January 2012: Presentation to MSW students at UNCG/NC A&T University

1. Philanthropy and
Foundations
Joint Master of Social Work Program
NC A&T and UNCG
January 24, 2012

2. AGENDA
Private
Philanthropy
Foundations
Grantmaking Careers in
Trends Philanthropy

3. Who Gives?

4. Who Receives?

5. Foundation Funding

6. Giving Trends

7. A Typical Foundation?
• More than 3/5 of active foundations
were established after 1989*
• 17% are staffed
• 8% ARs 120
100
• 17% have publications 100
1975
80
• 11% have Web sites 68 1980
60 56 1985
1990
40
40 25.6
32 1995
21.8 22.09
2000
20 2006
2020*
0
Foundations

8. 2009 Perspective
Philanthropy: $303 Billion
• $383 Billion = national debt service
• $672 Billion = Social Security benefits
• $404 Billion = Wal-Mart Revenue

9. Working with Foundations
1) What are foundations? What are the different
kinds? What do they do?
2) What is the relationship between grant proposals
and foundation work?
3) What do foundations and other funders look for
when determining who gets grant dollars?
4) What are some procedural do’s and don'ts in
trying to get projects funded?

10. THE TEDIOUS AND TIME CONSUMING
METHOD THAT IS, UNFORTUNATELY,
OFTEN TIMES NECESSARY
What are you trying to find out?
1) Who they give to? (Eligibility)
2) When? (Deadlines)
3) Who they have given to? (Previous Recipients)
4) How to apply? (Format)

11. SOME UNOFFICIAL TRUTHS ABOUT
GRANTSEEKING
1) You will have a much easier time getting funded for
something new rather than something you have been
doing already.
2) Submitting joint proposals with collaborators
increases your chances of success exponentially.
3) No one can sit in a room by themselves and develop
an effective grants
project.

12. SOME UNOFFICIAL TRUTHS ABOUT GRANTSEEKING
(continued)
4) Your chances for success increase
dramatically if you have had positive
interaction with the funder before you
submit your proposal.
5) Much of the information required in grants can, and
should be prepared ahead of time.
6) The worst way to develop a grant seeking project is
in response to a notice of fund availability.

13. 4 DRAWBACKS OF GRANTS PURSUIT
(AND REALIZATION)
- IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER-
1) THE MONEY RUNS OUT
2) EFFORT DOES NOT EQUAL RETURN
3) INTRAORGANIZATIONAL STRESS
4) UNREALISTIC EXPECTATIONS

14. KEY COMPONENTS OF A SUCCESSFUL
GRANT PROPOSAL
ESTABLISHMENT OF PROBLEM/NEED YOU WANT TO ADDRESS
• Statistics
• Anecdotal reports from within or outside
• Community-wide needs vs. institutional
• Surveys/Public Forums/Community Input
YOUR PROPOSED SOLUTION
• Logic
• Within your capacity and experience
• Considers other providers
• Reasonable within the timeframe you have suggested

16. DO
• Read all the materials that the foundation or
other funder has published.
• Start talking to the foundation representatives well before
their deadlines and before your proposed project start dates.
• Develop a system within your organization that identifies
potential projects early on and is prepared when
opportunities present themselves. Have a system whereby
people involved in accounting, finance and other areas of
operations can respond quickly and knowledgably to the
needs of the funders.

17. DO
(continued)
• Commit time and work to participation in community or
regional networks relevant to health and human service issues.
• Enhance your knowledge of the people you currently serve
and those who you are not currently serving.
• Demonstrate an in depth knowledge of what other services are
being offered in the community.

18. • Realistic goals
• Leadership—management/board
• Financial viability
• Collaboration
• Sustainability
• Local commitment, including organization putting in some
of their own money

19. DO NOT
• Call a foundation saying that you need money for XYZ.
• Use the names of elected officials of other prominent persons
unless you are absolutely sure of the relationships in the
community.
• Try to shame the foundation person into acknowledging the need
for your project.
• Request funding for items or program areas that the foundation
does not fund.
• Criticize the efforts of others.
• Get consultants involved as spokespersons.

20. Trends and Progress

21. Outcomes-Focused Grantmaking
• Focus Shift (Compliance – Outcomes)
• Use of Language is Important
• Budget – not interested in money, but money in motion
• Measuring gain
• Milestones/Results
• Resources: Outcome Funding,
Hal Williams

22. Resources
• Grant Proposal Makeover by Cheryl A. Clarke
and Susan P. Fox
• Center for Effective Philanthropy
• The Rensselvaerville Institute/Center for What
Works
• NC Center for Nonprofits
• QENO @ UNCW

24. Resources

25. Questions and Answers

26. Edgar Villanueva, MHA, FACHE
Owner/Principal Consultant
edgar@leveragepartners.net
[T} LEVERAGEpartner
www.leveragepartners.net