en_US English
en_US English fr_FR French id_ID Indonesian
Member Login & Sign-up

Practical Tips – Planning and Finding Funding

[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][fusion_title size=”1″ content_align=”left” style_type=”single solid” sep_color=”” class=”” id=””]Practical Tips – Planning and Finding Funding[/fusion_title][fusion_separator style_type=”single solid” top_margin=”” bottom_margin=”” sep_color=”#0099ff” icon=”” width=”” class=”” id=””/][/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”1_3″ last=”no” spacing=”yes” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” padding=”” class=”number” id=””][fusion_title size=”2″ content_align=”left” style_type=”single solid” sep_color=”” class=”number” id=””]1[/fusion_title][/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”2_3″ last=”yes” spacing=”yes” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” padding=”” class=”” id=””][fusion_text]Have a Strategy – Ideally, the Executive Director and Board work together to develop a 1 – 5 year strategy for your organization. The strategy should be based on your organization’s mission and objectives. The strategy should cover the following:

  • Type of projects you want to do
  • Length of time for each project
  • People and skills that you need
  • Materials and equipment needed
  • Possible partnerships with other organisations
  • Total budget for each project

The strategy should also consider the potential source of funding for each project:

  • Individual donors or membership fees for your organization
  • Large individual sponsors
  • Company sponsorships
  • Foundations and other organizations

Once you have a strategy for your project, it will be easier to find the funding.[/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][fusion_separator style_type=”single solid” top_margin=”” bottom_margin=”” sep_color=”#0099ff” icon=”” width=”” class=”” id=””/][/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”1_3″ last=”no” spacing=”yes” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” padding=”” class=”number” id=””][fusion_title size=”2″ content_align=”left” style_type=”single solid” sep_color=”” class=”number” id=””]2[/fusion_title][/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”2_3″ last=”yes” spacing=”yes” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”” padding=”” class=”” id=””][fusion_text]Your Funding History – One of the best sources of new funding is from past donors. Your organization probably has a database of your individual donors or members.

But in many organizations, there is no written record about past donors – large donations and grants.   If you have a record of past donors, great! Update it and review it!

If you do not have a record of past donors, now is the time to start. Make a list of the large donors from the past 5 – 8 years. It is helpful to include the following information:

  • Year of donation/grant
  • Name of the organization
  • Type of organization
  • Contact details
  • Project funded
  • Start / End Date of Project
  • Funding type
  • Amount
  • Comments

To help you get started, you can download a Word or Excel version of the table here and modify it for your situation.[/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”1_3″ last=”no” spacing=”yes” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”” padding=”” class=”” id=””][/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”1_3″ last=”no” spacing=”yes” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”” padding=”” class=”” id=””][fusion_button link=”http://d6mw2g7x24h5i.cloudfront.net/Funding/History of Funding.docx” color=”default” size=”medium” type=”” shape=”” target=”_self” title=”” gradient_colors=”|” gradient_hover_colors=”|” accent_color=”” accent_hover_color=”” bevel_color=”” border_width=”1px” shadow=”” icon=”” icon_position=”left” icon_divider=”no” modal=”” animation_type=”0″ animation_direction=”left” animation_speed=”1″ alignment=”” class=”” id=””]History of Funding – Word[/fusion_button][/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”1_3″ last=”yes” spacing=”yes” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”” padding=”” class=”” id=””][fusion_button link=”http://d6mw2g7x24h5i.cloudfront.net/Funding/History of Funding.xlsx” color=”default” size=”medium” type=”” shape=”” target=”_self” title=”” gradient_colors=”|” gradient_hover_colors=”|” accent_color=”” accent_hover_color=”” bevel_color=”” border_width=”1px” shadow=”” icon=”” icon_position=”left” icon_divider=”no” modal=”” animation_type=”0″ animation_direction=”left” animation_speed=”1″ alignment=”” class=”” id=””]History of Funding – Excel[/fusion_button][/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][fusion_separator style_type=”single solid” top_margin=”” bottom_margin=”” sep_color=”#0099ff” icon=”” width=”” class=”” id=””/][/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”1_3″ last=”no” spacing=”yes” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”” padding=”” class=”” id=””][fusion_title size=”2″ content_align=”left” style_type=”single solid” sep_color=”” class=”number” id=””]3[/fusion_title][/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”2_3″ last=”yes” spacing=”yes” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”” padding=”” class=”” id=””][fusion_text]Potential Funders – Foundations and Governmental Organizations

Now you are ready to start your search of potential funders. You can look at our web page on Funding and at the Table of Funders to give you some new ideas.

You should make a table of potential funders for your organization. Once it is done, it is easy to update it 2 times per year.   You will want to include the following information:

  • Name of the organization
  • Type of organization
  • Web site address
  • Type of projects funded
  • Amount of grants
  • Timing and length of grants
  • Type of grants
  • Percentage of successful proposals
  • Contact details
  • Comments
  • Your Ranking – high, medium or low potential donor.

To help you get started, you can download a Word or Excel version of the table here and modify it for your situation.[/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”1_3″ last=”no” spacing=”yes” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”” padding=”” class=”” id=””][/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”1_3″ last=”no” spacing=”yes” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”” padding=”” class=”” id=””][fusion_button link=”http://d6mw2g7x24h5i.cloudfront.net/Funding/Potential Funders.docx” color=”default” size=”medium” type=”” shape=”” target=”_self” title=”” gradient_colors=”|” gradient_hover_colors=”|” accent_color=”” accent_hover_color=”” bevel_color=”” border_width=”1px” shadow=”” icon=”” icon_position=”left” icon_divider=”no” modal=”” animation_type=”0″ animation_direction=”left” animation_speed=”1″ alignment=”” class=”” id=””]Potential Funders – Word[/fusion_button][/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”1_3″ last=”yes” spacing=”yes” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” padding=”” class=”” id=””][fusion_button link=”http://d6mw2g7x24h5i.cloudfront.net/Funding/Potential Funders.xlsx” color=”default” size=”medium” type=”” shape=”” target=”_self” title=”” gradient_colors=”|” gradient_hover_colors=”|” accent_color=”” accent_hover_color=”” bevel_color=”” border_width=”1px” shadow=”” icon=”” icon_position=”left” icon_divider=”no” modal=”” animation_type=”0″ animation_direction=”left” animation_speed=”1″ alignment=”” class=”” id=””]Potential Funders – Excel[/fusion_button][/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”1_3″ last=”no” spacing=”yes” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”” padding=”” class=”” id=””][/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”2_3″ last=”yes” spacing=”yes” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” padding=”” class=”” id=””][fusion_text]Ranking – How do you decide if a potential funder is high, medium or low?

Think about your organization and the information you have about the funder (also called grant-maker). One way is to make a list of criteria. You can add or subtract points to help decide high, medium and low. Each organization will have its own list, but some ideas to get your started include:

  • Have we worked well with this donor in the past?
  • Does our project fit the donor’s region of activity?
  • Does our project fit the type of project the donor funds?
  • Does the amount of the grant meet our project budget? Do we need another source?
  • Does the proposal writing and decision process fit our timing?
  • Can we meet all of the donor’s requirements for accounting and reporting?
  • How much time do we need to invest in administration vs the amount of the grant?
  • Etc.

Normally, you will want to concentrate on your energy on your high potentials first.[/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]

Pin It on Pinterest