Major Grants
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I applaud MacKenzie Scott’s philanthropy, and yet, there are downsides. Have you noticed any change in your colleagues’ attitudes? In the spirit of Oprah and the Gateses before her, Ms. Scott has unleashed a frenzy. Most every nonprofit this side of the Arctic feels…
My clients are beyond the start-up phase. They have some strong results and are ready to grow. So, I love finding a foundation executive who understands that next-stage nonprofit and integrates its needs into the grant making….
Imagine if a program officer’s reach went beyond one foundation and extended directly to several, maybe even dozens, of funding buckets. Behold the staff role at a philanthropic intermediary. Award sizes can rival any other major grant…
When President Biden touted his moonshot to end cancer, former Rep. Patrick Kennedy was in the room. Soon after, the former Congressman boldly pronounced, “Addiction is the new cancer.” You don’t need a presidential ear to stake out your own moonshot or a version of it…
It can sting when you’re left off a guest list. It particularly smarts when the list includes friends with similar interests and networks. In NonprofitLand, this phenomenon plays out when your industry peers secure major grants from foundations that proactively choose grantees—and don’t seem to know that your organization exists….
I’m waiting for the app that plays matchmaker between foundations and potential grantees. Imagine. Enter your organization’s profile (once!), and an algorithm selects like-minded funders, who swipe left if they’re uninterested and right if they want to learn more. You, too, get to choose which foundations meet your own criteria. A foundation won’t fund administrative costs? Next….
Fifty proposals before lunch. That’s what I imagine a program officer tackles after a funding deadline. Fifty might be an exaggeration, but the idea stresses that your application must stand out above many others. That includes the dreary list of numbers we call the budget…
Many of my dear grant colleagues would prefer to get a root canal than reach out to a foundation prospect. Some dread making small talk. Or “pitching” their nonprofit. Or making their way through a meeting if someone does take interest. If any of these reasons is stopping you, don’t worry. Success comes less in being a salesperson than in being a standout….
Major grants have less in common with our nonprofits’ run-of-the-mill awards than we often acknowledge. It helps to treat them that way. The application process can feel like a stew that colleagues concoct in advance of a tight deadline….
When I was in fifth grade, classmates talked nonstop about who was wearing Guess jeans, and they loved showing off their own. Many years later, it’s clear that brands continue to mean a lot to people of all ages, from clothes to cars. Private grants are no different. “Designer” awards feature…
It’s tempting to rant about the need for foundations to finally—finally!—prioritize significant general operating support. Alas, many have ranted, and progress limps along. Foundations did seem open to fewer limitations on their grants during the depths of COVID-19, but those ripples have not materialized into a permanent sea change. For now, we must work within the current paradigm, which imposes needless scarcity around unrestricted grants (there, a mini rant of my own). If you want to add to your quiver of tactics in securing these prized awards…
When I took up pastel painting several years ago, I was eager to learn about drawing, color theory, art history, and the pastels themselves. With no experience in any of these things, I wondered, “Which of them should I focus on right away, and which can wait?” Similarly, there’s a body of knowledge that will help launch your career in grants and another that will benefit a more seasoned professional. These are the topics that will guide your learning…
It doesn’t take much time or money for your nonprofit to ratchet up its major grants potential. Success begins when you look at your largest foundation and corporate partners as a distinct category. When you segment those funders from the rest of your portfolio, you can give them the heightened attention they deserve. You might assume that your office already operates with this major grants mindset….
The quiet parts of life often carry the most potential. The brief silences in music can make a song. The hushed moment before a batter swings or a tennis star serves can be as heart-stopping as the action itself. Grant seeking is no different. Some of the most meaningful experiences with funders…
The stereotypical grant professional is a studious-looking introvert behind a keyboard. Not only is that perception false, but it simply cannot be true if you plan to drive your agency toward increasingly larger private awards. Many grant professionals spend too much time writing. And waiting. They wait for their organizations…
“I will never make another grant to your organization.” “We will need that $3 million proposal by the end of the week. Okay?” “Increase that budget to include everything on your wish list.” These are among the proclamations I have heard from those who lead private foundations. They sum up my career securing grants from these nonprofit investors: full of maddening constraints and surreal possibilities. As a volunteer-turned-employee in this space, I am now what is politely referred to as a “seasoned” consultant. I marked my firm’s 20th anniversary…