1: The different types of organizations : private, company sponsored, and operating I found to be interesting, as I don’t have a strong business background. The inner workings of each foundation heavily correlates to the amount of money that they give away in grants, as well as the amount of grants that they give.
2: Credibility: Not only is it extremely important to look into the legitimacy of the organization that you are asking money from, but it is also important to prove to them your credibility as well. The way that the woman was talking about it in the video made it feel almost like the show Shark Tank in the sense that you are almost pitching yourself to these potential investors, and it is extremely important.
3: The proposal isn’t what the organization wants first. The woman in the video talks in depth about the letter of intent and how you must do your homework before you reach out. She talks about how you should have a draft of your proposal before you even submit anything in writing, and that way you will be able to tweak it to be catered toward the funder and get it out as soon as possible.
1. “If you know one foundation, you know one foundation” is something essential that grant-seeking organizations must understand. There are various types of foundations that differ in available funding that they can provide, size and number of people, and most importantly, motives. Private foundations tend to fund based on their values and interests and public charities tend to fund to make an impact on the community, while corporations focus on more the positive public relations that it will bring rather than being attributed to a specific cause unless the cause provides them with further economic benefit.
2. “Grant writing is never about the need of your organization” because that is already the whole purpose of a grant. Foundations don’t want to hear from numerous organizations that they need the grant, but rather what impact will they have provided they are given the grant. This is where specificity and being concise come into play, as foundations want to be able to decide quickly whether an organization will put its funding to good use based on its interests.
3. Giving grants is a huge financial decision on behalf of the foundation, so it is crucial that an organization seeking a grant establishes credibility and has a good reputation. Otherwise, organizations should not expect to receive a grant as foundations cannot trust that the money will go to the right cause or be put to good use. Reputation also spreads by word of mouth, so having a strong organization with strong leadership can ensure current and future success when it comes to grant seeking.
One of the things they listed as an important part of finding grants is that not all foundations are alike. They described three types: independent (individual(s), family, ex. Gates Foundation), company/corporate sponsored (like individual but associated with a company, ex. Home Depot Foundation), and operating (give smaller grants, ex. A local zoo or museum). I think it’s helpful to know and understand the different kinds of foundations you can get a grant from and the role they play as grant-granter (get it). Another point they brought up was that foundations must give their money away in accordance with the IRS. It’s helpful to look at different foundation’s motives when giving out grants. They said that private foundations tend to give out grants to a variety of organizations that share their philanthropic goals/interests, corporate foundations usually focus on their brand and visibility (Corporate Social Responsibility), and public charities aim for community impact. Finally, I thought their point about asking for the right amount is critical. Looking into the foundations’ history of what kinds of organizations they’ve given money to in the past and for how much. It’s something to help gauge how much you think they would award based on their history.
Point One: Something they mentioned in the beginning of the video that stuck with me is that in order to receive grants, the nonprofit must be able to display a sustainable income (one that does not solely depend on grants). They explained that the sustainable income is largely made up of individual donations and bequests, which also come from individuals. Grants and foundations actually only make a small portion of the chart of where a nonprofits income originates.
Point Two: Private foundations are not alike to one another, but they often consist of three main types (although others also exist). The speaker split the three main ones into Independent, company-sponsored, and operating. Independent (private) foundations supply their funds mainly through one individual, a group of individuals, or a family. They often have their name tied to the foundation (one example being Ford) and are small because of the amount of individual/family involvement and staff. Secondly, company-sponsored or corporate foundations gather their funds through contributions of a for-profit business. Although funds are received from the company donors, the foundation remains separate from the business (example being Home Depot Foundation). Lastly, operating foundations, which award grants but are typically smaller than others because of funds also being used for their programs/mission. Examples of these are often museums and zoos.
Point Three: The last thing I found important from this video comes in at their sixth step, tailoring your proposal and grant approach to each foundation. The speaker describes as “one size DOES NOT fit all.” Doing this allows the nonprofit to be more effective in winning grants because the materials feel more personalized/accessible to the foundation. An individual wants to avoid making a template or copy that is then sent to various foundations.
