Funding Success

Keri Silk, MS, DTM

Having trouble finding the corporations and others who will want to give money to your cause?  This is not uncommon. Most nonprofits find looking for grants to be overwhelming and time consuming.  In my Where’s the Money Class and Money for….. books I offer a wide variety of tips to make not only the search easier but applying less painful.  Here are a few of those tips.

If you are not connected to the data bases and alerts that I am try a web search.  Use key words for your project.  An example is: Money for children’s clothing drives.   Search engines can do a lot of the work for you.  Be sure to check the update date on the page you click on. Sometimes a browser can take you to an old long cached page. It would be sad to get excited about an opportunity only to find that it no longer existed. 

Go to the federal governments grant page. You can do a key word search there as well. The United States Government has made finding grants easy by creating www.grants.gov.  This is a marvelous time saver.  Though occasionally grant announcements are not listed, but as you learn you will discover all the ways to be assured that you receive the ones that are in line with your needs.  Keep an eye on this blog. I will frequently let my readers know about changes to www.grants.gov.  

Once you have worked with foundations or the government, you will discover that Requests for Proposals (RFP) are sent directly to you.   You will also find that getting media coverage for your program will bring contributions and RFP’s.  Several foundations prefer that they find you. They will not consider applications or requests. Next time I will write about ways around this.

Keri Silk, MS, DTM

Stories create connection.  Perhaps the most important thing an agency can do is to get their clients stories out to the world at large. People are moved to give because they feel connected. Connections through emotion are the strongest. Consider the television advertising with small needy children staring through hungry eyes.  Or, the ads that show a homeless person smiling over a steaming plate of Thanksgiving dinner and others.

Your stories are just as powerful. Use words and whenever possible pictures. Tell the needs, tell your successes and always offer a way that your audience can help.  This is just as important in grant writing as it is in any other form of donation request.

When you tell a story or use a picture be sure to obtain a release of information from the client. If not available, you can consider changing names and other information so that the client is not recognizable.  You may wish to consult an attorney on this.

When writing a grant I always try to include a story.  It helps the giver identify and connect.  With more funders moving towards shorter applications you will need to weigh every word.  Leave out the pontificating and keep the story.

Almost everyone gives. The trick is to have them choose your agency to give to. Donors may give money, time or in-kind donations but they give. As a nonprofit looking for funding it becomes important to uncover new individuals, who not only choose to give once but who wish to maintain a relationship with you. In order to achieve this you must make a personal connection with current and prospective donors.

A recent class, given by eTapestry, highlighted the importance of creating the donor – receiver relationship. Cate Shaffer spoke about utilizing social networking to do this. Many of you are reading this because of a social networking site. My blog highlights this article and my business. The blog is connected to sites such as LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.

As you read the information, you will see my logo, perhaps my picture and often links to other things that I have created or services that I offer. We have made a connection. Now when you think of grants or fund raising I will pop into your mind. It will work the same way for your agency. Often this kind of connection is more impactful for a service-oriented agency. Readers will be hearing from you in small consistent ways. They will hear about your mission, your fundraiser, your needs and your successes.

A reader receives a quick bite of information through their network. Family burned out – looses everything. Please contribute furniture, food or funds. There is a link to your web site – YOU HAVE MADE A CONNECTION. They check it out and think I have…. I could give…. Or I know others who can help and your information is forwarded on. Now the connection moves from one to two to infinity. There really isn’t a limit. And if each person gives something – wow!

The first step in this process is to have a website. If you would like free information on inexpensive and often totally free web sites email me at KeriSilk@fundingsuccess.us include FREE WEBSITES in the subject line.