Here is a quick way to determine if a grant source is worthy of an application.

A Quick Grant Source Evaluation Tool

Rank these factors from zero to three, using three for a high score:

1. Amount of Corpus. They have a lot to give.
2. The Average Gift Size. Larger is better until the smallest gift is greater than one-third of your yearly budget.
3. Tight Mission Fit. They focus on activities that involve your mission, the more focused, the higher your rank. Using the scale, a community foundation that funds in twenty areas receives a two. The animal rights foundation is a three if you are an animal rights nonprofit.
4. Backyard Funding. They frequently fund in your locale—this means more than one grant five years ago.
5. Live Contact. You have or can form a relationship with someone who is part of the process. Over time, you anticipate applying as an “insider.”
6. Simpatico. You like and respect them and their approach.
7. Positive Gain. Over time, the work to apply and any reports are reasonable for the returns involved.
8. Welcome Mat. You receive a positive response to your interactions with staff and board members. That is, you are viewed as a potential partner, not as a supplicant.
9. Improved. You can enhance each subsequent application to the grant donor. You can learn more than if you were funded or not.
10. Money Talks. They funded you before.

Total Your Score and Discover Your Answer

22 and above: Go for it

14-21: A maybe

13 and below: Skip it

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For other sources of nonprofit income to augment your grant opportunities, read this article, Can Your Organization Obtain More Income?