3 Ways to Get Your Foot in the Door with Foundations

For many successful nonprofits, fundraising is about creating relationships before submitting a proposal. An established rapport can give you an edge on the hundreds of applications foundations often receive, and a lasting first impression can turn into a fruitful relationship with repeated givings.

So, how do you go about building a steady relationship for fundraising? Follow these 3 easy steps to the start and maintain your relationships.

1. Do your homework

Before you even think about reaching out to a foundation, be sure to do your research. Preparation is key to making a great first impression and contacting the foundation without doing your homework can undermine your nonprofit’s reputation and make you seem unprofessional. Don’t make the mistake of just connecting without having thoroughly reviewed the following:

• Their website — look specifically to their funding page, funding guidelines and approach. Pay attention to what they are asking of their applicants and follow their instructions.
• Their 990 — A funder’s 990 is an indispensable resource when you are conducting background research on the organization. It can tell you who to direct your questions to at the foundation, their funding trends, key geographies, and even how to set your budget. You can learn a great deal of information by spending limited time by properly navigating a funder’s 990 and knowing how to extracting the necessary information.
• Recent news — Review their news section of their website or do a quick search of the funder to see if there are any recent developments and information you can point to when you make your first contact. A solid understanding of a funder’s past and present can help set place for you in their future.

2. Opt for the “warm introduction”

Everyone in your organization should understand the type of donors you’re looking for. Work with your team and Board to build a target funder profile, then evaluate your funder prospect list against that profile.

Jennie Cheers, Director of Donor Relations at ECOHealth Alliance, recommends that once you have a vetted prospect list, you should look for connections amongst your staff, Board of Directors, and/or volunteers that might know someone within the foundation and have that person introduce you. That warm introduction is invaluable in getting your foot in the door.

In addition, whether you are introduced or reaching out to a foundation on your own, use your research and be ready with your talking points. Your first interaction should demonstrate your interest in their foundation and shows that you cared enough to spend time learning about them.

Use your research to enable you to ask more in-depth and detailed questions, beyond what’s readily available online, which means a better use of time for both you and the foundation and a better first impression.

Pro Tip: Communicate effectively. In other words, if a major donor specifically requests all communications be sent by mail, make sure you do just that. If a preference isn’t given, giving them a call works well too.

3. Nurture the relationship

Whether you receive funding or not, continue to foster the relationship with the foundation. Future opportunities may arise and an established relationship helps keep you and your nonprofit in the forefronts of their mind. If you are awarded the grant, you are an investment to them. They want to invest in nonprofits that are going to deliver the best outcomes for the programs they’ve set.

Here are a few ways you can keep your donors engaged:

• Interact on social media —find them on Twitter and Facebook and follow them, like them, and share content with them
• Ask for advice or suggestions
• Involve them in your events or asking them to participate on committees
• Invite them to VIP phone briefings, site visits and/or virtual (online) gatherings.

Overall, the best thing you can do is make them feel apart of your team and mission!

3b. Don’t miss out on great opportunities

Hearing no from a funder can be disappointing, but it’s also a great time to learn and grow and prepare yourself for next grant cycle.

Be proactive and contact the funder and ask them how you can improve as a candidate. This can provide you valuable insight on the inner workings of a foundation.

Here are some useful questions you can ask:

• Is there anything we could have don’t differently in our proposal?
• May we re-submit for your next funding cycle? Make note of the date and reapply accordingly.
• Are you aware of any other foundations that we might approach?

Express your appreciation and be sure to send them a thank you note for their consideration and thoughtful review of your proposal.

We’d love to hear about how you grow and maintain relationships with funders at your organization. Do you use a strategy we didn’t cover? Let us know in the comments below.

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