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Funding Development Services
FAQ Series: Proposal Writing and Foundations
- What are foundations?
- What is a community foundation?
- What is the first step in approaching foundations?
- Where do we find information about foundations?
- How do we write an effective proposal?
- What do foundations look at when considering a proposal?
- Are letters of inquiry a useful tool?
- We’ve got a great video, should we include it?
- We got rejected, what now?
- What are some of the common mistakes in grant applications?
What are foundations?
Foundations are in the business of making money and giving it away to charities. They are incorporated and have special tax status which allows them to accumulate assets over time, with some disbursement requirements. There are four basic types of foundations: family foundations, such as the Jackman Foundation; specific need foundations such as hospital and university foundations; corporate foundations, such as the banks have; and, community foundations.
What is a community foundation?
Community foundations consolidate philanthropy in a given community. They promote charitable giving by partnering with local donors on community projects, and providing leadership on issues of community concern. Community foundations also have grant programs to give out money from general funds. Libraries can partner with community foundations by establishing funds within the foundation – endowed funds for long-term future projects, and managed funds that will combine gifts outside of immediate needs so that they can benefit from pooled investing until they can be used. Community foundations are a simple alternative to libraries creating their own foundations.
What is the first step in approaching foundations?
The first step in approaching foundations involves research. You need to identify foundations that have the same interests as you. That is, you need to match the work of the library with the funding interests of the foundations. Foundations establish funding criteria based on their interest. They may have restrictions based on geography, types of funding, who can apply, how often you can apply, etc. There is no sense in applying to a foundation that is not interested in the kind of work you do or is not interested in funding the type of project your are proposing. So it is important that you take the time to research your prospective foundations to ensure that they will be receptive to your proposal.
Where do we find information about foundations?
Some foundations have websites that provide information on giving
interests and application processes. But for the most part, much
of the information about foundations is not publicly available.
There are a few free web resources to consult, that usually aim you back
to a foundation’s website, but they can be a good place to start:
Charity Village.com, and the Grantsmanship Center (a US site but still
have pretty good free listing). There are a few web resources to
consult that direct you to the company website. They include:
Charity Village.com and the
Grantsmanship Center (a US site but
still has good free listing).
There are three main subscription services that provide extensive
profiles on all types of foundations, including:
PRO-online,
BIG database, and the online
version of Imagine Canada’s
Canadian Directory to Foundations and Corporations. These three
sites also provide a lot of support material on topics such as how to
write proposals.
How do we write an effective proposal?
Proposal writing is an acquired skill and requires quite technical writing. Generally speaking, an effective proposal to a foundation will clearly state how what you do matches what it funds, and an explanation of why they should be interested in you and what you are doing. Foundations were established by families and corporations to address the needs of society and they are looking for partners to collaborate with. Their funding interests are very similar to what would motivate an individual donor. In the proposal, you must clearly state the issue or problem and effectively explain how you will solve the problem. You must also show why you are the best partner for the foundation to collaborate with, either by track record or resident expertise. You must use the funder’s terminology in explaining your project and promote what their interests are – often this means giving a different twist on how you have developed your project idea. Use The Proposal Rater to assist you in writing an effective proposal.
What do foundations look at when considering a proposal?
The criteria for evaluation may differ from foundation to foundation but generally speaking they are looking for: the importance or demonstrated need for the project; a match with the foundation’s giving interests; the potential effectiveness of the program’s plan; the capability of the organization to implement the program; the cost-effectiveness of the project; any duplication of service; and, a particular interest from one of the foundation’s trustees.
Are letters of inquiry a useful tool?
Letters of Inquiry used to be standard in the grant writing process – ensuring that foundations are interested in your project, and vice versa. It doesn’t seem to have quite the same importance of late with all the other ways we have to communicate such as email or a simple phone call. But it is still important to contact the foundation in some manner to confirm certain details such as the application process, deadlines and giving interests. Despite consulting very current resources, sometimes these things do change. The other reason to introduce yourself to the foundation outside of the application process is to get some feedback on the project idea –and hear how they respond. It’s an opportunity to listen to how the foundation administrator explains what their interest might be in your project and the kind of language he or she uses to describe it. This could prove to be vital information that you can use in your formal application. A good example would be the field representatives for the Ontario Trillium Foundation. It’s vitally important that you contact them to discuss your proposal before you begin writing. Undoubtedly they will have important feedback for you on the idea you are proposing, the application process, and other factors that might save you time and energy in preparing your written application.
Do I have to follow the application processes?
The short answer is yes, most definitely. It's essential that you follow it. Some grantors may have a specific application form that you must complete, and will not accept any other materials. Others may require a proposal and give you an outline of what they expect. Or they may ask for a combination of a form and some type of proposal. Then again, grant givers may require you to submit a letter of intent, providing a 2-3 page summary of your project, to help them decide if they want a full proposal. Make sure you follow the funder's instructions exactly. With all the hard work that goes into an application or proposal, it's a shame to be rejected on some technicality, or because your application is incomplete.
We’ve got a great video, should we include it?
Most foundations will not ask for supplementary material like videos or expensive annual reports or other publications – they just don’t have the time to review them, and do not want to incur the expense of getting them back to you. You should follow the application process to the letter, so don’t include information or material that is not requested.
What are some of the common mistakes in grant applications?
Applications can get rejected for many reasons, but here are some of
the most common:
The writing isn’t succinct or intelligible; the budget is inaccurate
with inflated numbers; there are typos or grammatical errors; the budget
doesn’t match the project narrative; the objectives of the proposal
can’t be measured; there was too much jargon, too many acronyms or
buzzwords that rendered it difficult to read; the writer ignored the
instructions in the application process; and, the project was not a
match with funder’s interests. As you can see, it doesn’t take
much to end up in the ‘no’ pile.
We got rejected, what now?
There are many reasons why an application may not be accepted.
If possible, try to contact the foundation administrator and inquire if
there was a specific reason for your rejection letter. It may not be a
reflection on the quality of your proposal or the validity of your
project. I could simply be that there were too many good projects
this cycle to fund. Try to ascertain if you should re-apply next
cycle, and what suggestions for changes might make your proposal
stronger.