Introduction

Overcome Anxieties

One Basic Organizational Consideration

Fund Raising/Grant Seeking Basics

Keys to Successfully Written Grants

Internet Resources

Suggested Reading

Seeking funds involves some basic steps:

1. The process should begin with a problem or need. Just as a home needs to be built on a solid foundation, successful grant seeking efforts need to be built on and around a specific problem or need. Funders want to give money that will fund solutions to problems. It won't be very effective to think in simplistic terms of what you want for your organization. It's understood that organizations require money for all sorts of expenses. You won't be much more effective and persuasive in your efforts if you begin with a specific problem or need your organization can address as the core of your grant seeking activity. You won't find a natural link to potential funders because you are both interested in solving the same problems.
   
   
2. Realize that the bulk of the work in grant seeking is in planning--not in writing a proposal. Many people make the common mistake of getting too excited when they find a funder with similar interests and immediately start the writing process. But this is like starting at the end instead of the beginning. You can't formulate a good and persuasive proposal and project without first carefully planning it. The stages of planning will become very clear once you access proposal planning and writing materials from the Foundation Center or the Grantsmanship Center. Their proposal formats take you step-by-step through the proposal planning and writing process, so that you know what problem you are trying to address, how you'll address it, and how you'll know when you've accomplished what you set out to do.
   
   
3. In Real Estate the mantra is “location, location, location.” In grant seeking, it's “guidelines, guidelines, guidelines.” One of the biggest secrets in seeking grants or donations is as simple as following the directions outlined by grant makers. This point can't be overemphasized. Surveys of grantmakers have found that the single most common reason proposals are rejected is because the funder’s guidelines have not been followed. The ability to follow directions is far more important than your own ability to write well. It's sad when otherwise good proposals are rejected, after time and effort has been devoted to them, only because a minor guideline was not followed. The fact is that you'll be turned down if you don't follow the directions. Grant seeking is a competitive process. It's estimated that only 3 out of 10, or 30-40% of proposals will be funded. This statistic doesn't have to be discouraging and can be minimized simply by making sure you are not disqualified by not having followed simple directions about deadlines, requested information, etc.
   
   
4. Grant seeking is truly a numbers game. Once you've perfected your proposal and project idea in the form of a grant application, you need to be willing to identify and send it out to as many potential funders as you can. If you really need to have two or three proposals funded, send out 10 proposals to help ensure that you'll bring in the amount of money you need.
   
   
5. Build relationships. This is another way to combat the inherent competitiveness of grant seeking. To whatever extent possible, try to build relationships with program officers at funding sources to which you send proposals. This is a process that must be done on a case-by-case basis. Some program officers are more willing to talk and answer questions than others. Trust your intuition when talking to them and judge how much is enough to tell them about you and your project. It's important to remember to avoid being a pest. Avoid inventing trivial reasons to call a program officer. They are there to help, but will probably see through frivolous attempts to get their attention.
   
   
6. Be persistent. If you aren't immediately successful in winning grant money, know that this is normal. The key to success is to create a quality proposal having followed the guidelines, identify as many funding sources as possible with similar interests, and continue sending out proposals until you are successful.
   
   
7. Be a team player and get feedback. One of the most successful approaches you can have is planning and writing as part of a team. This offers several advantages: you will know from the outset that all key players are on board and have “bought off” on the effort to seek funds; you'll have everyone in place that you need in order to answer questions like “what is the problem we’re trying to address?”, “who will be responsible for carrying out project objectives?”, “who will provide information needed in different parts or attachments of the proposal (e.g. news clips, proof of nonprofit status, financial statements)?”, “who will review draft versions of the proposal?”; and so on. You don't have to be a one-person grant seeker. Have others help through all proposal phases, right up until the proposal goes out the door.
   
   
8. Hire a consultant: there’s no rule that says you have to do all this on your own. If you have some discretionary funds, use them to hire someone to help you start the process of asking for money. A consultant can help you develop a proposal template that you can then revise on your own to suit individual funder’s guidelines. Talk to other nonprofit groups or your state or local association of nonprofits to find the kind of person you want.
   
   
9. Advanced fund raising: Despite the spirited and altruistic efforts of many in the nonprofit world, the reality is that organizational development requires money. The emphasis on grantwriting in this tutorial is based on the assumption that grant money is generally the best source of potential funding for young or small organizations that are interested in improving their ability to accomplish their missions. Generally, this means expanding or growing the organizations, at least in terms of personnel and range of services offered.
   
   Grants are only one source of organizational funding. Grantwriting should be an ongoing component of any organizational development plan, but it just happens to be one of the most important strategies in an organization’s early development. One reason for this is because grantwriting requires very little in terms of existing resources. The basic investment is time and energy; one doesn't have to pay anything to apply for grant money.
   
   However, no discussion of fundraising would be complete without at least a brief discussion of other strategies used to secure funding for nonprofits. By mentioning other methods, the hope is that you'll understand that grantwriting can set the stage for other efforts that will build upon the success of winning grants and provide other, lasting sources of organizational funding.
   
   Public Television offers a good example of alternative fund raising methods. Most everyone is familiar with the on-air fund drives and other forms of solicitation that are the norm for PBS stations across the country. Public Television has a long and successful tradition of support from the communities they serve.
   
   The main point in long-term fund raising management is diversification. One wants to employ as many methods of gaining funds as possible. Other forms of fund raising include hosting special events, direct mail and telephone solicitation, developing a board active in raising funds and capable of donating funds themselves, major gift programs (asking for large sums of money from wealthy individuals), membership programs, planned giving (donations that help reduce an individual’s estate/capital gains tax burdens), and endowment campaigns (fund raising for a permanent, interest bearing endowment fund).
   
   If you're interest in learning more about comprehensive organizational development and funding raising, refer to The Complete Guide to Fund-Raising Management listed under Suggested Readings.

You're now ready to start exploring links to the grant seeking and grant making world. All of the following resources and organizations are accessible via the Internet and many of them offer other opportunities for in person communication, hard copy publication and material resource information, and proposal planning and writing training workshops or seminars. Take your time as you explore the vast wealth of information each source offers. One effective way to get acquainted with everything a site offers is by clicking on the “Site Map” to get an overview of services and resources. This is also an easy way to get back to the main menu of the “Site Map” instead of always hitting the “Back” button if you've gone through several other links.

The selection of sites and suggested readings below is simply based on the strategy of trying to provide the highest quality information and resource option available. TreeLink has no vested interest in any site or publication, other than its own. The links provided are intended only as references.

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