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- Start by writing a concise, focused, bulleted statement of your project's specific goals: who, what, when, where, why & how much.
Limit it to [1] one page each for: (a) your project description and goals, (b) action plan/implementation timetable and (c) a detailed line item budget &/ cash flow. Then ask ten friends to read it. If it doesn't make sense to them without additional explanation - it won't make sense to the funder!
- Assess and measure community needs and then involve all of your project stakeholders (board, staff, clients, other agencies) in telling your story and marketing your project - to the larger community? Public meetings, hearings, seminars, workshops, and surveys are usual methods.
- A good project marketing plan reflects broad-based community involvement, research, documentation, participation, education and support – you need one from the get-go!
- Good ideas alone - do not a grant make! Grantmakers often tell us that they have no dearth of good ideas ... it's the lack of a realistic measurable implementation plan that often gets in the way. Defined and measured need, clear goals, plus time-based and measurable objectives, are critical to obtaining funding.
- Measuring your success is highly important. You'll need achievable goals and program scope, time-based (incremental) & measurable objectives). What will you do when, step by step, by what date[s]? Don't wait until the end of the grant to see if you got it right! Realistic, incremental, monthly and quarterly, quantitative and qualitative benchmarks are very important.
- Many projects have been brought to the table before you got there. Over time, Grantmakers develop exceptional skill detecting and evaluating projects that are likely to work and those that may be fatally flawed. Try not to overstate your case, or your deliverables. Smoke and mirrors have a very limited audience. Better to deliver more than expected and projected than struggle to achieve impossible objectives - like climbing Mount Everest alone - without oxygen!
- Telling a wonderful story - but failing to request a specific amount - doesn't work! You can help the Grantmaker help you ... by being open, clear, concise, well organized, and focused. Grantmakers don't have a crystal ball to read your mind, they just want to help. Assume nothing, and provide clear focused answers to anticipated questions!
- On the other hand, requesting a specific amount - without clearly justifying its realistic use or specific intended measurable purpose(s) - guarantees rejection. The phrase "Just give me the money and I'll figure out what to do with it later" is a very familiar (and unfunded) request!
- You'll need complete, realistic, accurate, tough, lean-but-do-able line item budget that focuses hard-won dollars and broad community support on specific, needed, demonstrated, well documented, well researched, and measurable quantitative (what you will do) and qualitative (how you will do it) unduplicated services.
- Don't be afraid to ask for what you really need - within the funding guidelines and limitations of the grantmaker - but be prepared to fully justify it! An under-funded project, (only because you didn't think through what it would really cost beforehand), is a constant distraction from your job of delivering services. If you can also tangibly demonstrate a broad base of shared community involvement, plus real community ownership and participation (cash, in-kind and volunteer involvement) - all the better!
- How will your project or services be sustained after the grant runs out? The needs you have identified that you want to serve didn't begin with the grant nor will they end when the grant runs out! How will you, proactively, as a core element of the project, build a wider donor base of community participation, ownership and investment to gradually take up the load by the end of the first, second or third year funding?
- Funders are reluctant to invest in recreating the wheel, in your community. Do Research, Use the Internet, Check out what others have done and are doing in your community, and across the country. Invite them to tell you about their project, call them, go visit their project, partner with them. Learn from their mistakes and successes. Funders expect you to know your community and to demonstrate your knowledge in your proposal. Who is doing what? Can you forge a strategic alliance or partnerships?
- You need direct, demonstrable, broad-based, community stakeholder collaboration, participation and involvement. These stakeholders, strategic partners and alliances will help you to reduce costly duplication of effort on devolving and limited funds, very cost-effectively.
- Board & staff: who will, how will you successfully manage the project. Folks who have "Been There - Done That" can help you in the tough times. A well-trained Board is a great asset!
- Needs always exceed resources! Which ones are you addressing , why and how? What is the long term ROI (Return On the Grantmakers Investment in your project)? Is it advocacy, change, improved emergency or transitional services, housing, education, innovation, an exhibit, performance, unique collaboration, reduced duplication of services?
- Write a bulleted, one page Executive Summary introducing your project, it will help you to present your project's "talking points" locally before you seek funding and will provide you with the opportunity to " work the bugs out of your proposal" ... (Actually, starting your grantseeking process with this strategic mission document will focus your project and your grantmaker search.)
- Keep it it Simple: Plan your Work - Then Work your Plan!
