Strategies to Develop a Grant-Seeking Plan 1 Co-presented at 2014 TEFN Annual Conference April 4 th, 2014 Erica V. Ekwurzel, CFRE, Advocacy In Motion Ellen Moutos-Lee, Regional Foundation Library

 If there's somethin' lacking from diversifying your funding base …  If you feel all alone and lost in the land of private grants…  If you're seein' grant applications runnin' through your head…. 2 Who ya gonna call?

 Understanding the Grantmaking Landscape  Types of grantmakers  Proposal processes  Cultivation & Stewardship  Importance of Prospect Research  Resources to Turn for Help  Top 3 Grantbustin’ Myths 3 Program Highlights

Types of Funding Organizations Corporate giving programs Community foundations Grantmaking public charities Private foundations Family Independent Corporate 4 Landscape of Grantmaking Entities

81,777 total foundations 40K family foundation 2,355 TX family fdns >60% of all private foundations formed in last 15 years Private foundations required to grants of at least 5% of their average assets annually 70% grants for educational purposes (2010 FC stat) 5 (not so…) Frightening Facts about Foundations

Less than 30% of family foundations have websites Majority are family foundations Avg. private foundation donor younger than generation ago Proactive trends: not waiting until retirement & replenish $$ 6 More (not so…) Frightening Facts about Foundations

Characteristics of small foundations: Few or no staff Keep a low profile Tendency to fund locally Make grants to nonprofit organizations with which they are personally acquainted 7 How Foundations Operate

8 Different Ways the Grant Process Works Visit with Funder Low-key operations Online presence Application Process Grant Calendar Program Staff Structured Application Process Report Expectation Level of Foundation Staffing & Operations

Amount requested Specific purpose of funds Why it is needed Who it will help & how many What you hope to accomplish 9 Core Items of Grant Application

Don’t Expect Quick Results Often part-time philanthropists Small or no staff 3 or 4 funding cycles annually 10 Timing of Grants

Foundation Center Online Directory Who funds my area of interest? Who funds my geographic region? Who funds the type of support needed? 11 Importance of Prospect Research

What is a 990? Exempt organizations must file some version of Form 990 with IRS each year Form 990 has information on organizations finances and activities Form 990-PF gives complete list of grants awarded for specified fiscal year and will help you learn more about a foundation’s giving history 12 Don’t be afraid of 990s!

PF example:

Foundation Center: Guidestar: Urban Institute: CTEF Giving Profile: FC Funding Information Networks: foundationcenter.org/fin/l 20+ Networks around Texas 14 Online Resources to Turn for Help

Insert Slide shot of Texas List 15 Where to find Funding Information Networks in Texas

#1: Grants are the revenue’s silver bullet. #2: Quantity supersedes quality. #3: No always mean ‘no’ 16 Top 3 Grantbustin’ Myths

17 Who Supports Nonprofits?

Rejection is part of the process of finding funding Reasons for rejection may have nothing to do with the quality of your program or proposal: - Funding priorities may have changed - Reached annual quota for funding Contact them again next year. Strengthen personal relationships and program awareness. 18 Don’t Let Rejection Discourage You

Thank You! Erica V. EkwurzelEllen Moutos-Lee Advocacy In Motion ConsultingRegional Foundation Library CivicAIMRegionalFoundationLibrary 19 Questions & Comments