Читать книгу Grant Writing For Dummies - Stan Hutton, Beverly A. Browning - Страница 45

Some funders indicate in their grant database profiles or on their websites that a potential grantseeker should call and speak to one of their program officers before submitting a letter of inquiry or attempting to submit an online e-grant application request. The purpose of this request is to circumvent any applicants that have funding requests that do not align with their mission, values, funding priorities, or preferred geographic areas.

In other words, funders do not want to be bothered with unnecessary paperwork from organizations they do not intend to fund. This saves time on their part and on your part. Don’t chase lost leaders, aka funders not interested in receiving any form of written information from you or your organization.

If you do have an opportunity to email, call, Zoom, or meet in-person with a potential funder, you might wonder what you should say. Here’s a few short lists of guiding scripts for every possible form of contact with potential funders:

Contact via email:

 Introduce yourself and your organization to the funder.

 Tell the funder why you are contacting them (shared mission, previous funding from them, Board of Director connection, attendance at one of their technical assistance meetings or webinars, or some attention-grabbing connection).

 State your problem.

 Give the solution.

 Share the amount of funding needed.

 Ask for permission to submit a full funding request based on their guidelines.

 Thank them for their time.

 Proofread and send the email.

 Follow up in five days.

Video meeting or telephone contact:

 Be ready!

 Have a written script!

 Have a timer (or a three minute hourglass).

 Keep it simple!

 Speak with a smile!

 Take copious notes!

In-person meeting:

 Prepare a folder with relevant information on your organization.

 If you are going to work with a fiscal agent, make sure to include at least one fact sheet about the fiscal agent.

 Take a copy of your IRS 501(c)(3) tax-exempt approval letter.

 Listen to the funder and take notes, if needed.

 Do not be overzealous! Do not talk for more than three minutes at a time.