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The first step in getting your Board involved in your organization's
grant writing efforts is to capture the complete list of Trustees
from every targeted foundation.
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Following up your grants
One of the basic principles of fundraising is properly
matching up the target with the appropriate representative
from your organization to make the request.
In other words, friends give to friends.
This tenet of fundraising also rings true in the realm
of grant writing.
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This list should include full name, title,
company, address, and telephone number of each Trustee. The
IRS Form 990 requires that every nonprofit organization disclose
their complete Board roster. A visit to www.guidestar.org
will give you access to the most recent IRS filings for nearly
every foundation.
Once this list is compiled, it's not enough to simply give
it to your Board of Trustees. Speak individually with each
of your Trustees, ask them if they know anyone on the Boards
of the targeted foundations. If not, ask them if they are
close with anyone who might work at the same company as a
foundation Trustee.
Once you have narrowed your list down and determined which
of your Board members knows which foundation Trustees, it's
time for your Board to make some phone calls. When your Board
member contacts their assigned foundation Trustee there are
few things you should always make sure of:
- Make sure your Board member is comfortable discussing
your organization's mission.
- Make sure your Board member knows when the grant was
submitted, how much it was for, and for what purpose the
request was made.
- Make sure that your Board member can share positive personal
experiences from being associated with your organization.
For instance, if the proposal is for an education program,
it would be helpful if the Board member has actually attended
one of the events. This is important for two reasons. First,
the Board member will be able to describe in detail the methods
your organization uses to reach its goals. Second, it is critical
that the Board member has had an opportunity to observe or
interact with the audience served by the program for which
you are requesting support.
- Finally, make sure that the Board member extends a personal
invitation to the Trustee to attend one of your organization's
events. Personal contact with your audience and artistic product
can be a powerful complement to your well-written proposal.
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