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Archive for the ‘Getting Grant Ready’ Category

Join Me at Two Grant Professionals Conferences in May – Cincinnati, OH and Monroe Township, NJ

Posted in Fundraising Success, Getting Grant Ready, Marketing & More, Organizational Success, Recommended Events, tagged , , , , , , on April 19, 2012 | Leave a Comment »

Hello everyone,

I wanted to let you know about two conferences I’ll be participating in during the month of May. They’re both great deals, so if you’re in the area, I hope to see you there!

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Thursday, May 10 — Professional Development Conference, Cincinnati, OH

Hosted by the Greater Cincinnati chapter of the Grant Professionals Association, this half-day conference features a keynote followed by your choice of two breakout sessions. I’m honored to present both the keynote – “Building Relationships, Building Brands” (TM) – and one of the breakout sessions – “The Grant Readiness Audit” (TM). The other breakout session will be led by the venerable Johna Rodgers. She’ll be introducing everyone to the new e-version of the GPC exam!

So it’s a half-day of great stuff, all at rock bottom prices! Attendance is limited, so sign up right away!

I’ll be in town from until May 12, so if you’re in the area, be sure to reach out. I’d love to meet you!

Learn more and register here: http://www.merocune.com/files/flyer_GPACincinnati.pdf

Early Bird registration closes on April 24. Registration closes on May 4.

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Monday, May 21 — 2012 GPA MidAtlantic Grants Conference, Monroe Township, NJ

Hosted by the New Jersey and Southeastern PA chapters of the Grant Professionals Association, this full-day conference features two keynotes – one by PSEG Foundation representatives Sheila Rostiac and Vaughn McKoy and one by motivational speaker Debi Silber, a.k.a. The Mojo Coach. Believe me, Debi’s energy is contagious, so if you need a pick me up, you’re guaranteed to get one if you come!

In addition to the keynotes, you’ll have your choice of up to 20 workshops, led by grant pros from throughout the MidAtlantic region, and even a few other parts of the country. In its sixth year, there really is nothing else like it! And since I was a part of the team that helped recruit many of this year’s new speakers (through For GrantWriters Only and other networking), I don’t think anyone will be disappointed! Me – I’ll be presenting “Building Relationships, Building Brands” (TM) again, and one of my project partners – Marti Fisher – will be addressing “The Grant Readiness Audit” (TM).

Again, if you plan to be in town, please let me know! I’d love to get together.

Learn more: http://midatlanticgrantsconference.org/files/GPA_2012conf_flyer.pdf

Learn more and register here: http://midatlanticgrantsconference.org

Hope to see you in Ohio or New Jersey!!

Melanie R. Negrin

Community Manager, For GrantWriters Only

Marketing & Funding Development Strategist, Merocune Marketing

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50 Asks in 50 Weeks: A Fundraising Guide for Small to Mid-Size Nonprofits in Start-Up or Transition

Posted in Board Development, Board Giving, Direct Mail, Entrepreneurs, Events, Fundraising Cycles, Getting Grant Ready, Grants, Metrics for Measuring Success, Nonprofit, Performance Measurement, Recommended Reading, Setting Reasonable Expectations, Setting Reasonable Goals, Social Media, Strategic planning, Understanding Donors on June 28, 2011 | 3 Comments »

As some of you may already know, in my consulting practice I specialize in working with nonprofit organizations and other service-based entrepreneurs that are in a start-up or transitional stage of growth. I’m happy to say that there is now a book that can help each and every one of them, and I always recommend it.

50 Asks in 50 Weeks: A Guide to Better Fundraising for Your Small Development Shop by Amy Eisenstein, Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE) is a breath of fresh air when it comes to books on fundraising. A quick and easy read for those who are already overwhelmed with how much they need to learn in order to operate and grow a business, it lays out a simple plan for incorporating “Asks” into the everyday, and by doing so, both strengthening relationships and increasing support dollars flowing into the organization.

The Language of Fundraising

Amy clearly lays out the language of fundraising and addresses common challenges in its implementation – from helping board members understand their role in the process to clarifying the process itself. For example, did you know that the solicitation (or “ask” part of the process – the one most people are hesitant to engage in) represents only 5% of the process? The most time-intensive part of the process (and, not coincidentally, the more fun part) lies in cultivation (50%) and stewardship (35%) … or, in other words, in developing and maintaining good relationships with people who are passionate about our cause. The remaining 10% of the process, which is often the most research-intensive part of the process, is identification.

