YOU CAN’T SQUEEZE A SIZE

10 FOOT INTO A SIZE 5

SHOEHow to avoid mission drift and apply for appropriate funding

opportunities

YOUR QUESTIONS

Please describe a situation you’ve encountered or are facing when you are pushed to apply for grants you don’t think make sense or have a shot at getting.

Pass index card to aisle.

WELCOME

PANELISTS: Alison Paul, Fundraising Consultant & Freelance

Grant Writer, Alison Paul Grantwriting & Consulting Joanne Stewart, President, Grant Writer & Marketing

Consultant, goodworks Advisory Group Patricia Braja, Director of Development, Westchester

Library System

Moderator:   Lydia S. Howie, MS, GPC, President, Grant

Professionals of Lower Hudson and Grant Writer/Marketing Consultant, Howie Marketing & Consulting, Inc.

AUDIENCE QUIZ Who currently writes grants for their

organization?

Those who have written grants – Have you gotten all the grants you’ve ever submitted?

When you have gotten grants was it because of A board connection? Political favor or connection? Dumb luck? You did your homework and found a good

match?

COMPARE YOUR SUCCESS RATE

Grant Professionals Association Fall 2014 State of Grantseeking™ Report

AVERAGE NUMBER OF GRANT APPLICATIONS SUBMITTED DURING 6 MONTHS IS 3-10

Grant Professionals Association Fall 2014 State of Grantseeking™ Report

FOUNDATION GRANTS ON THE RISE

MISSION DRIFT GAME

AUTISM FUNDING

An organization serves 100 children with disabilities and 10% have Autism. A board member thinks it is a great idea to apply to Autism Speaks, which funds autism programs.

Is this a good fit? Yes? No?

GEOGRAPHIC ISSUE

A nonprofit organization wants to apply to a foundation that funds organizations that serve NYC. The 990 does not list any funded organizations that are located outside of NYC. The nonprofit serves clients from LI, Westchester, CT, with about 10% from the Bronx and Manhattan, and is located in Westchester.

Is this a good fit? Yes? No?

CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION FUNDING

There is an organization that has a 12-week parenting program that covers a different topic each week. One topic over the 12-week period is child abuse prevention. The ED insists on applying to a foundation that only funds child abuse prevention agencies and programming.

Is this a good fit? Yes? No?

NEW PROGRAM COMPONENT

An after school program is launching a new STEM program. To appeal to a donor who wants to only fund STEM programs that reach kids that are super science-minded, the program will advertise its STEM program and try to attract outside participants.

Is this a good fit? Yes? No?

YOUTH COLLEGE PREP PROGRAM

A youth development organization’s college prep program includes resume building, interview prep and job searching for teens, etc. The DD wants to apply to a bank whose funding focus is clearly workforce development funding.

Is this a good fit? Yes? No?

MISSION DRIFT

Mission drift is the term given when a nonprofit either finds that it has moved away from the organization's mission or the organization consciously moves into a new direction

from its mission statement.

DOWNSIDE OF MISSION DRIFT

WHY MISSION DRIFT IS BAD

Often involves creating a new program/ project to fit a funder’s guidelines.

Wastes in-house personnel’s time to write.

Costs money if you work with a grant writing consultant.

May miss another opportunity that is a better fit.

WHY MISSION DRIFT IS BAD CONTINUED

Amount of resources necessary to implement the project or evaluate/report on it.

Especially problematic for smaller organizations.

DEATH BY OPPORTUNITY

“Death by Opportunity” describes this idea that the organization doesn't take into account the resources needed to implement the project or they tweak their mission to fit their funder's expectations.

SUGGESTIONS TO AVOID MISSION DRIFT

Take a look at your mission statement, strategic plan and priorities periodically.

Have agreed upon lists of needs, wants and fundable projects with input from staff and board members.

Create a 6-month grants plan and try to stick to it.

SUGGESTIONS TO AVOID MISSION DRIFT CONTINUED

Keep the board apprised on what grants and projects have been recently submitted and what is in the pipeline to do.

Question if the proposed program fits your own mission OR are you chasing the funding and creating a new program or program component?

Question if it really is meeting the funder’s funding focus?

VETTING APPROPRIATE FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

Review funder’s web site, the foundation’s listing on The Foundation Center's Online Directory, and/or review their 990 found on GuideStar for the following information: Deadlines Geographic preferences Funder’s limitations Funding focus Funder accepting proposals? Funding grant-making range? Have required addendums? Amount distributing?

“QUESTIONS TO ASK YOURSELF TO DETERMINE IF THE FUNDING STREAM IS VIABLE” HANDOUT

PICK UP HANDOUT ON WAY OUT.

Call the funder to discuss.

Attend funder RFP sessions.

Does your board have any connections to the funder or donor?

Remember there are literally thousands of funding opportunities to apply for. It’s ok to pass on an opportunity.

VETTING APPROPRIATE FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES CONTINUED

EVALUATE THE COST OF PREPARING VERSUS FUNDING POTENTIAL AND WORK REQUIRED TO IMPLEMENT

Consultant: Estimate the number of hours it will take (e.g. 50hrs for federal, 15hrs for foundation) x the grant writer’s hourly rate and weigh that to the likely award amount.

In-house grant writer: What kind of staffing and resources are needed to write the grant? What is your “opportunity cost?”

SUSTAINABILITY

Reporting – Who will do surveys? Who will gather the numbers? Who will draft the report?

Financially – How will you fund the program in year 2?

HANDLING ENTHUSIASTIC, WELL-MEANING BOARD MEMBERS AND SUPERVISORS

Show them the list of the funder’s funding priorities and ask how the project meets their funding focus.

Provide them with an estimated cost to write/submit the grant, % chance of being funded, and detailed list of what the program/project will require if awarded the grant.

Get the ED or board member to buy into the fact that the grant writer is the most qualified person to vet funding opportunities.

Ask what the plans are for funding in year 2?

Suggest an alternative way for them to be involved with the grant process.

Have that zealous board member be present when a funder does a site visit to see the kinds of questions the funder asks and how they hone in on mission fit.

Share comments, if you can get them, from a proposal that was rejected or conversation with the program officer. 

Remind the person of your mission statement, strategic plan and priorities periodically.

For a specific RFP that has been released, use a RFP Evaluation Sheet and share with the group.

MORAL OF THE STORY

Avoid mission drift with your grants by doing the six things we suggested.

MORAL OF THE STORY

Thoroughly vet your funding opportunities.

Apply for those things that you know truly meet the funding focus and have a reasonable chance of getting.

Evaluate the cost of preparing versus funding potential and work required to implement before you submit the grant.

Get creative with how you handle zealous board members and supervisors.

MORAL OF THE STORY

Remember: Don’t try to squeeze your size 10 foot into a size five shoe!

THANK YOU FOR COMING

PANELISTS: Alison Paul, Fundraising Consultant & Freelance

Grant Writer, Alison Paul Grantwriting & Consulting Joanne Stewart, President, Grant Writer & Marketing

Consultant, goodworks Advisory Group Patricia Braja, Director of Development, Westchester

Library Systems

Moderator:   Lydia S. Howie, MS, GPC, President, Grant

Professionals of Lower Hudson and Grant Writer/Marketing Consultant, Howie Marketing & Consulting, Inc.