How To: Grant-Writing

It is becoming increasingly difficult for a nonprofit to secure funds from a foundation on the strength of its proposal alone. Unlike the thesis paper that is rewarded for its persuasiveness and clarity of thought, and not on how well the professor knows its writer, a grant that is submitted without cultivation stands little chance of being approved. It is as important for a nonprofit to forge relationships, and to foster these relationships, with potential foundation prospects as it is with individual major gift prospects. Thus, the grant-writing process involves much more than the actual task of writing.

Before you begin articulating your project in written words, it is important to know which foundations you plan on approaching. The importance of research cannot be underestimated, especially in cash-strapped nonprofits, where time spent drafting proposals to uninterested foundations is not only wasteful, but also irresponsible. It is much better to have a handful of solid prospects than it is to have dozens of those whose missions or guidelines make them unlikely to support your project. There are several fee-based tools which can help in the research process. I’ve found that FoundationSearch and the Foundation Directory Online are well-worth the investment. GuideStar allows you to access recent Form 990s (which lists grants and contributions paid during the year) at no cost. And, oftentimes, larger foundations will have their own websites, with giving priorities, past grant recipients, and further application details explicitly listed within its pages. The more time you spend on research, the better equipped you will be to prepare a strong request.

Once you have identified the foundations with missions and giving priorities that align closely with your project, you should review the names of their trustees and staff with your own staff and Board. You may be pleasantly surprised with the relationships (however tangential) you uncover. In the event that there are no pre-existing contacts between your organization and the foundation, you should attempt to forge the relationship yourself. Make an introductory phone call in which you briefly describe your organization and ask if there is someone who would be willing to meet to speak at greater length about your project. Of course, there will be foundations that cannot or will not discuss your proposal in advance. But as much as you can avoid sending in cold proposals, do so. Always call before submitting a request, even if it is merely to clarify the mailing address. Anything that can separate your proposal from the others, even the spark of a memory of a phone call from you, is advantageous.

If you have a volunteer leader who is actively engaged in your fundraising initiatives, you may be able to recruit him or her to make select calls, or to sign introductory letters. A well-known individual in the community who is willing to lend his/her name to the effort can certainly facilitate your grant-seeking capabilities.

While grant-writing involves research, cultivation, and stewardship, it also, of course, includes writing. In my opinion, a good grant proposal:

• Explicitly details the problem, need, or issue to be addressed by the project. You must describe the population served and should measure the impact of the problem if it continues to go unsolved. Both quantitative and qualitative data should be incorporated into your needs statement.
• States the objectives and expected outcomes of the project. The objectives portion of your proposal should include expectations for the project as a whole, objectives for the project over the life of the grant, and objectives of the grant itself.
• Articulates a clear implementation plan. Once you have detailed the problem and described your project’s objectives, you must explain how you will achieve those objectives.
• Includes an evaluation component. Oftentimes, a foundation requires a mid-year or year-end report, asking you to detail how you spent their grant. You should demonstrate in your request for funding that you have a system in place for measuring the project’s results.
• Includes a sustainability component. You must know how your organization will continue this project after the grant is expended. It is good to include other funders and partners of the project.
• Is accompanied by a detailed budget. This budget should list other sources of project income, as well as line item expenditures.

Grant-writing is a time-intensive process. From collecting the data you will need to include in your proposal to projecting future revenue streams – it’s a lot of work. It is important to remember that even if your first submission is declined, this does not mean the foundation will NEVER fund you. Think of your grant request as a cultivation tool. It is merely your first contact with a strong foundation prospect. They now know of your organization and what you do. There may be foundation staff who can explain why your proposal was rejected, so that you can strengthen it for the next submission. They may tell you that your project isn’t ready for their funding yet, but that they would love to see a proposal when you have met X, Y, or Z requirements. After all, a grant is a partnership between the funder and your organization. Foundations do not want to be anonymous check-writers. They want to be actively engaged and involved. The more you can cultivate and foster your relationship with prospective foundations, the more successful you will be in securing funds for your nonprofit.

Comments

[Jessica Stannard-Friel]

Great article, Kate. I hadn't realized how much of grant-writing doesn't involve writing at all.

Based on my experience reading proposals from a grantmaker's perspective, I have an additional tip: Ask someone not affiliated with your organization to read your proposal. Sometimes, because you're so connected to and familiar with your organization and field, you might not realize that the proposal doesn't make sense to someone without your depth of expertise. Particularly in cases when the funding institution isn't deeply focused on your particular field, remember that the grantmaker might not understand the acronyms and vocabulary works common in your line of work, nor do they necessarily know the details of how you deliver your program unless you tell them.