A Grant Seeker’s SecretsA Grant Seeker’s Secrets

Presented byPresented byRamona LuciusRamona Lucius

Outreach CoordinatorOutreach CoordinatorSan Antonio Public LibrarySan Antonio Public Library

For More InformationFor More Information

The Foundation Center/FC-Cleveland The Foundation Center/FC-Cleveland (foundationcenter.org)(foundationcenter.org)

Grantspace (grantspace.org)Grantspace (grantspace.org)

The Grassroots Nonprofit MBA The Grassroots Nonprofit MBA (managementhelp.org)(managementhelp.org)

The Nonprofit Resources Libguide The Nonprofit Resources Libguide

(guides.mysapl.org/nonprofits)(guides.mysapl.org/nonprofits)

Secret #1: Get All Your Ducks in a Secret #1: Get All Your Ducks in a Row Before You ApplyRow Before You Apply

Clear, concise, energetic mission Clear, concise, energetic mission statementstatement

The San Antonio Public Librarychanges lives through the transformative

power of information, imagination, and ideas.

Updated strategic planUpdated strategic plan

Knowledgeable, active board of Knowledgeable, active board of directors directors

Secret #1: Get All Your Ducks in a Secret #1: Get All Your Ducks in a Row Before You ApplyRow Before You Apply

•Knowledgeable, courteous front-Knowledgeable, courteous front-line staffline staff

•Ongoing, effective public relations Ongoing, effective public relations campaign, including an updated campaign, including an updated websitewebsite

•Well-planned programs with Well-planned programs with positive evaluationspositive evaluations

(Not-So-)Secret #2: Get (Not-So-)Secret #2: Get InformedInformed

What is a grant?What is a grant?

Who makes grants and why?Who makes grants and why?

What do the current trends in giving show?What do the current trends in giving show?

What resources can be used to research grants?What resources can be used to research grants?

How can a library increase the odds of acceptance?How can a library increase the odds of acceptance?

What is a grant?What is a grant?

““A giving of funds for a specific A giving of funds for a specific purpose”purpose”

----American Heritage American Heritage DictionaryDictionary

The purpose being. . .The purpose being. . .

CharitableCharitableEducationalEducationalCulturalCulturalReligiousReligiousOr scientificOr scientific

“To produce profound good that is tangible and measurable”—Albert & Bessie Mae Kronkosky Charitable Foundation

What Grants Are NOTWhat Grants Are NOT

FreeFree You will always have to foot some of the billYou will always have to foot some of the bill

EasyEasy It’s estimated 1 in 3 applications gets approvedIt’s estimated 1 in 3 applications gets approved

QuickQuick Most grantors take 4-6 months to reply; some Most grantors take 4-6 months to reply; some

can take a yearcan take a year

Who Makes Grants to Who Makes Grants to Libraries?Libraries?

Federal and Federal and state agenciesstate agencies

State librariesState libraries

Library systemsLibrary systems

CorporationsCorporations

FoundationsFoundations

Secret #3: Best BetsSecret #3: Best BetsIf You Don’t Have a Library Foundation or Friends If You Don’t Have a Library Foundation or Friends

GroupGroup

Institute of Museum Institute of Museum & Library Services& Library Services

State libraryState library

Library systemsLibrary systems

Corporate-giving Corporate-giving programsprograms

Secret #4: Government Secret #4: Government Agencies Offer Grant Training Agencies Offer Grant Training

Webinars/face-Webinars/face-to-face to-face seminarsseminars

Sample Sample proposalsproposals

Reviews of Reviews of draftsdrafts

BEWARE: The funder may require CIPA compliance.

Corporate-Giving ProgramsCorporate-Giving Programs

Run by corporate personnel (e.g., Marketing Run by corporate personnel (e.g., Marketing Dept.)Dept.)

Usually limit giving to locations where they have Usually limit giving to locations where they have offices.offices.

Their fields of interest are usually tied to the Their fields of interest are usually tied to the company’s products. company’s products.

Local manager may not have final say, but will Local manager may not have final say, but will have input.have input.

Secret #5: Secret #5: “Fund raising is friend raising”“Fund raising is friend raising”

Keep up with local Keep up with local business news.business news.

Look for opportunities Look for opportunities to meet business to meet business leaders in stress-free leaders in stress-free settings.settings.

Ask for in-kind gifts and Ask for in-kind gifts and volunteer services first.volunteer services first.

