They connect with the largest corporations in the world, procure audiences with legendary tycoons, and succeed in raising millions of dollars for their causes. How do they do it? Below, we reveal the secrets of successful fundraisers! To learn how to get grants for nonprofit organizations, read on!
This article is brought to you by IDC Giving Group.
Your organization is making a difference in the world. All you need is financial support in order to do even more good work.
Every year, philanthropic foundations receives a multitude of requests for donations, grants for nonprofit organizations, and financial support. The vast majority of these requests are undoubtedly from worthy causes. Nonetheless, foundations that give grants are not willing or able to fund every single request they receive, and, hence, in the end, choose to allocate their resources to only a handful of organizations. Which organizations will be the lucky few to receive tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars from foundations?
And, how can you secure a place on that list of organizations that do receive funding?
With such competition in the realm of grants for nonprofit organizations, how can you ensure that your organization will succeed in obtaining grants from philanthropic foundations? How can you be certain that your grant request will capture the attention of the fund manager? Many years of experience working with different foundations that give grants has taught us at the IDC Giving Group some methods that will increase your chances of success. Below is our guide on fundraising for nonprofits.
Let us begin with the most fundamental principle, one that should be first and foremost in your mind when grant writing for non-profits. Success comes not from momentary excitement, but rather from repetition and consistency. In other words, the largest grants and donations are not the results of momentary bursts of creativity or inspiration; rather, they are the results of systematic, comprehensive, and sometimes boring hard work over an extended period of time.
Before submitting a grant request…
Before you begin: research, research, and more research. The best way to ensure success is to be sure you are targeting the correct foundations. Which foundations identify strongly with your cause? Which foundations have a history of supporting nonprofits with similar missions to that of your own? Good and thorough research will help you to compile a list of appropriate foundations to target.
How do you choose?
- Shared Interests – Is there an overlap between your goals and the goals of the grantor? You do not need to be a perfect match, but you must have something in common.
- Geographical Area – Some foundations prefer to support organizations based in their home town or state. Certain foundations will not even look at your request if you are located outside of their preferred zone of operations.
- Target Population – Your nonprofit serves a specific population, and the foundation wants to help a specific population. It is important that these target populations match up with each other.
- Amount – Philanthropic foundations award grants of different amounts and different levels of support. Make sure that your request reflects the amounts that each respective foundation awards.
- Type of Project – Different foundations are interested in different kinds of projects. Present your project in a way that fits with the requirements and interests of the specific foundation.
- Personal Relationships – Like everything in life, personal relationships are the best way to accomplish anything. If you know a grantor, fund manager, or someone who works for a foundation, reach out to them. They will be able to advise and guide you through the process of tailoring your grant request to the specific criteria and interests of the foundation. If you do not have any relevant personal relationships, turn to a professional fundraiser with the relationships and ability to advocate for and advance you grant request from within.
- Know the Terminology – The world of philanthropic foundations, just like any other industry or business, has its own lexicon full of professional jargon, hidden connotations, and insider euphemisms. Hence, the better you are able to “crack the code” and understand what they are really trying to say, the better are your chances of receiving funding. Essentially, if you speak their language, it is easier to communicate with a foundation and craft a message that will tip the scales in your favor.
Submission Procedure
First and foremost, when grant writing for non-profits, be sure to provide every document and piece of information that the foundation has requested.
Find a Balance – Do not exhaust your readers with too much information, but make sure to include all the necessary and important facts and figures. Your writing should be succinct and professional, and demonstrate an organized mission and fiscal responsibility.
Timing – Meet all the application deadlines and never wait for the last minute.
Accuracy – Most important of all, when fundraising for nonprofits, only present information that is 100% accurate and credible—be it in writing or in conversation. Even one piece of inaccurate or untrue information, no matter how trivial, will adversely affect every future submission you make to that foundation.
Vision and Impact
It is worthwhile to put serious thought into finding the right wording for your mission statement. Your mission statement expresses your vision of how the world should be and what role your organization plays in helping to shape that world. It defines your nonprofit, presents the essence of your organization, and frames how your work fits into the bigger picture
In your grant request, focus on results and accomplishments from the past. A track record of past success testifies to a likelihood of future success, and, consequently, foundations are more likely to offer funding and support to organizations that can prove they have a history of success. Be sure to highlight the broadest possible scope of the impact of your work, and indicate that you are focusing not just on accomplishing short-term objectives, but that you have long-term vision of how your work will have an impact far beyond your immediate environment.
On a related note, from our experience, foundations are most willing to fund nonprofits that “teach people to fish.” In other words, it is important to demonstrate that your nonprofit does not only provides people with basic needs, but gives them the knowledge and skills to stand on their own in the future. To return to the metaphor, foundations feel there is a greater and more long-term impact when an organization focuses not on providing fish, but on teaching people to catch their own fish.
After the Submission
After you have submitted your request, the next step to gain funding is to follow-up with that request. Check to make sure it was received, that someone is reviewing it, and find out at what stage it is in the process.
Did you receive funding? Write a heartfelt thank you letter. It is important that the foundations remember you, and remember you fondly.
After Receiving Funding
It is important to track the progress of your project. Is it advancing according to plan? Is the money being used properly? Is it having the impact you expected? At every stage, be sure to report to the fund manager. By submitting regular reports, you demonstrate to a foundation that you are professional and organized. In addition, you are giving your investor specific examples of how his financial investment is making an impact every step along the way.
Debra Kagan is the CEO of IDC Giving Group. She holds a B.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies, Professional Certification in Non-Profit Management from the New York Institute of Finance and has managed hundreds of client cases and grant requests, successfully bringing millions of dollars to a wide array of nonprofits. As a member of the Association for Fundraising Professionals (AFP), Debra and the IDC Giving Group team deliver high-quality, professional resource development services and strategies that allow your nonprofit to achieve new heights: no longer compelled to concentrate exclusively on the needs of today, but able to plan for tomorrow create an impact well into the future.
The consultants, writers, researchers, analysts and financial consultants at IDC Giving Group have a range of professional and personal experience. They represent a broad spectrum of academic disciplines and offer resources accrued from relationships with a variety of organizations and foundations. With proven efficiency and a comprehensive understanding of the grant-writing process, IDC Giving Group is prepared to lead you towards success. For more information, call 1-866-744-4995 or email info@idcgivinggroup.com today!