One thing that I found interesting was that homework goes a long way. Take the time to do your research on the organizations/grantmakers that care about the things that your program can do. Never go in blind. If you can appeal to the funders, you might have a shot at getting the grant that you need for your project. Furthermore, another point that stood out to me was that not all foundations are alike. Just like people they come in all different shapes, sizes, attitudes, etc. However, they do/can be boiled down into three distinct categories. That being Independent, Company-sponsored, or operating. Finally, there is the idea of credibility. Having a sort of “resume” that entails things like what type of non-profit you are, having a compelling mission, strong leadership, and what impact have you made. Having measurable impact or high-quality programs is what funders are looking for. With that comes financial responsibility, like are you wise with your funds? Or will your organization be around long-term? These are important questions that the funders will be looking for.
The first thing that stood out to me in this video was the difference between corporations and private funders. I had always made the assumption that no matter the type of organization, they would be focused on their brand. In my mind, expanding that brand would include philanthropy. However, this video suggests that those two ideas don’t necessarily work together. I feel that private organizations focused on philanthropy are trying to establish a philanthropic brand. Large entities will stray away from anything that may be considered controversial and make their brand look bad. This means corporate funders will likely not support organizations that have to do with hot political topics like abortion or LGBTQIA+ rights; however, private entities may. The second part of this video I want to make a note of is the doing your homework portion. Doing research ahead of time is obviously essential when writing grants. However, I imagine it must be easy to fall down a rabbit hole trying to do all the necessary research on organizations, individuals, and an individual’s connections. How does one balance doing the necessary amount of research without going overboard? When do you know you have enough information to move forward? Is this a one-person process, or should the whole team do this step? I found the ‘asking for the right amount’ section to be really helpful. Understanding the research that goes toward asking for the right amount helped me better understand why it’s so important. Knowing that the amount you’re asking for is plausible and makes sense for an organization is key. It always surprises me that a company may turn down a grant for asking for too little, but it makes more sense after watching this video.
1 – Understanding one foundation does not mean that you understand all foundations. Different types of foundations explained by the video are independent, company-owned and operating. Each foundation receives funding in different ways, as well as offer it to different types of organizations. The application process may look different if the foundation is run by a small family, for example, or a large company with more staffing.
2 – Grants do not only come from foundations and can come from private companies making donations. These types of grants are harder to come by, but they can be easier to win for that reason. It is important to know this distinction when applying, as the application process and the interests of the decision makers can look very different.
3 – Grant writing is not about the need of the organization, but rather the outcome of the project. It is important to consider this distinction when writing your application, and not make it seem like the organization needs the money, but make it seem like the public needs the organization to have the money. Foundations don’t necessarily care about the organization’s need, but they care about the impact that their grant will have on the well-being of the public, or the group the organization intends to help with the grant.
1. Credibility. I did not even consider credibility of your organization until this video. I can connect this to having good ties with community leaders that the workbook talked about, but I think that building the financial credibility is another portion of the process that can get overlooked. The video emphasized that financial reliability, good credit history, and previous funders are vital to building the trust of future funders. But how do newer organizations build this trust with grant funders? What are ways that credibility can be gained after it is lost? What projects seem more credible, or is it based on the funder’s perspective?
2. Building Networks. Another important facete of grant finding is compiling a network of potential funders either through direct or indirect connection in and around your community or organization. This seems rather intimidating, but this issue was broken up into smaller chunks which I think the video did a good job addressing briefly. Additionally, they emphasized that potential funders can be connected with through social media like LinkedIn. I still think in person connections are the preferred and most effective method, but it is important to explore multiple avenues.
3. Letters of Interest. I still am wrapping my head around that proposals are written first then funders are found, but even more interesting is how diverse first contact with funders can be. The video explains that many funders want letters of interest, phone calls, or in person meetings. These a whole other set of skills that a nonprofit and grant seeking team must develop. These first contacts are a combination of all of their previous research and a boiled down and refined proposal. Is this part of the process that should be considered up front, or is this an issue that is delt with after the proposal is written?
i. Funder Motivations
While it made sense to me that private foundations would primarily want to fulfill philanthropic goals and interests, and public charities would want to make an impact in their designated communities/demographics/issues, it was surprising to me that corporations, on the other hand, are motivated by branding visibility and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). And while I understand this to be a best practice engagement, I’m still curios as to why they do it. Are corporations really this concerned about how others perceive them on the basis of their funding donations? Or, could this instead be to have consumers view them more favorably, thus lending to their bottom line?
