Working with Foundations

Working with Foundations Kernodle Center for Service Learning & Community Engagement Elon University February 10, 2011

Why are you here?

Robyn Fehrman
Community Program Officer
(919) 474-8370 x. 128
[email_address]
Twitter: @TriComFdn
Facebook.com/TriangleCF
About Me

Agenda
Building a Fundraising Plan
Types of Foundations
Introduction to TCF
General Proposal Elements
Tips for Success
Your turn to be the Funder!

Gather the numbers
Projected total annual expenses?
Already committed income?
Fundraising expenses?
Analyze past fundraising efforts
What worked?
Where can you improve?
What are the new opportunities?
Determine available resources
Roles for board, staff, volunteers, current supporters?
Source: Fundraising Planning Worksheet:
A Tool for Creating Your Annual Fundraising Plan, Grassroots Fundraising Journal, 2007

Develop fundraising strategies for various audiences
Individual donors
Events
Earned income
Foundations
Government
Businesses
Hammer out the details for each strategy
Net income = Projected income – Total cost
Other goals for this strategy?
Staff & volunteers needed?
Source: Fundraising Planning Worksheet:
A Tool for Creating Your Annual Fundraising Plan, Grassroots Fundraising Journal, 2007

Types of Foundations
Private Foundations
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation
The Warner Foundation
Corporate Foundations
Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina Foundation
North Carolina GlaxoSmithKline Foundation
Community Foundations
Triangle Community Foundation

Introduction to TCF
27 year old community foundation
Largest general funder in the Triangle
Assets: ~$135 million
Grantmaking: ~$15 million
Donor-Advised Funds
Competitive Grants
Staff: 16 + interns
Find us on Facebook, Twitter, & YouTube

Researching a Foundation
Resources List
Questions to Ask
Funding priorities?
Typical grant size?
One or multi-year grants?
Eligibility requirements?
Accept unsolicited proposals?
Application process?
Letters of support?
Review process?
Site visits?
Timelines?
Evaluation requirements?

Proposal Elements
Statement of need, problem, opportunity
Why are you doing this work in this way at this time?
Goal and objectives
What are you trying to achieve? How will you know when you achieve it?
Project description, activities, timeline
What are you going to do? How are you going to do it? Who will you work with? When are you going to do it?

Proposal Elements
Anticipated outcomes, evaluation plan, benchmarks
What are your indicators of success? What can you measure? How will you measure it? When will you measure it?
Budget
What is your income? Is it committed or pending? How diverse is your income stream? What are your expenses? How do administrative expenses compare to programmatic expenses?
Sustainability Plan
Will work continue after grant? If yes, how? If no, how will you transition?

Tips for Success
Build a relationship
Make funder friends –
not funder enemies
Know funder priorities and assess fit
Read and follow directions
Ask questions well before proposal deadline
Use spell check
Make it easy to understand
Budget is critical
Keep the next proposal in mind

Your Turn!
Read proposal
Score using TCF Proposal Assessment Rubric
Discuss strengths and weaknesses
Would you fund this organization?

“ You are not here merely to make a living. You are here to enable the world to live more amply, with greater vision, and with a finer spirit of hope and achievement. You are here to enrich the world, and you impoverish yourself if you forget this errand.” - Woodrow Wilson

Working with Foundations

by Triangle Community Foundation

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