Landing a meeting with a prospective funder is exciting—and often nerve-wracking. Whether you’re sitting down with a foundation program officer, a corporate giving manager, or an individual donor, the preparation you do beforehand can make or break your chances of securing support. These days, nonprofits are facing a more competitive funding landscape, with more requests coming to fundersContinue reading “Want to Win Over Funders? Start Before You Walk in the Room “
Tag Archives: fundraising
Less Paperwork, More Partnership: Understanding Trust-Based Philanthropy
Have you noticed funders talking differently about their grants lately? Terms like “unrestricted giving,” “holistic support,” and “eliminating administrative burdens” are popping up in grant guidelines. What does it all mean? As a nonprofit professional, you know that the current funding landscape is uncertain, the way you describe your work is crucial, and connecting withContinue reading “Less Paperwork, More Partnership: Understanding Trust-Based Philanthropy”
The Funding Season Has Changed—Is Your Grant Language Ready?
Over the past several months, Three Notch’d has been talking a lot with our clients about language—specifically, how the political landscape might affect their grant applications and organizational communications. It’s a conversation happening in nonprofit boardrooms across the country, often in hushed tones and with genuine uncertainty about how to proceed. “Should we change howContinue reading “The Funding Season Has Changed—Is Your Grant Language Ready?”
Mission As True North: Navigating Uncertain Times
The nonprofit sector is facing one of its most challenging periods in recent memory. Federal funding cuts, political uncertainty, and a growing climate of fear have created a perfect storm that threatens the stability of organizations across the country. Yet, even in these difficult times, there are pathways forward, and they begin with focusing onContinue reading “Mission As True North: Navigating Uncertain Times”
5 Ways to Foster Warm Contacts with Funders
The best grant proposal is the one that a funder knows is coming. Sure, it’s tempting to shoot off as many applications as possible into cyberspace. However, “cold” proposals have much lower rates of success than those that begin with conversations with foundation staff. There are a few reasons for this. For starters, foundations receiveContinue reading “5 Ways to Foster Warm Contacts with Funders”
How to Navigate a “No” from a Grant Funder
Nobody likes getting rejected. But the reality is, especially in changing economic times, you may be hearing “no” more than you’re hearing “yes” on grant applications. The most important thing is to not take it personally. Your proposal could have been rejected for a number of reasons, none of which reflects on you as aContinue reading “How to Navigate a “No” from a Grant Funder”
5 Questions to Consider Before Working with a Grant Consultant
You’ve gotten the green light to work with a grant writing consultant and found a skilled professional to help your organization secure much needed funds. Way to go! Every consultant is different, and your process will also vary depending on the size and type of grant—however, carefully considering these five questions will help you getContinue reading “5 Questions to Consider Before Working with a Grant Consultant”
The 1-2-3 of Annual Reports
If you’re the director of a nonprofit (especially an emerging one!), creating an annual report can seem like one more thing on your never-ending to-do list. However, it’s an important document that illustrates your organization’s mission and impact and demonstrates your fiscal responsibility—key elements in making a strong case for continued financial support. Foundations oftenContinue reading “The 1-2-3 of Annual Reports”
I Am a Hunter for Words (a Roxanne Metaphor for Grant Writing)
There is a common metaphor that fundraising is like dating. The first step is identifying someone compatible. Courtship is key, and it’s important to know your worth. A healthy, long-term relationship will build over time, with work. To poke some fun and elaborate on the metaphor, as a grant writing consultant I sometimes feel likeContinue reading “I Am a Hunter for Words (a Roxanne Metaphor for Grant Writing)”
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