- Lighten up - Give your passion and creativity a voice. Grantmakers receive hundreds of applications - but first, they need to get past your first page! (also known as the 30 sec. test!) This is your opportunity to stand out in the crowd, capture imagination, and invite further in depth review with a clear, innovative focus.
- Grantmakers want you to be successful! After you receive your grant, keep the Grantmaker informed of your progress. However, often the grant or project does not go exactly as planned. You learn from your experience, and may need to adapt, change, or modify your method or approach - en route. It's a partnership - talk it out - before using the funds for modified uses! It's all about trust.
- We often learn as much about what doesn't work as what does! The queen of de'nial doesn't live in Egypt! Community organizational development and service delivery is all about client-centered needs assessment, resource management, strategic planning, hard work, passion, risk, persistence, innovation, collaborating, networking ... and lots of listening and learning! It's hard work isn't it?
- So, keep the door open, maintain clear open lines of communication, sustain real trust. You may have another project that needs funding ... so don't burn your bridges. If you both knew it wouldn't work in the first place, it would not have been funded! Your learning will be valuable to you ... and to the grantmaker.
- Grantmakers receive many funding requests for projects and activities that the Grantmaker has clearly stated that they do not, cannot, or will not fund. Find out in advance what the Grantmakers annual funding priorities and guidelines are before sending your proposal out. RESEARCH! Many Grantseekers seem to use a shotgun/email spam approach, send off a dozen copies of a funding application - one to every philanthropic organization that comes to mind. This just wastes paper, postage, both the Grantmakers and your valuable time. This is not a bulk mailing! Be sure, when you send your foundation cover letter, application or proposal that you address it - if at all possible - attention of or directly to a person with whom you have already talked.
- If you are seeking funds for one project from multiple funders - each taking a piece - then you need to be upfront about all of that, with everyone, from the getgo! No games!
- Reality check - even if your application is everything you want it to be - don't manage your organization as if the grant check is in the mail. There is very very stiff competition for grants. Remember: Only one out of nine equally qualified proposals gets funded. Keep at it. Be persistent. Broaden your donor base... that's where 90% of the money is!
- Find and build strong shared vision, purpose with community and agency alliances. If your goal is to meet community needs, you can significantly reduce your competition for grants (and attract more funders) by putting strategic, collaborative project partnerships together - then everyone wins!
- Is your project specific to your community, and why, could others learn and benefit from or replicate your experience? Funders would love to invest in projects that have broader demonstration grant applicability. (There are, of course, many one time events and unique community needs to be addressed) If you don't have the funds to get started, or the staff to write grants, consider writing a small capacity-building grant to fund grantwriting or a community needs assessment to get started.
- If you don't get funded, don't take it out on the grantmaker! Refine your project, your skills and your presentation ... if this was easy, someone else would have done it - before you got there! Check it out, Ask (don't demand). Funders know you are disappointed, as are the other 90% of the applications who also couldn't be funded - Mark it off to learning, Be persistent. Stay focused. What was missing? How could we have presented it better? What got funded? What can you learn from their project? Be a good detective. Luck favors the prepared!
- If you want a charitable philanthropic contribution - you need to do your legal and accounting homework. Granters are very specific about what they need. In many cases, you will not be able to obtain corporate or foundation funding without a 501(c)(3) actually in place. (though you may be able to request a planning or capacity building grant) You'll usually be required to present, as a part of your application, the following:
A copy of your IRS letter of 501(c)(3) determination (your formal non-profit status) plus your Fed Tax ID #. If you don't know what these are, or simply don't have them, you will need to see a lawyer and an accountant, ASAP. DO THIS FIRST - or all your hard work will simply get you a friendly rejection letter that says. "Come back and see us when the 501(c)(3) is actually in place!" (or find a 501(c)3 you can strategically partner with)
- Anyone who guarantees to get you the grant or the money -if you just pay them in advance, is probably not the right person or organization. No consultant can guarantee to get the grants you need, but their time, skill and experience are valuable. Many consultants are paid a flat fee or by the hour no matter if you get the grant or not.
- There are many books on the market promising free money to individuals for mortgage, cars, vacations, etc. These are only marketing ploys. Many of these promises point you toward programs such as food stamps, farmer’s home programs, or other such governmental programs. So don’t buy the book!
Whether you are an individual or a nonprofit go by the old adage if it looks too good to be true it probably is.
 Thanks to Jon Hardie of SymphonyWorks for his contribution to this list.
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