1. Raising Funds for Digital Projects Identifying funders and writing grant proposals

2. Getting started Formulate ideas Develop project
Identify potential funders
matchmaking
Prepare proposal
Target the proposal
Administer the grant

3. Getting started One thing to remember: fundraising is a profession
If you are a large institution and significant fundraising is needed, then hire a professional
Or you can bring in fundraising consultants
Good fundraisers will always bring in much more than they will cost you

4. What’s the Big Idea? Identify priorities Build consensus
Include all stakeholders
staff, board members, volunteers, outside groups, users
Which ideas are candidates for grant funding?
Prioritize these candidates
Who will: Identify potential funders
Who will: Research and write proposal

5. Funders What is the goal? To develop a network of funders that
match your ideas
provide regular small grants
periodic larger grants

6. Working with different funders
There are different requirements involved in working with different funders
Know what they are!
Keep excellent records
fundraising database
there are specialist software packages
but that is only for institutions that are likely to be making many applications
Know when the application dates are likely to be

7. Working with different funders
Government bodies
likely to have very structured requirements
standard forms to fill in
good guidelines on web sites, etc.

8. Working with different funders
Foundations
incorporated non-profit organizations
generally have policies which establish the nature and limitation of support
type of program
geographic region
min/max funding
type of organization that can receive funding
most foundations have web sites nowadays that list their criteria
don’t waste their time and yours with inappropriate applications

9. Working with different funders
Applying to foundations
do your homework
there are thousands of foundations, but you will find the number of possible funders for YOU will narrow rapidly
there are directories of foundations
See for instance the Association of Charitable Foundations (ACF)
see also the Worldwide Universities Network
and (there is an annual subscription)

10. Working with different funders
Private donors
Research is similar to foundations
look at newspaper and magazine articles about prospects
never, never approach donors directly
unless they are personally known to you
find routes to them through other people
successful grantees, friends, agents, volunteers

11. Working with different funders
Corporate sponsors
what is in it for them?
does your project serve their mission?
will your project provide them with an advertising opportunity?
think Ellen MacArthur and B&Q!
do they have a sponsorship department?
usually part of the marketing/advertising function
need to capture their imagination
American Express funded the multimedia gallery of the National Gallery in the early 90s

12. The proposal
What is it?
A written presentation to another party in order to gain its acceptance

13. The functions of a proposal
Represents a program, project, activity, or function that an organization wants to undertake in response to a need
Request for the allocation of resources
Instrument of persuasion
Promise to the funder to do certain things in certain ways
A plan that serves as guidelines for the organization to implement the activity

14. The proposal Specifies the need the proposed solution
the result of the solution
the activities to be carried out
the way they will be accomplished
the number and type of staff needed
the management of the program
the required equipment and facilities
the cost
the starting and completion dates

15. The Proposal: statement of problem/need/purpose
Describes the conditions in a certain place at a certain time for a particular group of people
This is often the motivator
If the funder agrees with the need, you have them “hooked”

16. The proposal: need
Clear relationship to your organization’s mission and purpose
Focus on a need in a broader community, not in your organization
Any assertions should be supported with evidence
The need should be expressed in a ways that is consistent with your organization’s ability to respond
Easy to read; no jargon

17. The proposal: need Use facts and statistics, not assumptions
Focus the need on your community --don’t make it too broad
Models
if your solution can act as a model, mention this
“addressing the need on a larger level through the development of a model program”

18. The proposal: need Focus on what you can accomplish
What need YOU have a solution for
Collaborative projects are attractive to some funders
but make sure that all collaborations are tightly controlled
legal agreements and clear agreements on finances
conflict resolution
one leader

19. The proposal: objectives
Objectives/Goals/Strategies/Outcomes
What will your program accomplish?
Derived directly from the need statement
Indicate action and a measurable result
“To” statements
How would the situation look if the need were satisfied?

20. The proposal: objectives
Stated in quantifiable terms
if you can’t measure it, you may need to rethink it
State outcomes, not methods
the result of an activity, not the activity itself
Identify the population being served
REALISTIC

21. The proposal: methodology
A detailed description of the activities and services to be implemented to achieve the objectives
How are you going to achieve your goals and objectives?
Why did you choose these methods?
research findings, experts, past experience, etc.
Can include Organizational/Administrative Plan

22. The proposal: budget Budget
translates the methodology section into cash
government sources require more detail than foundations (usually)
follow funder forms and guidelines

23. The proposal: evaluation
Outputs are facts
Online History Project
number of items digitized
number of users logged
number of students who write essays based on web based materials
number of teachers who use online resources

24. The proposal: evaluation
Outputs may not tell us if our goals and objectives were met
Evaluation - how did we do?
Measure Outcomes
has our target audience changed or improved skills, attitudes, knowledge, behavior, status, or life condition by experiencing our program

25. The proposal: helpful hints
One writer, many contributors
outline before writing
Follow the funder guidelines carefully and thoroughly
Do your research; get the facts right
Appropriate personnel/consultants
One central need -- all ideas flow from that
Know what your institutional requirements are for grant applications: who signs?

26. The proposal: helpful hints
Be compelling, but don’t overstate
Outside person to edit
Outside person to review budget
Be thorough
Clear, concise
Easy to read
Confident tone

27. The proposal: helpful hints
Do your research into the latest digitization trends, activities
Be aware of related digitization projects
Show how increased access or better preservation can effect the audience(s)
And remember that a good proposal doesn’t automatically result in obtaining a grant

28. The Proposal: Helpful Hints
Clarity
logical, easy to follow
Completeness
including all items specified
Internal consistency
parts consistent with each other
External consistency
recognize accepted ideas of field

29. Administering a grant project
This is a lot of work
ensure that sufficient resource is allocated
Reporting, reporting, reporting
know all necessary deadlines!
Managing a project and seeing it through to completion
and making sure that you do what you told the funders you would do

30. Know your funders, involve your funders
Different funders need different tracking and reporting mechanisms
Make sure you ALWAYS know when deadlines are for reporting
Allow plenty of time to get financial reports prepared: there is often a significant time lag in processing transactions through systems
If there is going to be a problem, tell them in advance. Don’t just miss a deadline!

31. Closure
Very important to know when you have finished a project, a grant, or a phase of a project
Staff need to be rewarded for a good job done
Funders need to be thanked
So throw a party!
Launch your project!
There’s a time to have fun and let your hair down

32. What’s the Big Idea? What’s Your Big Idea?
Let’s come up with a Big Idea for a project
Identify potential funders
Scope the project