ii. Grant writing is never about the need of your organization
I guess I’ve always understood that foundations don’t necessarily want to be giving to other foundations, but to other causes, but I was still curious about the point in the video that outlined that grant writing is never about the need of your organization. I thought, and maintain to some degree, that if the money needs to be for the lifeblood of the foundation, then it is always best to be honest about that. Therein, grant writing isn’t necessarily never about the need of your organization. Of course, one will want to clearly outline how their foundation is helping real people and causes, but it also seems important to be honest about where the money is going – and receiving grants so that the foundation can stay alive seems like a noble cause.
ii. The proposal is typically not the first thing a foundation wants
I was surprised to hear that the proposal is usually not the first thing a foundation wants. I thought that the proposal encapsulated a reading process. Which is to say, in other words, that there’s a process of reading an application that in itself provides an introduction. What the Candid video suggests, instead, is to write a Letter of Intent/Inquiry (LOI), and when possible, make a phone call to the foundation. I didn’t think grant writing was this intimate and personal – a presumption I’m coming to abandon – but it is in fact suggested to make a warm call first to see what the foundation wants, and mold the application to these desires and objectives.
1.The whole one size doesn’t fit-all approach not working emphasizes the importance of doing your homework. Because it’s important to tailor your proposal to that specific granter you’ll have to put a part in the effort in the grant writing process to appeal it to whoever you’re sending a grant to. It shows how much time and skill you’re dedicating towards this one founder, and it all can go to waste once you realize you’re barking up the wrong tree since you can’t give that proposal to anyone else.
2. The proposal isn’t about your foundation’s needs but more about what your foundation can do to the people giving the grants and what impact that foundation can make This helps give me a sense of direction when I start writing the proposal the aspects of it I have to focus on, and what not to focus on specifically. It’s a very good hint to keep in mind when writing these and gives me the idea that I have to sell myself/that foundation as the benefactor to whatever the foundation is for. Asking not what we need from the donor, but what we will do for the people with the donation.
3.Types of foundation, stood out to me fitting in the need to look into who you’re looking for, you have to keep in mind what your foundation is as much as who your donors are, what kind of foundation are you from Independent, and operating seems like something that can vastly make a difference in what kind of funder is right for you as it affects the threshold/limits of who you pic.
10 thoughts on “JOURNAL # 5”
1: The different types of organizations : private, company sponsored, and operating I found to be interesting, as I don’t have a strong business background. The inner workings of each foundation heavily correlates to the amount of money that they give away in grants, as well as the amount of grants that they give.
2: Credibility: Not only is it extremely important to look into the legitimacy of the organization that you are asking money from, but it is also important to prove to them your credibility as well. The way that the woman was talking about it in the video made it feel almost like the show Shark Tank in the sense that you are almost pitching yourself to these potential investors, and it is extremely important.
3: The proposal isn’t what the organization wants first. The woman in the video talks in depth about the letter of intent and how you must do your homework before you reach out. She talks about how you should have a draft of your proposal before you even submit anything in writing, and that way you will be able to tweak it to be catered toward the funder and get it out as soon as possible.
1. “If you know one foundation, you know one foundation” is something essential that grant-seeking organizations must understand. There are various types of foundations that differ in available funding that they can provide, size and number of people, and most importantly, motives. Private foundations tend to fund based on their values and interests and public charities tend to fund to make an impact on the community, while corporations focus on more the positive public relations that it will bring rather than being attributed to a specific cause unless the cause provides them with further economic benefit.
2. “Grant writing is never about the need of your organization” because that is already the whole purpose of a grant. Foundations don’t want to hear from numerous organizations that they need the grant, but rather what impact will they have provided they are given the grant. This is where specificity and being concise come into play, as foundations want to be able to decide quickly whether an organization will put its funding to good use based on its interests.
3. Giving grants is a huge financial decision on behalf of the foundation, so it is crucial that an organization seeking a grant establishes credibility and has a good reputation. Otherwise, organizations should not expect to receive a grant as foundations cannot trust that the money will go to the right cause or be put to good use. Reputation also spreads by word of mouth, so having a strong organization with strong leadership can ensure current and future success when it comes to grant seeking.
