To get to the point of approaching a funder,
you have put in many hours of hard work. You have shaped your idea,
prepared your organization, learned the necessary terminology and
created detailed research files about prospective donors.
Congratulations! Your extensive research will pay off in a greater
probability that the donors
you approach will consider your organization, project or program.
If we have one piece of advice for you in working with donors, it
is this: Do what they ask you to do. Contact them using the
method they request in the time frame they set, in the way they
ask. If they want or don't want a letter of inquiry before a full
proposal, follow that. If they specify what documents they want
to see, show them. Not following a donor's instructions will significantly
reduce your likelihood of getting funding from that donor.
Good news: if you have already reviewed the What
do you need funding for? section of this site, you already have
done a lot of essential homework. The planning you have put into
your organization and thinking about your needs, project and budget
will now become part of your proposal.
The primary way nonprofit organizations interact
with prospective donors and request funding is by writing grant
proposals.
Contrary to popular opinion, a proposal is the last step in the
funding process, reflecting the strength of the organization and
program it seeks to support. A strong proposal cannot compensate
for a weak program or organization.
The process of cultivating any donor has several stages:
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