- get established
- have your 501(c)(3)
status in process or in place
- have your board in place
- flesh out your projects
- identify what type of funding you need
Donors
give money to organizations they trust, projects they feel confident
about and causes they are aligned with. Before talking to any funder,
researching grants
or writing your first proposal,
you need to do some planning.
- Define your idea. You must demonstrate that your organization
or program is timely, unique and worthy of a donor's investment.
- Articulate your goals. You need to be able to describe
what you are trying to achieve.
- Show your credibility. In order to receive funding,
you will need to demonstrate that your organization has certain
basic characteristics necessary for success.
- Do you have 501(c)(3) status?
- Does your organization meet a real need?
- Is the work of your organization essential to the community
you serve, and are community members actively supporting it?
Do you know of other organizations doing similar work in your
community -- and, if so, can you show that your work does
not duplicate theirs?
- Are your board members and volunteers actively involved
in fulfilling your mission? Your board and volunteers should
be the public face of your organization and advocates for
its mission.
- Are you known in your community? Your organization should
have a history of service in the community, so a funder wants
to support your organization rather than one of your "competitors."
- Does the staff involved in the project you are requesting
support for have the credentials and experience to carry it
out?
- Does your organization have good financial management? Funders
will want assurance that your organization is fiscally sound
and has the infrastructure in place to manage grant funds
effectively.
- Do you have the staff, volunteers and other resources in
place to commit to carrying out your plans? Fundraising takes
dedication and work over the long term. To support or help
staff, some nonprofits also engage fundraising consultants.
For more on this topic, see our Grantseeker
Resources section.
The type of grant you will seek and the potential
sources of funding will vary depending on what kind of funding you
need. Donors distinguish among several funding purposes:
Your organization may need to do fundraising for more than one purpose.
Each purpose will require its own distinct research process, since
it is highly unlikely that one funder will meet all your needs.
As a next
step, review the pages on the various types of funders.
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