Why plan for development? Well, the answer is pretty simple. When you don't plan, you don't achieve and "fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants" development work is seldom successful and always frustrating. There are a number of reasons why a "Development Plan" is a good thing:
A Development Plan helps you plan to meet your revenue goals (your physical needs in your organization and your planned costs)
A Development plan helps you to avoid "mission creep" which is what happens when a great opportunity comes along unexpectedly. When you don't have a plan and that great opportunity comes along you may say yes to something you don't have time, money, or volunteers to carry out. If you have a development plan and the great opportunity comes along, you can see that you do have the time, money and volunteers and say yes or that you do not and you can comfortably say no knowing that you are making the best decision for your organization.
A Development Plan helps your organization to raise your level of professionalism among your volunteers, your donors, and your major funders as well.
A Development Plan lets you know, clearly, which funders you can approach for renewals and at what intervals.
A Development Plan allows you to carefully schedule events and such around those that are already in place in your community which will help you work with competitive events rather than suffer because of them.
A Development Plan can feed all other planning such as your Marketing and Communications Plan, all of which, helps your organization work at a pleasing and comfortable place.
Ever a proponate of planning in general, in a nonprofit organization which relies on fundraising, a Development Plan is crucial to your long-term success.
Showing posts with label funders. Show all posts
Showing posts with label funders. Show all posts
Sunday, March 17, 2013
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Researching Potential External Funders
You've been charged the task of raising money for your school. Perhaps you are already a fundraiser, as I am, with a variety of experience. Either way, whether you are experienced or not at all in fundraising, you will need to seek out the best fit in external funders for your organization or school.
Your "constituents" seem pretty obvious, right? School families, church families if it is a church-based school, local businesses perhaps, but what after that? Where do you go next?
A good old Google search will provide some information.
For example, "education grants in Illinois," "art education grants," and other similarly specific searches will give you direction.
Target, http://sites.target.com/site/en/company/page.jsp?contentId=WCMP04-031819 offers grant funds to elementary schools for the purpose of education.
In the St. Louis area, Innovative Technology Education Fund, http://www.enhancinglearning.org/ offers funding to schools specifically for the purpose of upgrading technology.
You can also locate a listing of Foundations by state http://www.nonprofitexpert.com/Foundations/mo.htm for Missouri listings and http://www.nonprofitexpert.com/Foundations/il.htm for Illinois listings.
Sit down at your computer with a cup of coffee and peruse the listings. You will be able to cross most off the list by definition; however one good lead is all you need.
Once you have that one good lead, research past grant recipients, find out all that you can about their grants, processes, what they like to fund, etc.
Another very important aspect of grant-writing is begin succint and making a very specific ask. To write a grant and simply ask for $15,000 because you need $15,000 in your general operating fund will not fly. Find a needed project and then write a grant requesting funding to meet that need. Some things are easier to write for than others; however, the overall objective is to match your need to the funder's desire to donate.
Let's take the Target art grant for example. They do not typically fund "art supplies." Ask your art teacher what they would really like. A successfully written grant applcation will request, for example, the "John Smith" art series which highlights famous artists with books and videos which can be integrated into the current curriculum. Another request might be funding for a specific guest artist to interact with the students.
As you are being specific with the ask, you must also be specific and reasonable with your anticipated costs. Let's go back to the artists curriculum additional material. The cost of the curriculum is $XXX, shipping is $XXX.
If you think about the guest artist, you might list their cost for the event, travel expenses if required, food, etc. Think in terms of everything you would need to completely implement the event/project.
Next time we'll look at the typical parts of a grant application and how to complete them.
Your "constituents" seem pretty obvious, right? School families, church families if it is a church-based school, local businesses perhaps, but what after that? Where do you go next?
A good old Google search will provide some information.
For example, "education grants in Illinois," "art education grants," and other similarly specific searches will give you direction.
Target, http://sites.target.com/site/en/company/page.jsp?contentId=WCMP04-031819 offers grant funds to elementary schools for the purpose of education.
