Building A Pipeline

Well, I'm back after months of extreme grant writing activity. Can you say "stimulus?" I know you can. Just wrote 10 different Federal grants, simultaneously. Phew! Been catching up on my sleep. Now, the question is, where does my next pay check come from? The eternal problem of the freelancer. Could possibly parley the experience into a "regular" job with a firm doing work similar to those I just finished working for, especially since it would seem that there may be quite a bit of work in the energy field (no pun intended) for the foreseeable future. Not willing to relocate, though. Telecommute? Possible. Or, do I have to start where I left off, cultivating local sources, pounding the virtual pavement, so to speak. I'd be interested in anyone who has found themselves in similar circumstances sharing what they've learned about building a pipeline, through which new business flows, so that they do not have to continually re-start their businesses from scratch each time a project is completed.

I will keep you posted as to what I come up with.

Assessing Your Organization's Needs

The first step in getting your organization support is to review your own its program(s) and needs. Your objective is to think of your organization in ways that funders will best connect to. In order to do that, ask yourself the following:
1. Do I have a clear idea of what the program is that I’m trying to get funded? Good idea to have a proposal outline for the specific program in hand before beginning since the terms you use can be used to match those of any funding source
2. Do I know what my organization’s mission is?
For many, if not all, of you, this is an obvious question.
But, being able to translate what you think is self-evident is not always an easy task.
The more you can think of your mission in different, easily explainable terms, the easier it will be to match what you want to accomplish to those of a larger number of funders.
3. Who is being served by your program(s)?
Does your organization serve the general public or does it serve more specialized segments?
Who are they?
What are the racial, ethnic, gender segments of the population you serve?
Do you have demographic figures to support your claims?
4. What geographic area does your organization serve?
Is you’re your program local, regional, national or international?
5. What are the distinctive features of your organization?
Do you generate income?
Are you seeking to create a model program to be replicated elsewhere? Where?
Do you provide direct services or are you an advocacy group?
Other?
6. What is the total dollar amount you are seeking?
Do you know how this amount will be used?
If you can come up with an overall figure and if you can at least sketch out a preliminary budget, it will help you determine how many funders you will need to solicit based on the typical amounts they usually provide and how many different types of funders you can approach based on the categories of needs found in your budget.

What should one do to prepare to create a list of potential funders?

Your non-profit should not only assess things about a potential funder, but should also consider your own organization’s mission, goals, purpose and, especially, needs in order to make a match. You must have a complete understanding of what those needs are and how you can demonstrate that the support you are asking for is both crucial and central to your continued success. And, if you can project what accomplishing your goals will look like in demonstrable terms (i.e., numbers) the more solid your proposal will look like from a funder’s perspective. Successful fundraising depends upon making the right match between your organization and appropriate funders. Determine where your interests converge!

Follow-up and Documentation

What happens if your organization actually receives a grant and then must use the funds in the manner in which you've stated in the grant proposal? Well, whatever you do, make sure that you keep track of the funds by documenting the rationale, responsibilities, cost projections, etc. So often, individuals receive a grant award only to find out that they don't remember how they determined costs, personnel, expenses, etc., and then are held accountable for the proposal without knowing how the money was spent and whether that money was spent in ways which correspond with the original grant language.

You must accurately report how you used the funds provided to the funder. Compare what you do to what's actually in the proposal on an on-going basis and try to maintain a relationship to the letter and intent of that document. It will make things a lot easier come reporting time and you'll avoid having to try to fit a square peg in a round hole and save you from a lot of stress when it comes time to report to those who have helped you pay the bills.

Metrics

If your organization wants money for program support, bricks and mortar, capital campaigns, equipment, etc., etc., you will need to define your goals in ways in which they can be measured. As laudable as your objectives might be, you need to be able to clearly demonstrate the results of your efforts in dollars and cents, numbers helped, buildings built, equipment bought, etc.

I am the owner/grant writing consultant for GrantWorks, your source for fund raising. GrantWorks currently offers a number of services including grant writing and development, as well as prospect research, cultivation and solicitation. All of my work features superior writing skills and is guaranteed to be thoroughly and thoughtfully researched. In the future, GrantWorks will offer other services including grant mentorship, help in establishing non-profits and the facilitation of strategic partnerships between the non-profit and for profit sectors for their mutual benefit.

Please contact me to discuss your projects and/or for any advice on fund seeking. I’ll be happy to help in any way I can.