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The Art & Science of Grantwriting

American foundations are big players in the U.S. philanthropic scene, accounting for 12.4% of all charitable giving in 2006, according to Giving USA 2007, the yearbook of philanthropy published by Giving USA Foundation and researched and written by the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University.

Many ministries and nonprofit organizations are well aware of the important role foundations play, and thousands of ministries receive millions of dollars from foundations every year.

For some ministries, foundation grants represent the difference between breaking even or breaking the bank. For others, foundations underwrite important but hard-to-fund programs that have a powerful spiritual impact around the globe.

Every year, more and more organizations are pursuing foundation funding. And while foundation grants aren't for every organization, there's probably a foundation somewhere that's interested in supporting at least part of what your organization does.

Writing grant requests can be a complex and frustrating procedure, at least initially. But like everything else, the process gets easier with experience.

"I'd say it's an art, and not a science," said Paul Nelson, executive director of the Crowell Trust in Colorado Springs. "The art piece of it is at times the most frustrating aspect of the whole process."

The two most important things you must do to get started are: 1) identify the foundations that may be sympathetic to your ministry's programs, and 2) develop a procedure for engaging them and requesting their support.

Grant writing is a complex subject that's covered in numerous conferences, seminars, books, articles and websites. One of the best single sources we've seen is The Foundation Center's Guide to Proposal Writing (www.fdncenter.org).

Let's examine some of the key steps your organization must take if it hopes to secure foundation funding.

Research, Research, Research

There are thousands of foundations in America. If you're starting from zero, finding one or two that may be interested in supporting some of your organization's unique projects may seem like hunting for a needle in a haystack. That's why gathering information needs to be your first step.

• Gathering Information. What is it you want funding for? And who might be interested in funding this? Narrowing your answer to these two questions will help focus your research and more clearly communicate the organization's unique needs.
• Organizational Distinctives. Next, consider your organization's distinctives. Think through the following questions: Why should anyone care about your programs? What specific need does your project address? What unique approaches does your organization use in its program delivery? Why is your organization better equipped than others to address those needs? And why must these particular needs be addressed now?

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