One of the things they listed as an important part of finding grants is that not all foundations are alike. They described three types: independent (individual(s), family, ex. Gates Foundation), company/corporate sponsored (like individual but associated with a company, ex. Home Depot Foundation), and operating (give smaller grants, ex. A local zoo or museum). I think it’s helpful to know and understand the different kinds of foundations you can get a grant from and the role they play as grant-granter (get it). Another point they brought up was that foundations must give their money away in accordance with the IRS. It’s helpful to look at different foundation’s motives when giving out grants. They said that private foundations tend to give out grants to a variety of organizations that share their philanthropic goals/interests, corporate foundations usually focus on their brand and visibility (Corporate Social Responsibility), and public charities aim for community impact. Finally, I thought their point about asking for the right amount is critical. Looking into the foundations’ history of what kinds of organizations they’ve given money to in the past and for how much. It’s something to help gauge how much you think they would award based on their history.
Point One: Something they mentioned in the beginning of the video that stuck with me is that in order to receive grants, the nonprofit must be able to display a sustainable income (one that does not solely depend on grants). They explained that the sustainable income is largely made up of individual donations and bequests, which also come from individuals. Grants and foundations actually only make a small portion of the chart of where a nonprofits income originates.
Point Two: Private foundations are not alike to one another, but they often consist of three main types (although others also exist). The speaker split the three main ones into Independent, company-sponsored, and operating. Independent (private) foundations supply their funds mainly through one individual, a group of individuals, or a family. They often have their name tied to the foundation (one example being Ford) and are small because of the amount of individual/family involvement and staff. Secondly, company-sponsored or corporate foundations gather their funds through contributions of a for-profit business. Although funds are received from the company donors, the foundation remains separate from the business (example being Home Depot Foundation). Lastly, operating foundations, which award grants but are typically smaller than others because of funds also being used for their programs/mission. Examples of these are often museums and zoos.
Point Three: The last thing I found important from this video comes in at their sixth step, tailoring your proposal and grant approach to each foundation. The speaker describes as “one size DOES NOT fit all.” Doing this allows the nonprofit to be more effective in winning grants because the materials feel more personalized/accessible to the foundation. An individual wants to avoid making a template or copy that is then sent to various foundations.
One thing that I found interesting was that homework goes a long way. Take the time to do your research on the organizations/grantmakers that care about the things that your program can do. Never go in blind. If you can appeal to the funders, you might have a shot at getting the grant that you need for your project. Furthermore, another point that stood out to me was that not all foundations are alike. Just like people they come in all different shapes, sizes, attitudes, etc. However, they do/can be boiled down into three distinct categories. That being Independent, Company-sponsored, or operating. Finally, there is the idea of credibility. Having a sort of “resume” that entails things like what type of non-profit you are, having a compelling mission, strong leadership, and what impact have you made. Having measurable impact or high-quality programs is what funders are looking for. With that comes financial responsibility, like are you wise with your funds? Or will your organization be around long-term? These are important questions that the funders will be looking for.
The first thing that stood out to me in this video was the difference between corporations and private funders. I had always made the assumption that no matter the type of organization, they would be focused on their brand. In my mind, expanding that brand would include philanthropy. However, this video suggests that those two ideas don’t necessarily work together. I feel that private organizations focused on philanthropy are trying to establish a philanthropic brand. Large entities will stray away from anything that may be considered controversial and make their brand look bad. This means corporate funders will likely not support organizations that have to do with hot political topics like abortion or LGBTQIA+ rights; however, private entities may. The second part of this video I want to make a note of is the doing your homework portion. Doing research ahead of time is obviously essential when writing grants. However, I imagine it must be easy to fall down a rabbit hole trying to do all the necessary research on organizations, individuals, and an individual’s connections. How does one balance doing the necessary amount of research without going overboard? When do you know you have enough information to move forward? Is this a one-person process, or should the whole team do this step? I found the ‘asking for the right amount’ section to be really helpful. Understanding the research that goes toward asking for the right amount helped me better understand why it’s so important. Knowing that the amount you’re asking for is plausible and makes sense for an organization is key. It always surprises me that a company may turn down a grant for asking for too little, but it makes more sense after watching this video.
1 – Understanding one foundation does not mean that you understand all foundations. Different types of foundations explained by the video are independent, company-owned and operating. Each foundation receives funding in different ways, as well as offer it to different types of organizations. The application process may look different if the foundation is run by a small family, for example, or a large company with more staffing.
2 – Grants do not only come from foundations and can come from private companies making donations. These types of grants are harder to come by, but they can be easier to win for that reason. It is important to know this distinction when applying, as the application process and the interests of the decision makers can look very different.
