PART 6
SOME FINAL NOTES
After an interview or meeting with a potential funder or after receiving funding, the
applicant might consider sending a note to thank the individual for his or her time. The
Director of the Bureau for Europe and the New Independent States at the United States
Agency for International Development in Washington, D.C. says:
"It is rare when someone says ‘thank you’ to me and when they do, you can
be sure they stick in my mind as someone special."
Such a note provides an extra opportunity for the funding representative to remember
the applicant. In the future, the representative may feel more inclined to give another
grant, speak favorably of the applicant to another funding organization, or work with the
applicant on other projects. Saying "thank you" is, in fact, only one of the
"Ten Commandments of Getting Funds" [footnote: Adapted from Managing a
Nonprofit Organization by Thomas Wolf, Copyright 1990 by Prentice Hall Press, pages
224-227. This is an excellent book on the entire area of grantsmanship, fundraising and
the day to day management of an organization.] which are:
I. Only prospectors find gold.
Only by searching and searching well can you find funds. At times, knowing who
to ask is even more important than knowing how to ask. The only way to know who to
ask is by doing the necessary research.
II. Be sure that courtship precedes the proposal.
Just as you would not propose marriage to someone unless you were certain that the two
of you were compatible, you and the funder must be compatible before you make your
"proposal."
III. Personalize your request.
Your request should be tailored to the funder as much as possible. In general, vague
proposals do not get funds. Be certain to explain why your project is just the sort of
thing that the funding organization would want to fund.
IV. If you want money, you need money.
Organizations tend to give money where others have given money. Matching funds and
other sources of income make funding organizations more comfortable with the idea of
supporting you.
V. When asking for money, assume a "Yes."
A good salesman never says, "if you buy this..." but rather, "when
you buy this...." Avoid being tentative, and treat a funding source as if some
eventual beneficial collaboration will come from your efforts. Remember that it is the job
of the individual who reviews your proposal to find good organizations to which to give
money. If she has to give money to good people, there is no reason why she should
not give the money to you, provided you have done all the other work.
VI. In written requests, "if you can’t scan it, can it." [footnote:
In American slang, to "can" something is to throw it in the garbage can.]
As stated above, most proposals are scanned or read quickly for information. If the
required and important information cannot be found easily in a scanned reading, throw it
out and start writing again.
VII. In doing budgets, use correct arithmetic.
Make sure the figure in your budget add up correctly. Computer spreadsheets can do the
math for you, or alternatively, use a calculator. A budget that does not add up correctly
makes a funding source distrust your ability to handle money, and you are less likely to
receive support.
VIII. When in doubt, use plain language.
Jargon and technical language rarely impresses anyone. Clear and simple writing is
best.
IX. Don’t take a "No" personally.
Having a proposal turned down is especially hard for very sensitive people, but it
should be viewed as a challenge. Interpret a "No" as "Try again." It
pays to be persistent.
X. No matter how many times you say it, say "Thank you" again.
Developing a group of supporters is essential. Long-term funding relationships are
cultivated carefully by showing gratitude. Reference to the funder in the press or in
publications is another way to of showing gratitude and building a relationship with the
organization. Never take a funding source for granted, and never forget to say thanks.
An applicant who has followed all of these rules and has not received funding might ask
for advice from a representative of the funding organization. Many times a representative
will be willing to assist the applicant by explaining which parts of the proposal were
good and which were not. Then the applicant can save the core parts of the proposal and
try to rework the other parts, eventually creating a stronger proposal. Perhaps the
writing style was not appropriate. Perhaps the instructions were not followed completely.
Outside advisers, such as colleagues or experts in the field, may also provide advice.
The impression that funding sources develop of applicants comes directly from the
applicants and their writing. Applicants who do the extensive research, write and rewrite,
read and edit, read and edit again, check their grammar, check the budget, check the
timeline, and check the rest of the proposal will be far better prepared to compete for
grants and represent themselves and their organizations. Taking the time and doing the
work pays off. Good Luck!