Amy also address some common misperceptions about fundraising that new organizations have. For example, she says,

    “The old saying ‘quality not quantity’ rings true in the fundraising context. It is more important to make smart, informed asks than to make a certain numbers of asks each year. So although increasing the overall number of asks your organization is making is crucial, it is not enough. Prospective donors, whether foundations, corporations or individuals, must be carefully researched, cultivated, solicited, and stewarded. If you ask one hundred times per year, but do not receive any gifts, then frequency becomes irrelevant.”

An Easy-to-Implement Development Plan

In 50 Asks in 50 Weeks: A Guide to Better Fundraising for Your Small Development Shop, Ms. Eisenstein addresses the following major areas of fundraising as part of a total development plan: board giving, bulk solicitation via direct mail, email and social media, individual giving, grant writing, and events. She provides easy-to-implement tips on getting started with each type of development program, and at the end, helps you understand how they all build up to 50 asks in one year (about 1 ask per week). Very doable!

Leadership for Organizational Growth

Near the end of 50 Asks in 50 Weeks: A Guide to Better Fundraising for Your Small Development Shop, Ms. Eisenstein provides Executive Directors with guidance on key management topics such as when and how to hire your first development director (and understanding how the E.D.’s role in fundraising will change after you do), creating a fundraising culture within the organization (and the board), and setting reasonable team goals for development.

I absolutely love Amy’s Board Expectation Form and think everyone should use it. Completed annually and used as a tool for measuring board performance, it sets forth each board member’s 1) financial commitment (via a direct pledge or pledge of participation by his company) and 2) leadership commitment as part of at least one committee. It also requires an acknowledgement by the board member that meeting attendance is a requirement for Board membership. The Board Expectation form, along with a comprehensive Board Orientation Packet, provides clear indicators for performance.

Setting the Right Expectations

If you’re new to fundraising keep this in mind … according to Amy, executive directors often have “unrealistic expectations for what development staff can accomplish, especially with the tools and resources that they are given. A new development staff member will raise money in the first year, but it is not likely to (cover the individual’s salary via) unrestricted dollars.” Often money raised in the first year through grants is more than the individual’s salary, but as restricted program dollars, it cannot be spent on staff salary. So be prepared to cover the development staff’s salary with unrestricted dollars from other sources, and set other more realistic expectations, like …

  • Put a plan in place to achieve 100% board participation in fundraising.
  • Research and apply for eight to ten new grants. Establish relationships with foundation staff members.
  • Plan two parties for prospective donors at the homes of board members.
  • Identify ten individual prospects and create cultivation plans for each. Schedule meetings with them to meet board members and the E.D.

Then measure success and build upon the progress you’ve made.

In Conclusion

50 Asks in 50 Weeks: A Guide to Better Fundraising for Your Small Development Shop is sure to stay in my permanent business library, and it should be a part of yours, too. Simple changes can lead to big results. I give this book – and its author – my highest recommendation.

If you ever get a chance to hear Amy speak at a Grant Professionals Association (GPA) or Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) event, be sure to do so. She is both down-to-earth and engaging. I consider it a privilege to have met her at local GPA events here in New Jersey.

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References: 50 Asks in 50 Weeks: A Guide to Better Fundraising for Your Small Development Shop by Amy Eisenstein is available through Amazon. She can also be contacted via Tripoint Fundraising.

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Preparing to Write a Grant: It all Comes Down to Research, Relationships, Diversified Funding and Experience

Posted in Fundraising Success, Getting Grant Ready, Grant Writers, Grants, Metrics for Measuring Success, New Grant Writers, Nonprofit, Proposal Success on December 9, 2010 | 2 Comments »

Those of us who have been developing grant proposals for awhile know that the skills it takes and the factors influencing success go far beyond the actual writing of the proposal … everything from team building to program planning and outcome measurement, advanced research and relationship building, communications and collaboration, and financial management and budgeting.

We know … despite pervasive myths to the contrary that:

    1. Not just anyone can write a winning grant proposal. For most people, getting completely secure in the field takes years of full-time practice and persistence. It takes much more than exceptional writing ability. Those of us who have reviewed grants have witnessed first-hand the vast quality differences in requests submitted, and most can easily detect the difference between a proposal prepared by an experienced professional and one that was written by someone with decent writing skills who simply volunteered.

