As a nonprofit, it's important to know how to research, write, and obtain a grant for your organization. During this advanced webinar we will look at the different types of grants and how your nonprofit might consider applying for a grant. In this webinar we will talk about: - The challenges, positives and negatives of bringing grants into your nonprofit funding model - Ten ways to find a grant donor who will give to your organization - Tips and tools for writing effective grants

1. Researching, Writing
and Obtaining Grants
Daniel Kimball
Product Specialist at Aplos Software

2. Daniel Kimball
Dan Kimball is a seasoned fundraiser with twenty
years of experience in strategic fund development and
nonprofit management.
He’s currently developing Aplos’ Donor Management
Platform to help nonprofits connect with (and
cultivate!) their donor base.
“Fundraising is a relationship business.”
@fugativedmk
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3. Webinar Will Cover
▸ Philanthropic $ (dollars) and where it comes from
▸ Ideas on where and how to look for Grants
▸ Research Tools
▸ Writing and obtaining grants
▸ Tips and tools
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4. Introduction
Navigating the process of finding, writing and
obtaining grants can be challenging and
overwhelming but it can also be very
rewarding.
Many nonprofit organizations do not
pursue grants because they either are
intimidated by the process or do not feel
they have the proper tools to do so.
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5. Opening remarks and setting the stage
• State and Federal Grants vs Foundation and Corporate Grants
• Hiring a Grant Writer or using a Grant Writing service
• Don’t follow the money- Stay true to your mission
• Don’t rely to heavily on grants (some exceptions)
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6. @fugativedmk
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Philanthropy goes way back in the past
Philanthrōpia:
from Greek:
philos loving+ anthrōpos man:
=
Love of Mankind

7. 2014 Contributions: $358.38 billion by source of contributions
(in billions of dollars – all figures are rounded)
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8. 2014 Contributions: $358.38 billion by type of recipient
organization(in billions of dollars – all figures are rounded)
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9. @fugativedmk
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There are approximately 1.8 million registered non-profit
organizations in the US.
In 2013 there were between 80,000 & 121,000 Private
Foundations in the US
Private foundations with less than $50 million in assets account
for 98% of the approximately 80,000 private foundations in the
United States
“Board Source”…
Nonprofit Landscape in the US

10. Conclusion= There are more people asking for $money
than there are Foundations giving away
$money….Keeping in mind that Foundations are only
required to give away 5% of their assets annually.
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The Myth of the 5% “Ceiling.” Even during the worst of the
recession, private foundations consistently gave well in excess of the
5% annual distribution required by federal law. Disbursements for
grants and charitable expenses averaged 11.6% of assets between
2008 and 2011, and the total value of grants increased 4.5% during
the same period.
“Board Source”

11. An Effective Grant Program Needs the Following:
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Someone to:
Identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward strategic relationships with corporations and foundations, and coordinate approaches
within your Organization/community.
Write, edit, and submit proposals and correspondence.
Provide direct assistance and support by identifying foundation funding sources for priority programs and preparing proposals
to such entities.
Coordinate corporate and foundation visits and events.
Maintain the integrity of data on corporations and foundations and your organization’s relationships with these entities.
Promotes mutually beneficial relationships between foundations and your programs.
Provides administrative and technological infrastructure for prospect coordination, planning, and solicitation, as well as other
services to enhance relationships with foundations.

12. Fundraising Basics
“Development” is a relationship business.
It’s a process—a long-term process.
Donors give to quality, to success, not simply to need.
People want to make a difference.
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13. Types of foundations
There are typically three different types of foundations –
• Independent foundations- generally funded by an individual, a family or
a group of individuals;
• Corporate foundations- created and funded by companies as separate
legal entities;
• Community and other public foundations; publicly supported foundations
operated by, and for the benefit of, a specific community or geographic
region- Also Donor advised foundations, i.e. Regional Foundation.
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14. Research Tools
There are many tools you can use to research prospective funding foundations.
Budget and convenience will determine which method you start out with, but in
any case you should be as thorough as possible within your means. There is a wealth of
information on the Internet, including a number of services you can pay to do your research for
you!
There are a number of websites useful to foundation prospect research. Take some time to
really explore these sites if you’re not already familiar with them:
http://fdncenter.org: The Foundation Center; one of the oldest and best resources on the web.
The Foundation Center offers a number of paid subscription programs. The Foundation Directory
online and GrantSPace is a great resource. Many University or public library will allow nonprofits
to use their subscription.
www.www.grantstation.com-
Both of these allow you to search very detailed records of foundations by a variety of criteria,
including past grants, focus areas, and giving interests. For example, an animal rescue shelter
might identify a list of foundations dedicated to animal welfare or with a history of funding other
shelters and animal rescue groups
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15. Research Tools…
www.guidestar.com: Note that you must register to use Guidestar but registration is free. Guidestar
does offer paid subscriptions. There is no charge for viewing an organization's three most recent 990s.
http://www.cof.org: The Council on Foundations.
http://www.smallfoundations.org/: A relatively new organization devoted to
60,000 smaller United States foundations.
http://grantchat.org/
#grantchat
A to Z Grantwriting with Linda Vallejo- Seminars and workshops/Grants
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16. Research Tools…
Hoovers- subscription based, good for corporate profiles-
Corporate Philanthropy Report- Paid Subscription/Foundation and Corporate Funding
Advantage
AFP- Bookstore and Resources
Google-internet search/
Social Media- Twitter
Others?
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17. Ten Ways to Find a Grant Donor Who Will Give to
Your Organization/CBO
10. Do your homework – Know and understand what your organization needs
grant money for (e.g. new program, ten new wheelchairs, a capital campaign
(new building), etc.) be sure to have planned out: the timeline, staff, action
items, expected results, research the target audience, understand what the
real need in the community is that your new item/program is addressing, etc.
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9. Research foundations, corporations, etc. who give grants. Do not print a list of foundations
who operate near your town and decide the organizations on the list are who you're
nonprofit is applying to for grants. LOOK FOR THE MATCH
Create a list of foundations who:
•donate to organizations that operate in your region (or who give to organizations that serve in your region)
•donate to the cause or issue that your organization is addressing
•demonstrate a history of giving, in the amounts that you're needing to raise, to organizations that are
similar to yours
Understand and develop Letters of Inquiry (LOI's)

