When working to obtain foundation and corporate financial support, building a relationship with the prospective grant maker is half of the work. This is essential, especially if you are applying online, which has become standard. If you haven't created a relationship, it is likely your application won't get more than a glance during the review process, no matter how good it is.
On occasion, passionate people who are looking to advance their cause call me for help. Most of the time, they are looking to "raise funds fast". Knowing that fundraising is a process, is based on relationships, and depends on annual giving cycles by funders, I give them this simple checklist to get them started.
Too many times, I see boxes of beautiful collateral materials for events, marketing, outreach or fundraising campaigns happily living on the floors of agency storage rooms and offices. Thousands of dollars worth of materials never see the light of day. Are they helping to move the organization's mission forward?
One of our client's annual giving campaign has already achieved 95% of goal and the campaign still has five months to come to full fruition. Our assigned Project Partners project manager has done a terrific job directing this initiative, coaching and guiding staff and volunteers, who are very excited about the accomplishment, as you can imagine. How did this happen?
Are you working with a board, committee or task force that is raising money for an initiative or for your organization? Are these volunteers sometimes hesitant to actually make the ask of prospective donors?