    2. You need much more than your 501c3 letter from the IRS to develop a good funding stream from grants. Grant makers need more than a tax deduction before they will invest in your organization. Some key things have to be in place: a compelling vision and mission that’s consistent with funder priorities; strong, accountable leadership (trust is everything); diversified funding streams that demonstrate your organization isn’t solely reliant on grants, but instead well supported by board members and other local community members; and research- based programs that are both showing results and providing high-quality volunteer experiences. Even with all of these things in place, developing a grant program takes time.

    3. Grants are unlikely to be the first source of funding for any organization. “Seed funding” is relatively rare, especially in a down economy. Unrestricted funds, from individuals, are the best and easiest way to get started. Unlike most grants, which are program specific, you can use the money any way you need to. Over time, individual giving covers 75% or more of the typical nonprofit’s budget.

    4. It’ll take more than one big grant to get an organization going. To be competitive for larger grants, you need to demonstrate you can build relationships with smaller donors and handle their donations well before your organization has grounds to seek a bigger investment. Don’t expect to apply for one grant, get it, and then use it to apply for more. It just doesn’t work that way. On-going “cultivation” is the norm.

    5. No matter how good the grant writer, he/she cannot guarantee you’ll get the grant. Grant professionals vary in their focus – some spend much of their time on highly-competitive government grants, others focus on day-to-day operational spending, still others focus on getting grants to complement individual giving as part of a capital campaign. Each of these areas brings with it a different likelihood of success regardless of the proposal quality submitted. Instead of looking exclusively at “success ratios”, look for a grant developer that can present your best case, with attention to detail and storytelling style.

    6. Changing your mission and programs to fit a single funder’s guidelines is never a good idea. Successful grant seeking has a lot to do with exceptional research. Matching the vision of your organization with the vision of funders in your area is a big part of that research. It’s time consuming and takes intensive concentration to master details that could make or break a potential partnership, particularly if you are seeking government grants, but it’s worth it. Networking, follow-up and clarification of funder goals all is part of the process.
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    So if you’re just getting into grant seeking and you think … this should be easy … be prepared for a rude awakening. It rarely ever is.

    Learn More on Nonprofit Spark Radio …

    To hear a one-hour podcast on “Preparing to Write a Grant” led by Renee McGivern and featuring guests Sarah Sunderman from The Salvation Army and Melanie R. Negrin, Founder of For GrantWriters Only, check out: Nonprofit Spark Radio: “Preparing to Write a Grant”

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Best Practices in Grant Seeking: Beyond the Proposal

Posted in Board Development, Developing a Needs Statement, Family Foundations, Fundraising Success, Getting Grant Ready, Grant Writers, Grant Writing Connections, Grants, Metrics for Measuring Success, New Grant Writers, Nonprofit, Organizational Success, Program Design, Proposal Development, Proposal Success, Recommended Reading, Setting Reasonable Expectations, Setting Reasonable Goals, Strategic planning, Systems of Organization, Understanding Donors on June 21, 2010 | 1 Comment »

As grant writers, most of us know that the proposal is only one piece of the funding puzzle. In fact, it is often the piece that’s placed last, after much of the work is already done … vision and mission development, strategy setting, program planning, execution and measurement, the building of strong boards and volunteer programs, engagement with the public so that they know both who we are and how they can best help us achieve a shared vision, and, of course, collaboration with other community agencies and organizations that create change in the lives we most hope to touch.

But if you’ve read books on grant seeking, or you’ve looked for coursework focused on building skill in grant writing, these elements – the ones that often pave the way to a successful grant proposal – are typically missing. This is not true of Best Practices in Grant Seeking: Beyond the Proposal, a recent addition to the grant writer’s library.

Saadia Faruqi acknowledges in her introduction to the book, “It is rarely enough to write excellent proposals and sit back, waiting for them to get funded. No matter how brilliant the writer, it is not the proposal that gets accepted – or rejected – but the program and the people who run it.”

In 2004, Ms. Faruqi engaged in a research study that clearly demonstrated:

    “Organizations typically do not provide sufficient support and involvement to the grant seeking process at the leadership level, leaving grant professionals to be researchers, relationship-builders, community advocates, program designers, reporters, and grant managers. Few organizations, regardless of size, create grant seeking strategies that include not just the writer, but programs and public relations staff, board members, volunteers, and even clientele. This is done in many cases for other fundraising activities, such as major gifts or capital campaigns and even special events, but almost never for grants.”