In the St. Louis area, Innovative Technology Education Fund, http://www.enhancinglearning.org/ offers funding to schools specifically for the purpose of upgrading technology.
You can also locate a listing of Foundations by state http://www.nonprofitexpert.com/Foundations/mo.htm for Missouri listings and http://www.nonprofitexpert.com/Foundations/il.htm for Illinois listings.
Sit down at your computer with a cup of coffee and peruse the listings. You will be able to cross most off the list by definition; however one good lead is all you need.
Once you have that one good lead, research past grant recipients, find out all that you can about their grants, processes, what they like to fund, etc.
Another very important aspect of grant-writing is begin succint and making a very specific ask. To write a grant and simply ask for $15,000 because you need $15,000 in your general operating fund will not fly. Find a needed project and then write a grant requesting funding to meet that need. Some things are easier to write for than others; however, the overall objective is to match your need to the funder's desire to donate.
Let's take the Target art grant for example. They do not typically fund "art supplies." Ask your art teacher what they would really like. A successfully written grant applcation will request, for example, the "John Smith" art series which highlights famous artists with books and videos which can be integrated into the current curriculum. Another request might be funding for a specific guest artist to interact with the students.
As you are being specific with the ask, you must also be specific and reasonable with your anticipated costs. Let's go back to the artists curriculum additional material. The cost of the curriculum is $XXX, shipping is $XXX.
If you think about the guest artist, you might list their cost for the event, travel expenses if required, food, etc. Think in terms of everything you would need to completely implement the event/project.
Next time we'll look at the typical parts of a grant application and how to complete them.
Saturday, February 25, 2012
How to Set an Appointment with a Funder
So, you've done a little research and found a great grant opportunity! Good for you! Now, the work begins. Funders state that they WANT potential grantees to contact them, to let them know what they are doing, and keeping them updated on their project(s).
I think it's somewhat difficult for fundraisers to really believe that funders WANT to see you...they really do. How better to get your great story about your very important project? Before you make the call consider a couple of things:
1. Check your information and get the most up-to-date contact name and phone number. As an aside, this is NOT a place to email unless you've been instructed to do so. An old-fashioned phone call is the ticket here.
2. Write a script beforehand to be sure you cover all the points you need. We all get a little nervous and sometimes we're prepared for the voicemail and when a real voice answers, we get a little shook up.
Here is a sample script I've used before:
Hi, this is Lisa Masters with XYZ. Is Ms. ABC available? Ms. ABC, I am working on a project for XYZ and I was hoping I could set down with you for 10-15 minutes to get your input on how best to proceed in the grant process.
You will get an appointment or you will be pointed in the direction of the right person to contact. Sometimes this is the Executive Director and sometimes it is a Program Director or similar titled person.
In any event, you've made the first, best, and most important step....keep going!
Next time we'll have some tips for getting fully prepared for this all-important meeting!
I think it's somewhat difficult for fundraisers to really believe that funders WANT to see you...they really do. How better to get your great story about your very important project? Before you make the call consider a couple of things:
1. Check your information and get the most up-to-date contact name and phone number. As an aside, this is NOT a place to email unless you've been instructed to do so. An old-fashioned phone call is the ticket here.
2. Write a script beforehand to be sure you cover all the points you need. We all get a little nervous and sometimes we're prepared for the voicemail and when a real voice answers, we get a little shook up.
Here is a sample script I've used before:
Hi, this is Lisa Masters with XYZ. Is Ms. ABC available? Ms. ABC, I am working on a project for XYZ and I was hoping I could set down with you for 10-15 minutes to get your input on how best to proceed in the grant process.
You will get an appointment or you will be pointed in the direction of the right person to contact. Sometimes this is the Executive Director and sometimes it is a Program Director or similar titled person.
In any event, you've made the first, best, and most important step....keep going!
Next time we'll have some tips for getting fully prepared for this all-important meeting!
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