Five Suggestions for Getting Ready:
1) Learn the language of grantseeking and grantmaking.
You can start with the glossary in the Foundation Center's Guide to Funding Research tutorial. Here are some other glossaries to get you up-to speed, from Delaware Valley Grantmakers, Association of Baltimore Area Gantmakers, and Minnesota Counil on Foundations.
You can connect to additional resources at our FAQ, "Where can I find a glossary of foundation, nonprofit, and fundraising terminology?"
2) Assess your organization's readiness to cultivate foundation donors.
Before you approach any foundations, you should make sure your organization is ready to accept, administer, and account for grants from foundations. This includes having systems in place for tracking 2 basics things: what grant funds are spent on and how your organization's audiences are benefiting from work made possible by the grant. Financial accounting is especially important. It is difficult to erase negative impressions left by poor handling of grant monies.
3) Take a class.
The Foundation Center regularly presents "Cultivating Grantmaker Relationships," featuring expert instruction in how to:
~make initial contact,
~help funders feel connected to your mission,
~cultivate grantmaker relationships throughout the grant process, and
~secure long-term stability for your projects.
Seminar participants receive a copy of The Grantseeker's Guide to Winning Proposals, a workbook and templates for course content, and are eligible for six CFRE International points for initial or re-certification.
4) Read up on the topic.
Visit our library and read or borrow these items:
~Collins, Mary Ellen; Lagasse, Paul. "Uh oh! How to Turn Mistakes Into Valuable Learning Opportunities." Advancing Philanthropy vol. 16 (July-August 2009) p. 16-27.
~Hedrick, Janet L. Nonprofit Essentials: Effective Donor Relations.Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons. 2008. xviii, 246 p.
~Stanley Weinstein. The Complete Guide to Fundraising Management, 3rd edition. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons. 2009. xxiii, 360 p.
5) Network with foundation representatives and your peers.
We invite you to attend any of our classes and events to learn (of course!), but also to meet grantmakers and other fundraisers. You can meet grantmakers at our Coffee and Conversation and Dialogue with Donors series of free events. You can view video recordings of past events and listen to podcasts featuring foundation leaders at our web site. You can subscribe to our Philanthropy Chat podcasts on iTunes or via RSS.
You might also want to check out networking events offered by other organizations, like the Association of Fundraising Professionals Greater Cleveland Chapter or Young Nonprofit Professionals Cleveland.
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