CharityVillage® Research: Proposals that appeal or appall

Resources & Library

Path: Main Street : Resources & Library : Research Articles : Feature Article

Proposals that appeal or appall
May 1, 1996; Canadian FundRaiser
Proposals that appeal will speak to the real needs of the requesting organization and the interests of the potential funder, and will be based on a complete review of the funder's printed and published materials, if any. They should also draw on a review of grants made by the funder and of other available materials and information about the funder. And if that were not enough, according to Eugene A. Scanlan, Senior Vice President, The Alford Group Inc, and Barbara Kushner Ciconte, Acting Associate Dean for Institutional Advancement, The American University, The Washington College of Law, winning proposals will almost always be the result of specific strategies focused on each funder and include a request for funds appropriate to the plans of the organization.
These proposals will appeal ....
Speaking at the recent NSFRE International Conference, Scanlan and Kushner Ciconte reminded the delegates to request funds at a level and over a time period appropriate to the grant-making capabilities of the funder, to demonstrate how a grant will make a difference in the effectiveness of the organization in meeting the needs of those it serves, and to show how the organization is unique.
Your proposal will have a much better chance of flying, they pointed out, if it has been preceded by contact with the staff of the foundation and/or an inquiry letter, if it is submitted in accordance with the funder's decision-making schedule, and if you've kept it brief (ten pages maximum with four to five pages ideal, excluding attachments). Move from the general (overview of the needs served by the organization and what it does) to the specific (grant request). Explain the importance of the project/program for which you want support, and include discussion of how the project/program will be supported when the funding period ends. The funder will also want to see a listing of other funds received with sources, an outline of your fundraising strategies, a detailed breakdown of your income and expense, and a procedure to evaluate the success of the program/project.
Some of the other factors that Scanlan and Kushner Ciconte recommend as keys to winning proposals: (UL>
Outline about how you are going to inform others in the field of the results of the program/project, if appropriate.
Include long-range plans and budget projections, a 1-2 page fact sheet, a list of Board members with affiliations, the current operating budget, the project/program budget, and an audit or year-end fiscal statement for the most recent available year.
Include a cover letter which can stand alone as an explanation of the organization and the request which speaks directly to the foundation's interests
Follow up with a call to the funder to see if the request was received, answer questions, and arrange for a meeting, if possible.
Keep in touch with the potential funder with additional contacts updating them on any developments pertinent to the application.
Build in a strategy to seek the funder's advice and assistance in locating other funding sources, especially if your request is declined.

And these are guaranteed to appall
If you want to ensure that your proposal falls on deaf ears, they pointed out, there are some simple roles to follow. Firstly, you should assume that all funders operate in the same way, and submit your application without regard to the potential funder's interests, past grants, and grant-making abilities. Next, base your request on a crisis or an unplanned-for need, request support for something which is not part of an overall organizational plan, conceal vital information about your organization, and include unrealistic project/program budgets or budgets with inappropriate items. Finally, you can ensure failure by presenting no plans for ongoing support of the project/program failing to state the need for the project/program and how funding will make a difference, and showing no understanding of what other organizations are doing that is similar to your work.
While the above techniques are potent poison, they are only a few of the more deadly you can use. Scanlan and Kushner Ciconte finished with a handy list of the hallmarks of an incompetent proposal. Among them:
Use a shotgun approach, mailing several proposals to any source that might be interested.
Don't follow up.
Say nothing about other requests being submitted or other parallel fundraising strategies.
Use an obviously boiler-plate standard cursory cover letter.
Include large quantities of unorganized information about the organization
Make it really long, on the assumption that they don't read your proposals; they weigh them.
Have them prepared and submitted by a junior-level staff member.
Don't worry about evaluation or dissemination plans.
Don't contact the funding source in advance.
Show confidence by assuming that the potential funder knows all about your organization.

Finally, they stressed, among the most effective ways to offend and alienate a potential funder is to fail to acknowledge any past contacts with them - especially past grants received. However, if you strive to show that you are thinking creatively about how to leverage dollars, employ a carefully organized and thoughtful approach, and keep the above points in mind, your grant application may well rise to the top of the pile.