Grants are one of the most overlooked aspects of fundraising. For many organizations, the grant application process can be overwhelming. Most organizations are working within tight budgets and timelines, and it can be challenging to allocate the necessary resources to grant research. While it may seem logical to devote resources to new fundraising initiatives, traditional grants should not be overlooked in favor of the latest fundraising trends. It’s all about creating multiple income streams for your organization.

Preparation is the key to fundraising success. We cannot stress this point enough. The prospect of writing an extensive dossier on the relative merits of your charity can be a daunting task, but if you have done your research and preparation it will undoubtedly pay off. The best advice we can give you is to devote some time to researching available grants in your niche. Before attempting a first-draft, be sure that you understand the guidelines of the grant-maker. Once the research has been completed, the easy part is drafting the grant proposal and application.

A well-written grant proposal is absolutely critical for success. Be concise. Stay focused on your message. What will set your organization apart from the others? You must establish that your organization has a legitimate need of the highest priority within the first paragraph of your proposal, in order to capture the interest of your potential donor. Remember, that your proposal is but one of potentially hundreds. You have only one chance to convince them that your organization deserves their kind assistance. Get it right…the first time!

We are continually amazed at how many of our clients become intently focused on the minutiae of their projects at the expense of clarity. There are a few core issues you must address in your proposal. Who are you, and what organization do you represent? What factors determine your eligibility for the grant in question? What is the problem your organization hopes to address? Who stands to benefit from your efforts? What are your specific objectives, and how will the grant support your organizational needs? How will you monitor and track the results of your efforts? How does your grant request tie in with the overall goals of your potential donor? Answer these pertinent questions, and you will be well on your way to a successful grant proposal.

About the Author:

Michelle Pearson is a fundraising professional with over 15 years of experience in the non-profit sector. She is also a regular contributor to the internet’s preeminent fundraising magazine, http://www.fundraisingknowhow.com/

The biggest reason most non-profits don’t get funded is because they never submit! Starting the process of grant writing can seem daunting, but if you just take it in small increments, setting small goals, before you know it, your organization will be on the road to successfully submitting award winning grant applications.

1.First, you must have your 501(c)3 designation from the IRS. While some funders allow for fiscal agency (meaning, another organization that does have a 501(c)3 can submit on your behalf, and keep a percentage of the award to administer the grant funds), you really need to obtain your own designation to qualify for the most grant opportunities.

2.Second, gather your essential documents. While these vary from grant to grant, funders usually ask for enough information to make sure that your organization is legitimate and that it fits in with the area that they fund. These documents usually include your articles of incorporation; past, current, and projected organizational budget; list of Board of Directors; one-page history of organization; media reviews, programs, any other publicity you may have; audited financial statement or most recent tax filing; and resumes or bios of key staff.

3.Third, find a funder. With the internet, it is simple to search for funders who make grants to your type of organization, in your state or region. The application is usually straightforward (although it might be lengthy) and accompanied by a set of guidelines that explain step by step exactly how to fill out the application, what documents to attach, how many copies to make, where to send, and the all-important deadline. Do not miss the deadline.

That’s it. Keep your writing to-the-point and simple, and if you have any questions at all, call the person listed in the guidelines as the grants administrator. Just be polite and introduce yourself, admit that this is your first application, and ask for any advice she may be able to offer. Often, funders offer a workshop or may even have samples of funded grants available.

Remember, if you don’t submit, you won’t get funded. So give it a try. You have nothing to lose, and thousands of dollars to gain.

About the Author:

Lisa Merritt is president of Pegasus Consulting Group, Inc., a full-service grant writing and grant search company, and author of Simply: Grant Writing. Please visit her website, http://www.pegasuswriter.com, for more information or to purchase Simply: Grant Writing in electronic format to get started grant writing today.

Reasons and Types of funds:
Some organizations seek funds to operate their organization successfully. This sort of fund is known as operating money. The operating fund can be granted by a foundation grant, a corporate grant, a direct mail campaign, or interest from an endowment. Then there are funds for special projects, which include undertaking a new project, expansion of existing project/s, etc. The government, corporations, foundations etc. are ready to grant money for this cause. Besides this there are capacity seeking funds meant to enhance staff, financial ability of a company; capacity funds which should be sought for in cases of renovations of buildings, making a new building etc. Here again money can be taken from corporations, government agencies, foundations and can also be raised through a significant gift campaign. Endowments are slightly different kinds of funds. They are those grants which are often given as long term gifts to certain organizations.

Government a reliable and evergreen source:
Government is the best source to look for grants for any purpose. Statistics reveal that government provides more than $ 350 billion grants annually. Government provides funds in various forms. For instance there are direct grants meant for nonprofit or individual organizations. There is immense competition to take the ‘direct grants’. Many organizations apply every year through their proposals and letters. Similar to this there are ‘competitive grants’. Organizations compete for a single share of this grant. The ‘pass through’ grants are relatively less competitive since they are confined to any state. The money for pass through grants is given by the federal government to the individual states for distribution. The organizations seeking grants can apply for it in the state agency. The government also provides ‘project funds’ for a specified period of time. The entire information can be collected via CDFA i.e. the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance which splits government grants into 20 primary categories. It includes almost all the significant details from the name of the grant distributing agency to the eligibility plus evaluation criterion and the documentation required. CDFA also provides with a list of its past funded organizations and their respective objectives.

The Writing Matters:
At the end of the day what matters is the kind of proposal a loan seeking organization sends to the government or any funding agency. The proposal should be such that it clearly brings out the needs and objectives of the organization. An effective proposal acts as a mirror of the organization’s desires and the goals that it seeks to achieve. The more impressive a proposal is the greater are the chances of getting a good amount of grant. So while writing a grant proposal some vital points should be kept in mind.

There are two types of letters in this case- the letter of intent, which is a brief summary of the project and the aims desired to be achieved through it. The needs of the grant seeker must be specifically highlighted along with the manner in which these funds will fulfill these needs. Second is the letter of proposal, which delineates the entire project and the requirements, which are to be met by the funds. This letter how so ever long should not be devoid of a cover letter, a proposal summary, nearly ten pages of proposal text, the objectives and goals decided and appendices providing more details of the project.

Any agency or government granting the loan has particular criteria to select the organization and the amount of grant to be given like interviews, observation, past record and the like. However a proposal can be too helpful in providing an impetus to these later activities.

If you are looking forward to a grant then don’t hesitate in doing to slog for a little hard work done now will bear incredible benefits in the future…