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| Fundraising / Fundraising Success #44 |
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Fundraising Success #44Fundraising Success - Issue #44 - Article: "Ten Grant Writing Tips"; Supplier Spotlight: "American Trends"; Free ebook: "Web Design Tips" ======================================================Fundraising Success #44 -
July 2006 And of course, that means that school fundraising season is about to kick into high gear again and with it, the search for the latest and greatest school fundraising ideas begins again. When it comes to fundraising, there's really nothing new under the sun. Every new idea is a variation on earlier ideas. The key is always to combine multiple ways to raise funds into each school fundraiser. That may mean adding lots of extras to a fundraising event or it might mean offering additional choices to a standard fundraising catalog sale. There's a lot of discussion of these ideas in our Fundraising Forum. You can also find out a lot more about the latest variations in our articles about School Fundraisers. This month's Bonus is a free sample of Maybelline mascara. Spam Virus Help has great information plus links to free resources for Free Adware Remover Kimberly Before you even start writing the grant, you need to:
If the information isn't available on their Website, ask for examples of
recently funded projects, and also for some that have been rejected. 2. Develop your proposal to fit the application Make sure the major budget items in your project are clearly eligible for funding. If only part of your project is relevant to a particular funding opportunity then find other way to fund the rest of the project, and let them know (this not only shows them how resourceful you are, it will ensure that you have enough money to actually fund your project). Use the restrictions and guidelines of the grant opportunity to make sure that you've thought your project through and have planned for all contingencies. If you don't understand what the funder needs or wants, the ASK - don't make assumptions. Look at your project through the eyes of the grant reviewer. Where is your
project weak? What are it's strengths? Are you duplicating services? Do you have
the capacity to carry out the work? If you've got any doubts, now's the time to
address them. 3. Understand and comply with eligibility requirements Be certain you understand what you're getting into - including grant deadlines, scope of work, reports, etc. Can your organization commit to the contract and other legal requirements? If the application process takes a long time and funding is not for six
months to a year, will your project still be relevant and ready to go? 4. Get a second opinion, and ask for help when you need it Get someone else to proofread your application, and make sure that it's clear and compelling. A confusing application will end up in the discard pile. When possible, ask someone who knows little or nothing about the project, because if they can understand the need, urgency and goals of the project, you have a better chance that so with the grant reviewer. The budget is one of the most important parts of your application. If you don't understand them, get help from your accountant or someone who does. Don't be afraid to ask the grantor for help. Don't expect them to write the
application, but they can answer specific questions and even help you to
brainstorm ideas. 5. Bring your own resources to the table You want to give them the sense that you are able to stretch the resources you receive to the maximum amount. Provide documentation that you have more time, resources and expenditures invested into the project than the amount you're requesting funds for. Funders want to fund projects that are important and valuable. Show that you
have resources from a variety of places; the broader the support the better.
This will demonstrate that you're a good risk. 6. Show the public support for your project Go beyond support from the "usual suspects". Think outside the box - who else in the community would benefit from your project, or support it? Think of corporate volunteers, other organizations who are in a similar line of work, or who have similar issues, your local city council members or other politicians, youth or church groups, etc. Provide ways for volunteers to help with your project, even in the beginning
stages. Keep track of the hours spent, take pictures, get letters of support.
7. Make your application come alive in the minds of the grant reviewers Prepare a short slide show, or put together a photo album. Put pictures on a Website. Don't forget about new marketing tools such as blogging. There are many free blogs now, and you can post pictures, invite comments and provide interaction. You can let the funders know about your blog before you send in the application, or include the URL with your contact information. Know your audience. Don't assume they know technical jargon or acronyms
related to your project. State your goals and objectives clearly and concisely.
8. Make sure that every sentence in your application counts Don't waste their time or try their patience. If you don't have a good answer for some of the questions, be honest and say so. Use bullets, or bold-face type, or a list of key elements to convey the high points of your project, and don't bury them in paragraphs of verbiage. If you're invited to do a presentation, practice first, and stick to the
point. 9. Make the grant application easy to read Make every word convey an important point to the grant reviewer. If it's not relevant, leave it out. If allowed, use pictures, diagrams, plans, or maps instead of long, confusing
descriptions. The history and war stories of your project are vivid and
important to you, but a grant reviewer may not care; keep your background and
history brief and focus instead on the project. 10. Give them what they ask for About the author: Cheryl Antier is the President/CEO of Dream Weaver Enterprises, a business and fundraising consulting company that helps their clients to "weave their dreams into reality" by helping them consistently find the funding they need to succeed. ---------------------------------------------------------------- (Excerpt from my book, Fundraising Success!)
Supplier: American Trends Corporation, dba Amtrec, Inc. Three other catalogs are of smaller size and different product mix. One
features some rock music items that will appeal to the younger crowd. These days, persons who find themselves the victim of an identity theft have a number of resources they can draw on to deal with their predicament. In 1997, things were quite different, and at that time Linda Foley found herself victimized by this crime. Several years later, Linda founded the Identity Theft Resource Center, and since then the Center has been commended for its work by the Department of Justice and Senator Dianne Feinstein. From the Center’s homepage, visitors can access victim information guides,
learn about recent (and some “classic”) consumer scams. A great deal of this
information is tailored specifically for different audiences, such as law
enforcement and children. One area that may be particularly helpful is the “In
the Workplace” section. Here, visitors can learn how to avoid identity theft in
the workplace, and also browse through a list of prevention tips.
Things to see: Despite the fact that pandas are tremendously expensive to care for, many zoos continue to argue that the visits are important in terms of the cultural exchange opportunities they offer for Chinese and American scientists to work together.
This online feature created by National Geographic explores the scientific and
financial aspects of hosting pandas in the United States, and includes a photo
essay, an essay on the subject, and an online discussion forum.
Bonus Item:
Download here: http://www.globalnetpromotions.com/free--html--tutorial--ebook--learn--dreamweaver--frontpage.htm
That's all for this issue. See you next month. Related PagesNewsletters - All the Back Issues! Fundraising Ideas - Ideas for fundraising that focus on the best activities for high school, elementary school, sports teams, and youth groups to raise funds with events, activities, programs, projects and products. Fundraising Events - Three profitable event ideas for small group or school fundraisers - Fundraiser events that are quick and easy - Event ideas you can do in a monthend that work anywhere from Canada to Australia. School Fundraisers - Easy fundraising ideas for schools that consistently produce excellent results. Includes articles on cheerleading, high school football, soccer, and band, plus more great youth sports team activities and events for other high school groups. Thank You Letters - Seven tips on writing thank you letters, notes, or simple donor recognition phone calls. Fundraising Letters - See what fund raising letters work for other non-profit groups. Fundraising Letter - How to generate the best response with your donation request letters. How To Write A Fundraising Letter - Advice and tips on what works and what doesn't. Nonprofit Software - Listings and descriptions of popular software programs for nonprofit groups. Donor tracking and recognition programs, nonprofit accounting, and capital campaign support. Church Fundraisers - Church fundraising ideas for capital campaigns through donor recognition - Christian fundraiser charity activities and events that produce quick results.
Articles - Full list of articles on high school fundraisers,
nonprofit fund raising, and great event ideas.
Fundraisers In The News
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