Fitting Grants Into Your Fundraising Toolbox

Transcription

1 Fitting Grants Into Your Fundraising Toolbox Cheryl L. Kester, CFRE The Kester Group, LLC

2 Fitting Grants Into the Toolbox Integrating into development team Staffing models Grants reality checks Being strategic

3 Grants Mythbusting Grants will fund our entire project Grants are all about the writing The grants officer is just a writer The grant consultant does all the work Anybody can write

4 Grantwriting Secret #1 Grantwriting is just fundraising

5 Grantwriting = Fundraising Same principles Same steps Good prospects Capability AND Interest The same skills, words, methods that motivate individual donors motivate grant makers

6 Motivating Donors Strong organization Exciting ideas Proven successes Community support Compelling stories Know your donor

7 Grants are Just One Tool NOT the hammer!

8 Diversified Fundraising Stream Annual fund Events Direct Mail Face-to-Face Solicitations Sponsorships THEN: Major gifts Grants Planned giving

9 Staffing Models for Grants Exec. Dir. is alone does all fundraising Dev. Dir. added portfolio divided w/ E.D. Dev. Staff added half grants/half Full-time grants director added (E.D. still may retain part of portfolio) Outsource at any stage

10 Grant Writer as Part of the Team The grants person belongs at the fundraising table Setting reasonable annual goals Identifying realistic grants prospects Writing Case for Support Developing RFAs for consultants

11 Common Grant Mistakes Grants OR staff forgotten during planning unrealistic expectations of grantwriter Omitting foundations from prospects list Not cultivating foundation prospects Failing timing to plan approach strategies and

12 The Naughty List Please DON T Isolate the grant writer Assume grantwriting is not fundraising Hog all the grantwriting Assume anyone can write Give the writer a wish list

13 Strategic Integration of Grants Grantwriter at team meetings Set organizational priorities Put in annual fundraising plan Prioritize grant requests Gather success stories Support training/resources Leverage existing materials Cross-train/mentor

14 Ammo for Unrealistic Expectations!

15 Myth #1 Grants are grants

16 Reality Check #1 = Foundations are People Too Different missions Different sizes Different types of funding Different things they will fund

17 How They Fit Together Program Grants Challenge Grants Equipment Planning Grants Construction Finishers

18 Typical Project Funding Timeline Project Start Financial Feasibility Initial Funding 2015 Wrap up Funding Public Phase Project Complete 2019

19 Hypothetical Funder Types Funder Funder Type Type of Grant Size Frequency #1 State Agency Planning $25,000 Annual #2 Regional Foundation Challenge $100,000 2 yrs to meet challenge #3 Corporation Sponsorships In-kind or $10,000 Annual #4 Federal Agency Program $750,000 Every three years #5 Local Foundation Capital $35,000 Annual (likes to help meet challenges)

20 Unrealistic Expectation or Myth #2 Grants will solve our budget woes

21 Reality: Total Giving in the US 2012 Individuals 72% Corporations 5% Foundations 15% Bequests 8% Source: Giving USA, 2013

22 Reality Check #2 Grants comprise 12-14% of gifts annually Will NOT be 12-14% of your budget Not for new agencies Grants not stable yearto-year Wait-out periods Foundation giving is down Competition is fiercer than ever before

23 Unrealistic Expectation or Myth #3 Grantwriter can raise his/her salary... In the first year!

24 Reality Check #3 Can t take it from grant budgets Grants take time Constrained by deadlines Income not steady Won t fund same-old, same-old Must have fundable ideas/ projects

25 Unrealistic Expectation or Myth #4 Requiring foundation visits or meetings

26 Reality Check #4 Very few allow meetings Some won t even take phone calls! Small (or no) staff Deluged with applicants

27 Unrealistic Expectation or Myth #5 Hit the Big-Name Funders

28 Reality Check #5 Biggest names fund biggest projects National or international reach required Must have capacity PLUS interest Respond with research

29 Unrealistic Expectation or Myth #6 Increase proposals AND increase funding rate

30 Reality Check #6 High funding ratios not best measure of success More proposals = lower funded ratio That may be OK Prioritize Know likelihood of funding

31 Other Unrealistic Expectations?

32 Time for Some Good News: You CAN do This!

33 Grantwriting Secret #2 Grantwriting is only 20% writing...

34 Assets brought to Table Program Person Knowledge of org Has program ideas Expert on services Focus on current need Grant Professional Knowledge of funder Sculpts program ideas Expert on funderese Focus on potential

35 One Example: Campaigns Comprehensive research BEFORE campaign Who likes to give big, initial gifts? Who makes challenge grants to reach goal? Who will give only 1% of total goal? At what point in the campaign do you ask? Do normal wait-out periods apply? Timing and right-sizing essential

36 Typical Project Funding Timeline Project Start Financial Feasibility Initial Funding 2015 Wrap up Funding Public Phase Project Complete 2019

37 Hypothetical Funder Types Funder Funder Type Type of Grant Size Frequency #1 State Agency Planning $25,000 Annual #2 Regional Foundation Challenge $100,000 2 yrs to meet challenge #3 Corporation Sponsorships In-kind or $10,000 Annual #4 Federal Agency Program $750,000 Every three years #5 Local Foundation Capital $35,000 Annual (likes to help meet challenges)

38 Real Grants Calendar Funding Pursuit Funder FY2014 Jan Feb Mar Apr CWSRF for Agate Beach ('14) ODEQ 319 Non-Point Source Grant ('14) ODEQ CWSRF for Bay/Moore Rd ('14) ODEQ Local Government Grant ('14) OPRD Emergency Funds Matching Grant IFA May Jun Water Storage Grant ('15) OWRD Pre-Disaster Mitigation Assistance Grant ('15) FEMA Water Supply Funding ('15) OWRD

39 New to Grants Just do It Add to fundraising plan (see 50 Asks in 50 Weeks book by Amy Eisenstein) Start gently local and friendly Start small short letters Use local Non-Profit Resource libraries Foundation Center Cooperating Collections Talk to colleagues

40 Kicking It Up a Notch Update your research Be strategic Put on your schedule Steward current grantors well Moves management New types of grants Cross-train/mentor Outsource on big ones

41 Best Resources **Tori O-Neal-McElrath. Winning Grants Step by Step. 4th ed., Jossey-Bass, 2013 ($25) Margolin, Judith, ed. The Foundation Center s Guide to Winning Proposals II, The Foundation Center, 2005 Susan Howlett. Getting Funded: The Complete Guide to Writing Grant Proposals. 5th ed., 2011 ($48) Warwick, Mal. How to Write Successful Fundraising Appeals, 3rd ed., Jossey-Bass, 2013 ($38) Amy Eisenstein. 50 Asks in 50 Weeks: A Guide to Better Fundraising for Your Small Development Shop, CharityChannel Press, 2013 ($25)

42 Writing to Win Federal Grants: A Must-Have for Your Fundraising Toolbox Charitychannel.com

43 About Your Speaker Cheryl L. Kester, CFRE The Kester Group, LLC (479) Grant Guidance blog & free newsletter at