“For the Good of Missoula Forever” TOP 5 DO’S & DON’TS OF GRANTSEEKING Presented by Meredith Printz To Missoula Forum for Children & Youth-Forum Connections September 23, 2014

“For the Good of Missoula Forever” Cleveland Foundation,1914 “Here is a large sum of money. I want to leave it to be used for the good of the community, but I have no way of knowing what will be the greatest need of the community 50 years from now, or even 10 years from now. Therefore, I place it in your hands,…you and your successors,…to determine what should be done with this sum to make it most useful for people of each succeeding generation.” - Frederick H. Goff, in an interview with Colliers Magazine.

“For the Good of Missoula Forever” MissoulaCF Mission Mission: To provide leadership and promote long-term local philanthropy to ensure the present and future vitality of the Greater Missoula community. Grantee- Missoula Children’s Theater

“For the Good of Missoula Forever” Grantmaking Arts & Culture Community/Economic Development Education Environment Health & Human Services Kids & Youth Organizational Development Interest Areas: Grantee-Headwaters Dance Company

“For the Good of Missoula Forever” Do: Your Research DO identify projects based on your organization’s goals that align with the funding priorities of grantmakers. DO identify suitable funding prospects: Montana Foundation Directory. Billings, MT: Montana State University-Billings Library, biennial. Contains entries for foundations active in Montana and out-of-state foundations known to have contributed in Montana. Foundation Directory Online: Searchable database of grantmakers. Ability to search by location. DON’T try to convince a funder to invest in your nonprofit if you do not fit within their specific areas of focus. success/#sthash.nrb2g1rc.dpuf

“For the Good of Missoula Forever” Do: Make Personal Contact DO contact the funding institution and speak or meet with someone about your organization and/or program before submitting the proposal. DO ask for additional information that might not appear on their website.

“For the Good of Missoula Forever” Do: Follow the Directions DO submit the right information to the right person by the right deadline. DO make sure to answer each question as they ask it. DON’T give the funder a reason to eliminate you from the consideration process before they even read the proposal. success/#sthash.nrb2g1rc.dpuf

“For the Good of Missoula Forever” Do: Edit & Proofread DO proofread to ensure you are using proper grammar and spelling. DO write and rewrite until your proposal is clear, sincere and compelling. success/#sthash.nrb2g1rc.dpuf

“For the Good of Missoula Forever” Do: Tell a Story Storytelling is a great way to liven up your grant proposals, capture your readers’ attention and add more emotional connection to your cause. The best way to collect stories is to conduct interviews with people that have benefited from your nonprofit’s work. Here are three questions you should ask every time you interview someone about your NPO: What need brought you to our organization? What services did we provide to you? How did the service improve your life?

“For the Good of Missoula Forever” Willapalooza- October 22 nd, 5-7pm Helping Missoulians get started with Estate Planning Join us October 22, 2014 at the MCT Center for the Performing Arts to learn what you need to know about making a will or advance directive. SCHEDULE OF EVENTS: 5:00pm – 5:15pm Welcome & Introductions 5:15pm – 5:45pm Speaker – Power of Leaving a Legacy 5:45pm – 6:00pm Estate Planning Basics 6:00pm – 7:00pm Meet our Experts Session & Social Hour

“For the Good of Missoula Forever” Resources Slide #5 success/#sthash.nrb2g1rc.dpufhttp://npengage.com/nonprofit-fundraising/grant-writing-101-your-gps- success/#sthash.nrb2g1rc.dpuf Slide #6 ts/ ts/ Slide #7 success/#sthash.nrb2g1rc.dpufhttp://npengage.com/nonprofit-fundraising/grant-writing-101-your-gps- success/#sthash.nrb2g1rc.dpuf Slide #8 success/#sthash.nrb2g1rc.dpuf success/#sthash.nrb2g1rc.dpuf Slide #9 proposals/ proposals