission.
 Risk-adverse board.
 Managing competing priorities.

37. Know what they value
 Product
 Data.
 Deliverables.
 A plan that is likely to work.
 People
 Leadership.
 Trust.
 Accountability and responsibility.
 Protocol
 Respect for the rules.

38. Know how to give it to them
 Learn the culture of the grant maker
 Analog or digital.
 Old school or new school.
 Traditional or cutting edge.
 Learn the personality of your contact(s)
 How they process information.
 How they interact with others.
 Never, ever underestimate the value of the gatekeeper.
 Respect the process.

39. Minimize risk
 Risk to the grant maker.
 Failure of the project.
 Misuse of the funds.
 Risk to you.
 Unreal expectations.
 Mission drift.

40. Seven best practices
 Build an information network to help you understand your
funders.
 Look beyond the numbers and learn who the grant maker is.
 Don’t see. Help the grant maker to buy.
 Err on the side of professional rather than personal.
 Know the difference between persistence and pestering.
 Communicate early and often when the going gets tough.
 Respect the ground rules.

41. Writing winning proposals

42. Your proposal is only one part
 Each year $10 - $20 billion.
 Process (planning, research, personal contact, and follow-
up).
 Not just about grant writing!

43. Present yourself credible and capable
 Trust – credible organization with strong leadership.
 Merit or value of your project or proposal.
 Mission, people you
serve, uniqueness, management/leadership, fiscal, and
results.

44. Speak to the funders goals
 Not just about you!
 “What will funder gain by funding me?”
 Think of it as a TEAM approach.

45. Call before writing
 Call them first!
 Letter of inquiry.
 Determine level of match.
 Obtain more information.
 Is there interest?
 Describe project.
 Personal visit?!?

46. If you get an appointment
 Unique opportunity.
 Who attends?
 Research, preparation and plan.
 Role play!

47. Style and content
 Brief, concise, and compelling!
 You match!
 Address needs!
 Experience and capability!
 Best approach!
 No duplication!
 Collaboration!

48. Blend logic and emotion
 Facts with life and passion!
 Examples, anecdotes, stories.
 Relationships – connect!
 Write to a person.
 Human side.
 No jargon.
 Confidence.
 Concise.
 Integrity.
 Feasible and realistic.

49. Write!
 Components:*
 Cover letter.
 Cover page.
 Table of contents.
 Abstract, executive summary.
 Purpose of request.
 Statement of need.
 Project description.
 Objectives or major goals (behavioral, performance, product, process, research)
 Methods or who the project will be conducted.
 Staffing and administration.
 Evaluation.
 Organizational information.
 Closing.
 Budget.
 Appendices (tax id, financial statements, board list, annual report, letters of support).
 Packaging.

50. Follow-up
 6 months plus.
 Write, call, or visit!
 Any further info call.
 Review time – call!

51. Did you get it?
 Thank you (letter and/or call).
 Can you publicize?
 Recognition different for each source.
 Reporting.
 Maintain ongoing relationship with funder.
 Encourage site visits.

52. You didn’t get it!
 Thank you.
 Call why?
 Keep lines of communication open.

53. And yet another perspective!
 Time of grant writing?
 Foundations and corporations historically contribute very
small amounts compared to individuals.
 Necessity for a diversified and integrated fund development
plan…

54. Where do you go from here?
 Small group exercise:
 Determine what your next steps should be?
 Identify at least five simple steps that you can take when you go back
to your organization.
 What are you going to start implementing?
 How can you incorporate this information into your organization?
Share your next step action step with the larger group!

55. Questions and Answers
Evaluation