So where does that leave us? Often frustrated, because we can’t get the information we need from the people who have it, and burnt out, because no one seems to acknowledge that funding success is less likely without the same support afforded to other aspects of an organization’s fundraising.

Redefining the Grants Function

Major factors impacting grant funding, according to Ms. Faruqi’s research:

    1. board relationships with funders,
    2. positive community image,
    3. successful site visits before the grant award,
    4. non-soliciting contact with funders,
    5. good reporting practices, and
    6. well-designed programs.

Through her chapters on fostering internal relationships, developing community image, designing stellar programs, and uniting to do good, Ms. Faruqi helps us put into place the critical elements that come before the grant proposal. Her next set of chapters focus on organizing (and measuring) the grants function, knowing our funders, and crafting winning proposals. Section three focuses on site visits, the critical time between grant submission and grant award. The last two chapters focus on stewardship and relationship building.

Ms. Faruqi allows us to see the grants function in perspective and prioritize our time and talent accordingly. If you’re a grant writer that doesn’t get involved with board development, publicity, program development, program evaluation, and stewardship, you may only be doing part of the job. That’s assuming you want to be as successful as you can possibly be, and that grant writing is about more than just writing to you. Do you want to fuel some kind of change in the world? Most of us have chosen grant writing as our contribution to an effort.

Now, More Than Ever

It has become clear in this downturned economy that the touch points we have with our funders, the relationships we have built, have more influence on whether we receive a grant than ever before. When given a choice between someone they know and they’re comfortable with (someone who has already proven to be a good investment), and someone they know only a little about through their grant proposal, it’s easier, less risky, to go with #1.

More than ever, we need to understand all elements that influence proposal success and to do all that we can to engage our full organization in the pursuit and development of the relationships that make our dreams more viable.

A Note for Consultants

If you’re a consultant interested in supporting the work of new and emerging nonprofits, this knowledge is even more essential. Why? Because before we jump into any grant seeking campaign for a new nonprofit, we need to help them put the right elements in place to support that effort. We need to help them set the right expectations, to understand what things need to be in place to maximize their grant writing success. They entrust us with that.

In Conclusion

Best Practices in Grant Seeking: Beyond the Proposal is an excellent investment. I give it my highest recommendation.

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When Is Your Organization Ready to Start Writing Grants?

Posted in Board Giving, Fundraising Success, Getting Grant Ready, Nonprofit Budgeting, Proposal Success on April 13, 2010 | Leave a Comment »

In my consulting practice, I have worked with many organizations at the grassroots and start-up level. And like many business owners, they have the idea that grants will give them the fuel they need to get started or to grow. But this is often false thinking. Why? Because so many other things need to be in place before you can be truly successful.

Before beginning any grant outreach effort, I recommend that most organizations have a minimum of $20,000 in cash set aside for the first year of any grant seeking effort. More would be better. Here’s why …

    1. On-going grant outreach has a higher success rate than one-time grant requests. Your first few grants are usually the hardest to get. New funders like to know that someone else has already supported you and found you reliable, trustworthy, a good investment.

    So how do you show that others have already supported you?

    Usually … individual donors, like members of your board, staff, volunteers, and other community members have already committed support to your mission, either directly or through their participation in events. Individuals provide the unrestricted dollars you need for grant seeking efforts, and their commitment demonstrates to larger funders that you have a solid foundation on which to grow.

    2. Most grants do not provide funding to support fundraising efforts. Your organization needs to have reliable funding available to pay for the services of a grant professional, just as it would for any other part-time or full-time staff position, before you hire someone.

Keep in mind … grants should not be your first or last source of funding. They are inherently short-term and must be renewed annually.

Relationship building is a key element of strategic grant seeking efforts, and you may need to apply multiple times before an organization knows you well enough to consider funding your efforts. In some cases, an organization will commit volunteer resources before they commit financial resources. It is important to remember this as you develop your programs.

Before investing in your organization, grant making institutions also want to see that you have an engaged, well-rounded working board, with capacity for developing key relationships with local community partners. A grant-ready board and staff demonstrates fiscal responsibility, a commitment to raising both dollars and awareness, and a personal financial commitment to your mission.

If these elements are not in place, your time and talent would be better spent on securing them before you begin large-scale grant seeking efforts. This way, when you do get started, you can maximize your chances for success.

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