Hiring a Freelance Grant Writer

As organizations begin to plan for 2010 or the second half of their fiscal year, talk of hiring a fundraising consultant or in particular, a freelance grant writer can find its way into a development office. Below are some pros and cons of hiring a freelance grant writer--courtesy of the Minnesota Council on Foundations.

There are plenty of freelance grantwriters in most communities who write proposals for a fee. (Most experienced writers will remind you that it is unethical to work on commission.) There are both good and bad reasons to hire a freelancer:

Good Reasons to Hire a Freelance Grant Writer

1. To write a good, basic proposal — the "mother proposal" — that your group can then adapt to suit different circumstances. After a year or so, however, you should be able to write this on your own.

2. To search grantmaker directories and databases and identify likely funding sources. Again, your organization should soon develop these skills internally.

3. Because you have five proposals due in one week.

Bad Reasons to Hire a Freelance Grant Writer

1. Because your group wants grant money but neither your volunteers nor your staff want to "dirty their hands" by asking for money. Seeking money is a core activity for most nonprofits. Learn to live with it.

2. Because a freelance fund raiser promises he can get you a lot of money through his "connections." Particularly with major funders, projects are generally funded because of their worth, not due to connections.

3. Because your organization has never tried to raise money before and suddenly wants a large amount of money for a big capital project. Alas, big money tends to go to groups with a long track record and solid funding base. There are exceptions, but don’t count on being one of them.

If you decide to hire a freelance grantwriter, be sure to look at some writing samples. And ask for the names and phone numbers of past clients who work in your field.

~Cheers!

Tips for Writing a Letter of Inquiry

I am asked many times about writing letters of inquiry (LOI) or letters of intent. What should be included? Is "letter" just a loose term? Can it be longer than 3 pages?

First of all, there is a purpose and strategy to submitting an LOI. It is not just about following a funder's rules. As an organization, it gives you a chance to throw out your ideas and get some feedback without writing a lengthy proposal. As the funder, you get to screen the ideas that do or do not fit your guidelines and invite full proposals from groups that are the best match. It really is a win-win process for everyone.

Secondly, as an organization you'll usually receive a response within 4-6 weeks, not 4-6 months as with some proposals. My own grant calendars have a lot of LOI submissions during the 1st and 2nd quarters off the year. This gives us time to hear back from the funder and respond by the 3rd or early 4th quarter.

Be Concise. Be Concise. Be Concise.
The greatest challenge in creating an LOI is filling 2-3 pages with ten pages of ideas. Being a skilled writer is imperative to a winning LOI. You must be concise and clear throughout the entire letter. You must also state your need and make it compelling. You are trying to get an invitation to the "big dance" and it's your job to convince the funder you'll be a great partner.

Below are a few tips to keep your LOI on track:

· Be concise and clear.
· Include a condensed, yet compelling needs statement.
· Include your ask amount in first paragraph.
· Avoid using overly relaxed grammar. (This is a legitimate request for support, not a status update on Facebook.)
· Eliminate "fluff".
· Make sure to include your mission statement or a description of those you serve.
· Don't assume your funder already knows about your organization.
· Use an active voice: "With your support, we will install sixteen new wheelchair ramps...".
· Talk about the funder’s impact, answer the "So what?".
· Be concise and clear.

The key to communicating your ideas in a compelling way is to have a vision that you can describe as an “elevator speech”. Your ideas need to be easy to understand and relevant, no matter who is listening.

Finally....remember that "letter" is not a loose term. It really is a letter. It really is signed by your ED. It really is submitted on letterhead. It should not be more than 3 pages and if it is too long, no one will read it. You must still follow the funder's guidelines.

Favorite link for LOI tips: GrantProposal.com

~Cheers!

Grant Planning for 2010: A Silver-Lining for a Gloomy Outlook?

As most grant writers are during October and November, I have been terribly busy writing final 2009 submissions and year-end grant reports. Thus, it has left Grant Savvy a bit neglected. Even @SavvyGrants is suffering. Yikes! I'll be back to being Savvy soon!

During this busy time, I am also creating 2010 grant plans for my clients. This year was no cake-walk and we worked hard to secure the funding that we did (let's hope a few more awards come through before 12/31/09). As I plan for next year it is my responsibility to take into account the external factors that affected our grant efforts...the economy, program cuts, fewer donors, changing collaborative relationships. My brainstorming reminded me of the August 2009 article from the Philanthropy Journal about the less-than-stellar fundraising outlook.

According to the Philanthropy Journal article:

• More than half of fundraisers say their organizations raised more money in 2008 than in 2007, while about four in 10 raised less.
• Virtually all fundraising channels, with the exception of Internet, email and direct mail, are at their lowest success levels since the Philanthropic Giving Index was launched.

With such a "gloomy" outlook, what can we do to plan for a successful 2010?

We'd like to think that sending out more grant proposals increases our chances enough to make the extra effort worth it. This isn't always the case. You cannot change the economy, the new focus of your most loyal foundation or your organization's new strategic direction. You can improve your own work, internally and externally.

The first step in preparing your grant operations for 2010 is to start small and simple. Step away from your narratives and budget summaries. You know you can write a fabulous proposal. Instead, focus on the core of your grant operation. How does your machine work?

• Organize your grant office and make your 501(c)(3) letters, annual reports, board lists, letters of endorsement, budgets and program brochures easily accessible. You'll be surprised at how much time and energy this saves you. Don't underestimate it!
• Run a report on what was funded and what wasn't. If you have the luxury of working with a research team, ask them to help you run some reports. If not, a simple report in Excel can show what was asked, expected and funded, etc. This will give you a better understanding of your grant program and explain your outcomes to stakeholders outside of the development office (board members, CEO, program directors).
• Interview program managers, directors, clients, etc. about their needs for 2010. Don't give feedback yet, but engage in a thoughtful conversation about their needs and wants (usually different). Don't assume you know what they want for 2010. Diagnose before you prescribe!
• Prospect! You should be doing this all year, but make a dedicated effort towards adding new prospects to your portfolio. Be ready with their guidelines and due dates. Do your research before 2010 and you'll be able to move faster when new projects hit your plate.

Don't be discouraged by the "gloomy outlook". Planning for success, not failure, puts you one step ahead of the rest!

Grant Savvy will be doing a lot of planning and organizing during the next eight weeks. Look for more tips and strategies coming soon!