UNDERSTANDING
THE GRANTSEEKING PROCESS
What is commonly
misunderstood is that the writing of the actual grant proposal is only a
small component of the grantseeking process.
To be successful grantwriting is a process that entails careful
planning, research, and outreach, as well as cultivating relationships.
The
“Guide to Proposal Writing” (Foundation Center 1993) notes that this
process is grounded in the conviction that a partnership should develop
between the non-profit and the donor. When you spend a great deal of
your time seeking money, it is hard to remember that it can also be
difficult to give money away. In fact, the dollars contributed by a
foundation or corporation have no value until they are attached to solid
programs in the non-profit sector.
This
truly is an ideal partnership.
The non-profits have the ideas and the capacity to solve problems, but
no dollars with which to implement them. The foundations and
corporations have the financial resources but lack the other resources
needed to create programs. Bring the two together effectively, and the
result is a dynamic collaboration.
You
need to follow a step-by-step process in the search for private dollars.
It takes time and persistence to succeed. After you have written a
proposal, it could take as long as a year to obtain the funds needed to
carry it out. And even a perfectly
written proposal submitted to the right prospect may be rejected.
Raising
funds is an investment in the future. Your aim should be to build a
network of foundation and corporate funders, many of which give small
gifts on a fairly steady basis and a few of which give large, periodic
grants. By doggedly pursuing the various steps of the process, each year
you can retain most of your
regular supporters and strike a balance with the comings and
goings of larger donors (Foundation Center, 1995).
It is worth
noting that approximately 95 percent of all grant proposals are rejected
because they are sent to inappropriate sources.
Unfortunately, once a need is established, eager grantseekers
often write proposals before completing the necessary homework. It is
frequently suggested that 75% of all grant-writing effort should take
place before the grantseeker actually writes the proposal.
The chart below identifies “proposal writing” as the seventh
step in the grant process. Successfully completing steps 1-6 can
dramatically improve the your chances of receiving funds.
The Grant Process
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