3 – Grant writing is not about the need of the organization, but rather the outcome of the project. It is important to consider this distinction when writing your application, and not make it seem like the organization needs the money, but make it seem like the public needs the organization to have the money. Foundations don’t necessarily care about the organization’s need, but they care about the impact that their grant will have on the well-being of the public, or the group the organization intends to help with the grant.
1. Credibility. I did not even consider credibility of your organization until this video. I can connect this to having good ties with community leaders that the workbook talked about, but I think that building the financial credibility is another portion of the process that can get overlooked. The video emphasized that financial reliability, good credit history, and previous funders are vital to building the trust of future funders. But how do newer organizations build this trust with grant funders? What are ways that credibility can be gained after it is lost? What projects seem more credible, or is it based on the funder’s perspective?
2. Building Networks. Another important facete of grant finding is compiling a network of potential funders either through direct or indirect connection in and around your community or organization. This seems rather intimidating, but this issue was broken up into smaller chunks which I think the video did a good job addressing briefly. Additionally, they emphasized that potential funders can be connected with through social media like LinkedIn. I still think in person connections are the preferred and most effective method, but it is important to explore multiple avenues.
3. Letters of Interest. I still am wrapping my head around that proposals are written first then funders are found, but even more interesting is how diverse first contact with funders can be. The video explains that many funders want letters of interest, phone calls, or in person meetings. These a whole other set of skills that a nonprofit and grant seeking team must develop. These first contacts are a combination of all of their previous research and a boiled down and refined proposal. Is this part of the process that should be considered up front, or is this an issue that is delt with after the proposal is written?
i. Funder Motivations
While it made sense to me that private foundations would primarily want to fulfill philanthropic goals and interests, and public charities would want to make an impact in their designated communities/demographics/issues, it was surprising to me that corporations, on the other hand, are motivated by branding visibility and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). And while I understand this to be a best practice engagement, I’m still curios as to why they do it. Are corporations really this concerned about how others perceive them on the basis of their funding donations? Or, could this instead be to have consumers view them more favorably, thus lending to their bottom line?
ii. Grant writing is never about the need of your organization
I guess I’ve always understood that foundations don’t necessarily want to be giving to other foundations, but to other causes, but I was still curious about the point in the video that outlined that grant writing is never about the need of your organization. I thought, and maintain to some degree, that if the money needs to be for the lifeblood of the foundation, then it is always best to be honest about that. Therein, grant writing isn’t necessarily never about the need of your organization. Of course, one will want to clearly outline how their foundation is helping real people and causes, but it also seems important to be honest about where the money is going – and receiving grants so that the foundation can stay alive seems like a noble cause.
ii. The proposal is typically not the first thing a foundation wants
I was surprised to hear that the proposal is usually not the first thing a foundation wants. I thought that the proposal encapsulated a reading process. Which is to say, in other words, that there’s a process of reading an application that in itself provides an introduction. What the Candid video suggests, instead, is to write a Letter of Intent/Inquiry (LOI), and when possible, make a phone call to the foundation. I didn’t think grant writing was this intimate and personal – a presumption I’m coming to abandon – but it is in fact suggested to make a warm call first to see what the foundation wants, and mold the application to these desires and objectives.
1.The whole one size doesn’t fit-all approach not working emphasizes the importance of doing your homework. Because it’s important to tailor your proposal to that specific granter you’ll have to put a part in the effort in the grant writing process to appeal it to whoever you’re sending a grant to. It shows how much time and skill you’re dedicating towards this one founder, and it all can go to waste once you realize you’re barking up the wrong tree since you can’t give that proposal to anyone else.
2. The proposal isn’t about your foundation’s needs but more about what your foundation can do to the people giving the grants and what impact that foundation can make This helps give me a sense of direction when I start writing the proposal the aspects of it I have to focus on, and what not to focus on specifically. It’s a very good hint to keep in mind when writing these and gives me the idea that I have to sell myself/that foundation as the benefactor to whatever the foundation is for. Asking not what we need from the donor, but what we will do for the people with the donation.
3.Types of foundation, stood out to me fitting in the need to look into who you’re looking for, you have to keep in mind what your foundation is as much as who your donors are, what kind of foundation are you from Independent, and operating seems like something that can vastly make a difference in what kind of funder is right for you as it affects the threshold/limits of who you pic.