Gathering Fuel for Your Grants Program

1. Martin Bimler, MA, CFRE martin.bimler@gmail.com Gathering Fuel for Your Grants Program

2. Individual donors in 2016 comprised the greatest amount of financial support: 72% Direct Support and 8% Bequests Foundations comprised the second largest amount: 15% Corporations comprised 5% of support Total 2016 Giving: $390.05 Billion Source: 2016 Highlights, Giving USA, 2017 Funding Sources

3. Free money! What is a Grant?

4. Free money! What is a Grant?

5. “A grant is an award of money that allows you to do very specific things that usually meet very specific guidelines that are spelled out in painstaking detail and to which you must respond very clearly in your grant proposal.” The Only Grant-Writing Book You’ll Ever Need, Karsh and Fox, 2014 What is a grant?

6. Public: • Federal • State • County • Local Municipalities • Government Entities / Taxing Bodies Types of Grants

7. Private: • Independent / Family Foundations • Corporate Foundations • Community Foundations • Operating Foundations • Federated Funds • Service Clubs and Organizations • Financial Trusts Types of Grants

8. In 2012, the US was home to 86,192 foundations with $715 billion in assets and $52 billion in giving. 82% of all foundation giving came from independent foundations Community Foundations represent 1% of all foundations, but were responsible for $4.9 billion in grants in 2012. Source: Key Facts on U.S. Foundations, Foundation Center, 2014 Foundations

9. Are you ready?

10. Operating for at least one year • 501(c)3 and IRS letter of determination, EIN • Written mission and vision statements • Organization, program, and project budgets • Audited financial statements • List of Board of Directors with addresses and Board giving history (Total and Percentage) Are you ready?

11. Organizational chart • Job descriptions and resumes for key positions • List of current funding sources and amounts • Written policies and procedures: Gift acceptance, Anti-discrimination, Disaster plan, etc. • Data to support needs and outcomes Are you ready?

12. Foundation and Government Grants Finding the Funding

13. Funding is available at all levels of government, from Federal to local municipalities and taxing bodies Local grants are generally more accessible to smaller or newer nonprofits Local and state grants often emphasize collaboration and community support (require letters of support) Government Grants

14. Matching fund are often required and may range from 20% to 200% or more Government grants usually require greater oversight, documentation, and reporting Government Grants

15. Grants.gov is THE database for Federal grants. Many Federal departments will maintain grant listing on their web sites, but must post to Grants.gov as well. Local and state grants are not as centralized. Check city, county, state, taxing body, and local congressional office web sites. Government Grants

16. One key resource for information on foundations is the Foundation Center. www.foundationcenter.org The Foundation Center Directory Online maintains records on approximately 140,000 foundations and funders. Funding Information Network: Approximately 450 libraries, community foundations, and resource centers Foundations

17. Elements of a Proposal

18. Introduction / Executive Summary Organization Information Elements of a Proposal • Needs Statement / Assessment • Program Description • Evaluation Plan • Sustainability Plan • Budget / Budget Narrative

19. Best Practices

20. Build relationships: People fund People Best Practices

21. Build relationships: People fund People • Thoroughly evaluate opportunities: • Don’t waste your time or the funder’s time: Make sure you match the focus of the funder • Do you have the time and resources to complete the application? Build in extra time! • Do you have the resources to carry out the program if funded? What about reporting? Best Practices

22. Focus your approach instead of applying broadly Best Practices

23. Focus your approach instead of applying broadly Don’t count on a single funder for critical funding Best Practices

24. Focus your approach instead of applying broadly Don’t count on a single funder for critical funding Have a grant management plan in place BEFORE you apply Best Practices

25. Focus your approach instead of applying broadly Don’t count on a single funder for critical funding Have a grant management plan in place BEFORE you apply Don’t expect to pay a grant writer / consultant from the grant Best Practices

26. Don’t work in a silo. Have someone not associated with your program/project read your application. Best Practices

27. Don’t work in a silo. Have someone not associated with your program/project read your application. Read the directions! Best Practices

28. Don’t work in a silo. Have someone not associated with your program/project read your application. Read the directions! No, really. Read the directions! Best Practices

29. Don’t work in a silo. Have someone not associated with your program/project read your application. Read the directions! No, really. Read the directions! Then, Best Practices read them again!

30. Additional Resources

31. Grant Station: www.grantstation.com Chronicle of Philanthropy: www.philanthropy.com The Grantsmanship Center: www.tgci.com Guidestar: www.guidestar.org Grant Professionals Association: www.grantprofessionals.org Additional Resources

32. Questions? Thank you! martin.bimler@gmail.com