Foundation Research for Fundraising Success – Part Three

OK, back to foundation research. This post concludes the three-part foundation research series I began last month. This last post will focus on the work you need to do after the research phase to ensure that you have the best chance of getting the grant. If the first thing I learned was that fundraising research should be an active, integral part of your organization, the second thing I learned was: personal relationships are crucial to the eventual gift. Without this critical step, your proposal is going nowhere, no matter how well-researched, perfectly packaged, or beautifully written. Let me just share with you 5 things that I’ve seen as key to getting a grant:

FIND personal contacts who can help your organization approach a grantmaker. Take a hint: listen to staff, volunteers, and board members-they are connected, too. Perhaps one of your board members or volunteers knows a trustee at a foundation. Maybe a volunteer who works for a large company can contact the corporate foundation on your organization’s behalf. When your organization purchases computers or other expensive items from a vendor, be sure to inquire about the company’s community relations program. If your Executive Director always shops at the same grocery store, make an appointment with the manager to discuss cause-related marketing.

ATTEND public “meet the funders” events. This is so important! These events are essential for two reasons:

~They give you a chance to obtain accurate information about a funders’ priorities. You can often ask questions that will help you tailor your proposal during the Q&A sessions.

~This is a PRIME opportunity to get your face and your organization in front of a foundation representative. Think of the likelihood that you will be remembered when your proposal passes their desk. Of course, this is only helpful if you’ve made a good impression!
SHARE. Once you have compiled this wealth of information and identified the top prospects, share the information with staff and your board. Encourage cultivation and solicitation based on your accumulated knowledge of the foundations in your target area, and the confidence gained from tailoring your organization’s mission to foundations in the donor community.
TARGET and TAILOR. Once you’ve done your research, you canthen target specific foundations that match your goals. You will be able to tailor proposals to the interests, guidelines, and personalities of potential donors. Foundations can be targeted based on geographic proximity and the types of organizations they support.
Always CALL and try to MEET with the foundation representative before submitting a proposal or inquiry letter. The more face time you can get, the better. Remember the adage: people fund people, not (necessarily) programs. Consider that it’s unlikely you could ever fall in love with someone you had never met. It’s the same with foundation officers. They need to meet your organization first before they can fall in love with it.

Now let’s recap, shall we? First, realize that fundraising research is an active, ongoing process, that you need to drill down to determine the funders that are interested in your specific cause, and that personal contact is critical to sealing the deal. This formula has worked for me, and I hope it does for you!