Grants Resource Center

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Grants Resource Center

• A partnership between
• the Waco Foundation
• and the
• City of Waco
• A
• Cooperating
• Collection of the
• Foundation Center

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GOALS

• Familiarity with Grants Resource Center
• Understanding different types of funders
• Knowledge of grantseeking process  
• Introduction to funding research tools
• Overview of resources

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Laying the Groundwork

• 501 c 3 statusgranted by the IRS
• Board of Directors
• Articles of Incorporation,
• Bylaws
• Corporate Resolutions
• Board Policies 
• Mission Statement
•  

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Information from the Foundation Center on
Starting a NonProfit Corporation
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Steps in applying for 501c3 status

• Apply for EIN complete SS4
• Obtain IRS Form 1023 Packet and read instructions
  carefully.
• Complete IRS form 1023 and required attachments.
• Submit to IRS with appropriate filing fee.

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Building Credibility in the Community and with
Funders
Meet a REAL need in the community   Know
what other resources are addressing the
problem     Have a board and volunteer
involvement     Demonstrate expertise in the
field     Sound Fiscal Management     GOOD
Reputation
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Program before Funding   Just give me the grant
and Ill show you what good I can do with it.
Uh, I dont THINK so.
Despite how eloquent your plea and how important
your cause, if you dont have a well-thought out
plan for using the funding to its best advantage,
funders will have to say no. If youre very
lucky, and have a good relationship with them,
they may help you come up with a practical use
for the funding, but dont count on it.
BASIC QUESTIONS YOU SHOULD BE PREPARED TO
ANSWER   What is the need you are
addressing? Not your agencys specific need, but
the societal need. What do you propose to do
about it? What methods will you use to address
the problem? Who will help? What will
collaborating partners roles be? How much will
it cost? Have a well-developed budget. If
possible show other funders or any portion you
are contributing. How will you know if you
have succeeded? How will you evaluate the
effectiveness? How will you keep the project
going after our funding ends?
Sustainability
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ITS A BIG PUZZLE, LET EVERYONE HELP
Everyone has a piece of the puzzle to make a
whole. With each person/agency bringing their
own unique programs, talents, and abilities to
the table, the problem is more easily addressed.

• Which agencies are a natural fit with yours?
• Which agencies bring skills that strengthen your
  proposal?
• Who is the Lead Applicant?
• Who might be addressing the same problem from a
  different vantage point?
• Are you part of regular meetings where your
  presence and contributions are felt?
• Collaborations demonstrate to funders that
  communities are working together to address
  needs, rather than reinventing the wheel, or
  duplicating services.

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New York Nonprofits Article on Collaborations
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Funding Glossary
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Searching for a funderWhere in the world do you
start?

• Grants Resource Center
• FC Search
• Online Subscriptions
• Printed Materials
• Internet
• Federal Register
• IRS--990
• Prof. Websites
• i.e. education
• Corporate websites
• i.e. WalMart

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Building a Prospect Worksheet

• Know what terms youll be looking for.
• Know what type of funding youll be looking for
• Paper or Plastic?

• Which funders will you pursue or forget about?
• Come prepared with pencils, paper, floppy disks.

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Building a Prospect WorksheetFOCUS ON FUNDERS
WHOSE PRIORITIES CLOSELY MATCH YOUR OWN
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1,2,3, GO!
Search for Funders who fund in your general
geographic location. Funders whose funding
interest match your field of interest.
Literacy has always been one of the primary
issues of concern for our foundation.
Our organization is interested in solving the
problem of literacy in our city.
Funders who provide the type funding you need,
i.e. capital, general, seed money, etc.
  Funders who accept unsolicited applications,
or applications from your type organization.
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Demonstration of Foundation Center Online
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Demonstration of Guidestar.org
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Demonstration of Guidestar.com
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Ways to get to know funders

• Research philanthropic publications
• Foundation Center Website
• Annual Report
• Website
• Biography
• Grant Guidelines

• Character and mission of foundation
• Goals and objectives
• Call and talk to the program officer
• Grantstation.com
• Make an appointment to visit with the funder

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Opportunities to have contacts with funders
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STEP THREECommon Sense approach to grant
writing.

• Ask yourself
• Can you really do the program?
• Do you have a good program plan that uses
  community resources to their full advantage?
• Have you decided how you will evaluate the
  program?
• Have you decided (for sure) how you will continue
  the program?

• Then
• Get a copy of the grant guidelines
• Line up a project team
• Seek the input from the people who will do the
  program.
• Have you discussed your plan with stakeholders to
  see if it will benefit them?
• What other community resources are available to
  address the problem?

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Always

• Follow instructions to the letter and answer
  questions in the order asked.
• If they didnt ask for it, dont send it.
• If they ask for it and you dont send it, explain
• Use their language and verbiage to demonstrate
  how well your mission fits with theirs.

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Government Funders
A whole new ballgame!!!
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If you get government funding, be prepared.
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Outcome Objective Worksheet
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Appendix BTips from New Mexico State University
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What to do if youre funded

• Say Thank you. (Courtesy Counts!)
• Clarify expectations regarding reporting.
• If any questions or changes in your plan, get
  permission from the funder before you make
  changes.
• Follow up in writing to document the changes.
• Be sure your accounting department knows about
  the grant and reporting/billing requirements.

• Set up a calendar to meet deadlines in the
  grant.
• Do you have funding lined up to continue the
  project
• Say Thank You when youve spent the money.

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What to do if youre not funded

• If a government funder, you can request a
  de-briefing, or appeal their decision. See the
  RFP for details. If this is an RFP that is
  annual, start working on next years proposal.
• If a Foundation funder, courtesy counts! Dont
  question their decision, but ask how you might
  make your proposal stronger/more appealing/more
  in line with the interests of their Foundation. 
• Say Thank You again.

• Say Thank You anyway. Write a nice letter
  thanking them for considering your proposal.

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Article from Guidestar

• Words from funders on why proposals are not funded

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More reasons grants are not funded
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Screen shot of Foundation Centers Learning
LabFrequently Asked Questions
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Grants Management Circulars

• These are the governments financial guides for
  various entities.

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Useful FREE websites to subscribe for
daily/weekly grant information
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Internet research sites
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Foundation Centers Proposal Writing Short Course
1 2available on their website Pages 43-51
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