Foundations: Best BetsFoundations: Best BetsIf You Do Have a Library Foundation or Friends If You Do Have a Library Foundation or Friends

GroupGroup

There are so many There are so many of them, in all of them, in all shapes and sizesshapes and sizes

They have more They have more diverse financial diverse financial portfoliosportfolios

May be best bet if May be best bet if there’s no there’s no corporation in your corporation in your towntown

ButBut

Most won’t give Most won’t give grants directly to grants directly to a public librarya public library

So create a So create a fundraising fundraising foundation or foundation or Friends group Friends group ((Forming and Funding Forming and Funding Public Library Public Library FoundationsFoundations, Benjamin , Benjamin Goldberg, published by Goldberg, published by PLA)PLA)

What Is a Foundation?What Is a Foundation?

““A nonprofit organization that supports A nonprofit organization that supports charitable activities in order to serve the charitable activities in order to serve the common good”—South Dakota Grant common good”—South Dakota Grant DirectoryDirectory

P. S.: Not every organization with P. S.: Not every organization with “foundation” in its title is a grantmaker; not “foundation” in its title is a grantmaker; not every grantmaker has “foundation” in its every grantmaker has “foundation” in its titletitle

Types of FoundationsTypes of Foundations

Corporate FoundationsCorporate Foundations

Operating FoundationsOperating Foundations

Community FoundationsCommunity Foundations

Independent (a.k.a. Private) Independent (a.k.a. Private) FoundationsFoundations

Corporate FoundationsCorporate Foundations

Funded by a businessFunded by a businessTax-exemptTax-exemptRuns independentlyRuns independently

Examples: Examples:

Target FoundationTarget Foundation

Verizon FoundationVerizon Foundation

Operating FoundationsOperating Foundations

Created and run by a particular group to Created and run by a particular group to support its own charitable worksupport its own charitable work

Seldom make grants to outside agenciesSeldom make grants to outside agencies

Example: Oprah Winfrey Leadership Example: Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy FoundationAcademy Foundation

Community FoundationsCommunity Foundations

Created by, funded by and run by Created by, funded by and run by members of a community (city, county, members of a community (city, county, region)region)

Example: Cleveland Foundation Example: Cleveland Foundation (oldest (oldest community foundation in US)community foundation in US)

Independent FoundationsIndependent Foundations

Created by and funded by an individual or Created by and funded by an individual or familyfamily

May or may not be run by the donorMay or may not be run by the donor

Example: Bill & Melinda Gates Example: Bill & Melinda Gates FoundationFoundation

Tom Harken FoundationTom Harken FoundationOver $3 billion in 2010

$32,450 in 2010

Numbers of Foundations in the Numbers of Foundations in the USUS

Corporate Foundations: 2,745Corporate Foundations: 2,745Operating Foundations: 4,762Operating Foundations: 4,762Community Foundations: 709Community Foundations: 709 Independent Foundations: 67,379Independent Foundations: 67,379

Total giving for 2008: $45.8 billionTotal giving for 2008: $45.8 billion

What Grantors WantWhat Grantors Want

UniquenessUniqueness

ExpertiseExpertise

CollaborationCollaboration

Meaningful evaluationMeaningful evaluation

Secret #6: Walk a Mile in Their Secret #6: Walk a Mile in Their Shoes: FoundationsShoes: Foundations

Most foundations are smallMost foundations are smallThey give small grants (under $10,000) They give small grants (under $10,000) They don’t have staffThey don’t have staff

Walk a Mile in Their Shoes: Walk a Mile in Their Shoes: FoundationsFoundations

Foundations have external and Foundations have external and internal regulations to followinternal regulations to follow

Some do not accept unsolicited Some do not accept unsolicited applicationsapplications

Walk a Mile in Their Shoes: All Walk a Mile in Their Shoes: All GrantorsGrantors

They get far more applications than they They get far more applications than they can answercan answer

And many of those applications don’t fit And many of those applications don’t fit what they do (shotgun applications)what they do (shotgun applications)

Secret #7: Secret #7: Grant Seeking is Match MakingGrant Seeking is Match Making

Compatibility issues:Compatibility issues:Geographic focusGeographic focusFields of interestFields of interestTypes of supportTypes of supportSize of grantSize of grantDeadlineDeadline

Geographic FocusGeographic Focus

CityCityCountyCountyState State RegionRegion

Fields of InterestFields of Interest Adult educationAdult education *Immigrants/refugees*Immigrants/refugees AgingAging *Mentally disabled *Mentally disabled AgricultureAgriculture *Military/veterans*Military/veterans AIDSAIDS *Museums*Museums Animal welfareAnimal welfare *Physically disabled*Physically disabled ArtsArts *Reading*Reading Children/youthChildren/youth *Religion*Religion Community developmentCommunity development *Safety/disasters*Safety/disasters Domestic violenceDomestic violence *Substance abuse*Substance abuse Economically disadvantagedEconomically disadvantaged *Theater*Theater EducationEducation *Vocational education*Vocational education EnvironmentEnvironment *Women*Women Family servicesFamily services *Youth services*Youth services Food banksFood banks *Zoos*Zoos HealthHealth Housing/shelterHousing/shelter and LIBRARIESand LIBRARIES Human servicesHuman services

Public Libraries Fall Under. . .Public Libraries Fall Under. . .““Education”Education”

““Government agencies”Government agencies”

And of course. . .And of course. . .

