Even nonprofits that don’t receive direct federal grants often benefit from money provided by state, county, city or other organizations that pass-through federal support. The far-reaching arm of the federal dollar means almost all nonprofits feel the hurricane-force drama pouring out of Washington, D.C.
One organization can’t do everything, and go-it-alone grant proposals that don’t make good use of community networks and resources are not convincing. The most effective proposals include authentic collaborations where participating organizations pursue their own missions while also contributing to a common goal. Unless the "usual-suspect" groups are involved as partners, funders will have questions. For example, if an early childhood agency wants to improve child health through better nutrition, it only makes sense to work with the food bank and the community health center.
When you’re new to the world of grants, some confusion about terms is natural. The terms used to classify different types of foundations is no exception. The three most common types of foundations are private, corporate, and community. In a nutshell, private foundations get their money from private funds, corporate foundations are funded by the profits of a corporation, and community foundations are funded by public donations. Because they are funded by donations from the general public, community foundations are classified as tax-exempt public charities, not as private foundations.
A general operating grant is the most prized type of funding award. In the best circumstances, it’s a significant chunk of money handed to your organization with the magnificent instructions to do what needs to be done. Private grantmakers increasingly recognize that general operating funds provide flexible support that enables nonprofits to be most effective.
When you’re new to grants work, it’s helpful to study samples of winning grant proposals. Assessing examples of grant proposals that won awards can help you gauge the playing field and understand the level of work you must produce to succeed.
Grants are a great tool for nonprofits. Grants help foundations, corporations, and even government agencies engage in addressing community needs, so nonprofit professionals should constantly be looking for grants to support their community projects. When the funders you approach are a good fit with your organization’s work, and requests are well planned and propose meaningful change, grants can provide important resources to move your organization’s mission forward.
When seeking grant funding for nonprofit organizations, remember these important guidelines.
Many nonprofit professionals wonder how to get grants for their organization. The process may at first seem like stepping into a confusing labyrinth full of twists and turns, but once you learn the basics developing a winning nonprofit grant proposal is really very logical.