18. Ten Ways to Find a Grant Donor Who Will
Give to Your Organization/CBO
8. Write an honest, thorough, succinct, easy to read grant proposal and tailor
according to each foundation's guidelines' directions. All foundations are different
from one another. One foundation will want you to include the list of your
organization's Board of Directors, and another won't. They all require different
things - read each foundation's giving guidelines
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7. Get organized. Plan out when each application that your organization has been invited to
submit is due, or when you want to have it 100% completed by (to get it into the mail (email),
to arrive on time).
6. Prepare and educate any executive director and board members who may meet with foundation
(or grant donor) representatives. Sometimes grant donors want to see a site location or interview
organization leaders to get a feel for the organization's culture, management style, openness, etc.

19. @fugativedmk
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CREATIVITY & COLLABORATION GOES A LONG WAYS

20. Ten Ways to Find a Grant Donor Who Will Give
to Your Organization/CBO
5. Be grateful for the foundations who decline your application. They remain a
potential grant donor to your organization now, just as they were when you applied.
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4. Manage any grant that your group receives. It's a donation from a potential
future donor to your organization. Do not spend the grant on anything other
than what you stated it would be spent on, in the proposal.
3. Communicate with grant donors. Good and Bad news/updates
2. Do not send grant donors (Foundations) things like newsletters, annual appeal
letters, etc. after they've given to your organization. (unless they ask)
1. Give your organization enough time to be successful. Grant writing is not a quick fix
fundraising method. Be sure to plan ahead- Use experts who can help.

21. Good Storytelling
It is important to implement and integrate good storytelling in your grant
submissions and proposals. Having vision and mission is important,
communicating that vision is more important.
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https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=uXPlzdTcA-I

22. Engaging Grant Funders
Engaging donors also applies to grant writing. Although the style of grant writing
is business writing rather than marketing, you still need to tell a good story. After
all, if you’re bored writing the proposal, think about how the foundation officer
will feel when they have a bunch of other proposals to get through on their desk.
Include success stories with your grant proposals,
Don’t repeat the same stories to the same funder. Along those lines, I
Always review the previous year’s proposal to the funder before you work
on a new one.
Try and make it clear that you are speaking with the funder rather than at
the funder.
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23. @fugativedmk
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A young girl walks home after collecting water in rural Rwanda. $20 can give
one person access to clean drinking water for 20 years.
Help today: charitywater.org/donate

24. Other Tips and Tools
Create a grant toolbox: Statistics, templates and information for grants.
Find out which foundations have given grants in your region-Talk to those who
got funded and ask for advice and ideally copies of their successful grants.
Collect sample successful grants to use as boilerplate models. Many foundations
will send you, on request, proposals from past funded projects, or at least will
give you the addresses of past grant recipients, so you can ask them directly for
copies of successful proposals.
Make the budget a priority.
Read the guidelines and include the right parts.
Form partnerships and collaborations.
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25. Conclusion/ Q&A
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Obtaining a grant can be an effective and powerful way to
support or expand the mission of your nonprofit.

26. About Aplos
We’re the #1 solution in online donor management
software for nonprofits.
Fundraising is important, but you probably wish you didn't
have to spend so much of your valuable time raising
money. Aplos' all-in-one solution helps you raise money,
track giving, and ensure your donors have a positive
experience with your organization.
Visit aplos.com for more information.
"Nonprofits all across the country
are praising the software's ease of
use, reasonable price, and great
customer service." - NPTechNews