Eight Tips for Grantseekers
Your board has launched a bold initiative and your land trust is now primed to secure “take-it-to-the-next-level” grants from all comers: Just write a great proposal and shotgun mail it to all the environmental foundations in the region, right? Absolutely wrong. Don’t make the mistake of assuming that simply generating high numbers of proposals will ensure some favorable response from someone, just due to the odds. It doesn’t work that way. Especially not in this economic climate where most foundations are scaling back annual giving and not welcoming new grantees.
Instead focus very narrowly to where you are most likely to win success — using your connections, cultivating foundation contacts, and closely defining a program that fits a foundation’s current funding priorities. Building a foundation relationship can take months or even years before gaining credibility and winning a spot in their next funding cycle. Ideally, a proposal is drafted only after you have already discussed the program in some detail with the program officer and he or she has enthusiastically invited you to submit a proposal. At this point, 90% of the work has been done and the proposal need only buttress the case. You are applying to an important ally, the foundation officer who has helped shape the proposal — both to be more effective and to fit the mold of what will succeed with the board.
Many “how-to” guides focus on the mechanics of grantwriting. If you’re not sure about your writing skills, by all means take a good class. But generally it’s not that hard to write a good proposal — assuming you have a strong program to back it up. The core elements are usually the same: a summary (or abstract), statement of need, goals and objectives (keep them specific, attainable and measureable!), strategies (or methods), evaluation, bios/background and budget. Each foundation may have its own quirky needs: online or not, recycled paper or not, specific word counts, specific board policies, references, etc. You cannot cut corners in giving them what they say they need — follow their protocols exactly.
But foundation development requires far more than good grantwriting. Follow these eight tips to build a stable foundation and corporate supporters who love your work.
Do your homework.
Don’t waste a foundation’s time if your project falls outside their defined geographic or program areas, or if your organization does not meet their criteria. Learn everything you can about a foundation before applying, from their website, annual reports, strategic plans, recent grants, lists of staff and board, assets, giving levels, etc.
Develop connections.
Even if you don’t yet know anybody at the foundation, chances are you know somebody who knows somebody who does. Ask your board to look at foundation staff and board lists, talk to a recent grantee of the foundation, and find out what other land trusts they may have funded. It’s always best if your introduction is warmed by someone the foundation trusts and respects. Once in, get to know people and be patient.
Bring endorsers.
If you are meeting with a Michigan foundation for the first time, and you’ve got an in-state connection to the foundation, ask that person to come along on the first visit or to join in a conference call, gently endorsing your need and project. Also, don’t forget to use endorsers in your proposals via quotes and testimonials, whether or not they ask for references. Show them how you are impacting lives, in people’s own words. Don’t forget that the most trusted voices can be other funders who have supported you in the past. If one funder loves your project, he or she may be delighted to call another and say, “Here’s why we are supporting this great project; you should too.”
Show your street cred.
In both your initial visits and your proposal, you must demonstrate why your group is the best and perhaps only group to do the proposed work, based on past projects, established relationships and unique networks. Many novices miss the boat by pressing hard on the WHY of the project while neglecting the WHY US part. New or unproven groups can have a rough time demonstrating likely success of their project and may need to approach the foundationn or a series of progressive grants, increasing in size as the foundation comes to know and respect your work.
Don’t overpromise.
Even assuming you get your first, second or third grant, your organization’s credibility can be lost in an instant if you do not deliver on promises made in your grant proposal. There’s always a temptation to load in a lot ofwork in the proposal so that it looks compelling and leveraged. But foundation staff are sophisticated, and if they see you are understaffed or underbudgeted, they will back off because they never want their investment to fail. Be realistic, be able to track your results, and show how you will adapt the program midcourse if it needs improvement. Sometimes starting small is actually preferable because it allows you to test and demonstrate a model that can be rolled out on a larger scale once proven. Another key criteria funders look for is sustainability; they want to know if the program can become self-sufficient after the grant is done.
Make the case.
Most people rely heavily on the proposal to do this, but you really must make the case in person — whether on the phone or in the foundation’s office. Be sure that your representative is well briefed with both foundation background and talking points for the program — why it is needed, why your group must do it, and what the benefits will be. A strong proposal can really help make your case, particularly if the decisionmakers are as yet undecided. But don’t rely on it exclusively. Don’t try to be flowery; keep it simple as if you were telling the story in person. When writing your proposal, do what you can to make it seem familiar to the foundation by echoing the foundation’s language, orientation and funding themes. Don’t recycle an old proposal unless you can update it and tailor it to the fresh eyes of the new prospect foundation.
Demonstrate and track progress.
Once you have a grant, don’t be a stranger until it comes time to re-up. Some foundations may require interim reports, but even if not, it is good practice to send an occasional clipping, fan letter, compelling anecdote or success, along with making interim visits. You want your project to stay on your grant officer’s radar screen, so that he can talk about your successes with his colleagues and supervisors. Don’t neglect the chance to write short updates to fit the foundation’s own newsletter or website — they love to brag about successful grantees. There’s another advantage to this sort of interim cultivation: when sending notice of a recent success, you can ask your officer, “Who else in the funding community might be interested in hearing about this?” Then you or the funder can follow up, using the calling card of being a proven grantee of the original funder.
Always get your reports in early, not just because it’s good practice, but because you want the foundation decisionmakers to be fully aware of your results at the time (12 months later, usually) when they are making a decision on renewal funding. If the report isn’t formally due and not sent until month 15, then you’ve missed an in-house chance to brief the decisionmakers. Demonstrate how you are making progress in securing new funding, or otherwise moving toward making the project sustainable beyond the grant period. Don’t let evaluation and tracking be the weakest link in your grant process.
Diversify.
Even as you succeed in winning foundation or corporate grants, never forget that these sources can and often do change their priorities. Relying too heavily on foundation support can create roller coaster instability in your group’s overall funding base. Instead, always strive to develop your paying membership, individual donors, government, other revenue sources, and community support so that if one financial leg wobbles, the others remain steady.
Like many things in life, your success with foundations depends on making connections, cultivating support, and making a compelling case that fits the audience. Sure, write a good proposal, but be prepared to back it up with a lot more work if you really want to get the grant.