You offer or decided to offer a grant program as part of your corporate philanthropy. Here are some “to-dos” to effectively communicate your goals to potential applicants.
1. Publish a list of your expectations. Lists help applicants to screen themselves out (i.e., groups you would never fund) and identify fatal flaws (i.e., asking for the wrong project) before preparing a proposal.
2. State a range of gifts, such as, “Most funded projects range from $500 to $5,000.” (Expect most applications to be at the upper range.)
3. Establish a firm deadline. Reviewing multiple proposals allows you to compare requests to determine your best value.
4. To increase the quality of requests, designate someone to field emails to pre-judge request concepts. This person responds by indicating which ideas, if any, strike your interest.
5. To avoid slogging through stacks of information, limit the number of pages that applicants submit. Request just enough information to understand who, what, why, where, and when.
6. Encourage applicants to use links to provide back-up information such as board lists and annual budgets.
Two-Sentence Summary
Good grant tactics save time, grow your social capital, and obtain the great return on your investment. When it comes to corporate philanthropy, what tactics do you use that create wins?
Karen Eber Davis Consulting guides executive directors and CEOs to generate the resources, boards, and support they need to make remarkable progress on their missions. As the award-winning thought-leader, advisor, and founding principal of Karen Eber Davis Consulting, Karen helps nonprofit leaders get answers, generate revenue, and grow their mission. Davis is known for her innovation and practicality based on her work with or visits to over 1,000 nonprofit organizations and her experience leading board and team events. She is the author of 7 Nonprofit Income Streams and Let's Raise Nonprofit Millions Together.