““Libraries (public)”Libraries (public)”

Foundation Grants Given in 2009 Foundation Grants Given in 2009 by Fields of Interestby Fields of Interest

Number of grantsNumber of grants 1. Human 1. Human

services (27.3%)services (27.3%)

2. Education 2. Education (19.5%)(19.5%)

3. Arts/culture 3. Arts/culture (13.4%) and (13.4%) and Health (13.4%)Health (13.4%)

Dollar valueEducation Education (23.3%)(23.3%)

2. Health 2. Health (22.6%)(22.6%)

3. Human 3. Human services services (13.1%)(13.1%)

Data from the Foundation Center

Types of SupportTypes of Support

Capital (land, buildings, renovation)Capital (land, buildings, renovation)EquipmentEquipmentOperatingOperatingPROGRAMSPROGRAMS

Foundation Grants Given in 2009 Foundation Grants Given in 2009 for Specific Types of Supportfor Specific Types of Support

Dollar ValueDollar Value1.1. Program (51%)Program (51%)2.2. General/General/

operating operating (21.7%)(21.7%)

3.3. Capital* (13.5%)Capital* (13.5%)

*includes technology, *includes technology, land, buildings, land, buildings, endowments)endowments)

Number of Grants

1. Program (39.7%)

2. General/operating (25.8%)

3. Capital* (7.6%)

Size of GrantSize of Grant

Select grantmakers who can Select grantmakers who can comfortably give the amount of comfortably give the amount of money you’re seekingmoney you’re seeking

Secret #8: Playing the OddsSecret #8: Playing the Odds

Best bet:Best bet:

An educational program serving the An educational program serving the economically disadvantaged or economically disadvantaged or children/youth, with the ask being under children/youth, with the ask being under $10,000$10,000

DeadlineDeadline

Usually the deadline is not negotiable.Usually the deadline is not negotiable.

If no deadline is stated, submit your If no deadline is stated, submit your application a couple of weeks before the application a couple of weeks before the next foundation board meeting.next foundation board meeting.

If the foundation is small, submit in the If the foundation is small, submit in the first quarter of its fiscal year.first quarter of its fiscal year.

Secret #9: Use the Best Secret #9: Use the Best SourcesSources

Print: Print: Foundation Directory, Foundation Directory Part 2, Foundation Directory, Foundation Directory Part 2, National Directory of Corporate GivingNational Directory of Corporate Giving

Regional directories: MI, AL, North TX, VT, CA, NY, WARegional directories: MI, AL, North TX, VT, CA, NY, WA

Grants for Libraries & Information Services Grants for Libraries & Information Services (ebook)(ebook)

Internet:Internet: Foundation Directory Online and Corporate Giving Online Foundation Directory Online and Corporate Giving Online

(subscription)(subscription) Library Grants Blogspot (Library Grants Blogspot (

http://librarygrants.blogspot.com))

Secret #10: Dig DeepSecret #10: Dig Deep

Application guidelinesApplication guidelines 990-PF 990-PF

P. 1: start of fiscal yearP. 1: start of fiscal year Part VIII: officers listPart VIII: officers list Part XV: grant listPart XV: grant list

Foundation may have a website with all this infoFoundation may have a website with all this info

Secret #11: Tailor the Secret #11: Tailor the ProposalProposal

Follow the guidelinesFollow the guidelinesFocus on the matchesFocus on the matchesShow you’re readyShow you’re ready

Secret #12: Keep a Swipe Secret #12: Keep a Swipe FileFile

Research notesResearch notesCalendars of deadlines Calendars of deadlines

and submission datesand submission datesSample proposalsSample proposalsNotes about why your Notes about why your

application was or application was or wasn’t fundedwasn’t funded

Submit the ApplicationSubmit the Application

Keep a copy for your files.

Notify grantmaker of any changes to the project.

If you receive fundingWrite a thank-you letter.Ask about conditions of the grant.

If you don’t receive funding

Write a thank-you letter. Ask the reason for the rejection.

Most Common Reasons for Most Common Reasons for RejectionRejection

Foundation ran out of Foundation ran out of moneymoney

Not a good matchNot a good match Lack of sustainability Lack of sustainability Didn’t follow the rulesDidn’t follow the rules Application incomplete Application incomplete or unclearor unclear Poorly thought-out budgetPoorly thought-out budget Messy, handwrittenMessy, handwritten LateLate