PowerTools 2012: Foundation Prospecting 101

Presented by Christine West and Sara Kellner

Be clear about your your mission and focus

What makes you stand apart?

Have a few projects you can ask for money for, general operating support,

education, a special exhibition, etc

Create a kit of parts Get a coach or a mentor if you need

help developing a program

Write a great proposal – make the case for your organization

Include a clear budget Plan for implementation

Include overhead and administration How will you evaluate?

Look at who has given to your organization in the past

Go back to the beginningNew trustees, a new generation

Examples

Research who has given to similar organizations and what amountsLook at programs and invitations

Get on email lists Get out there; stay involved in the

community Cultivating a foundation is like

cultivating and individual

Research each foundation, using a tool such as The Foundation Center online

www.foundationcenter.org

• Fdn center sample

Look at the stated priorities of the foundation

• Houston Endowment supports artistic achievement, cultural knowledge and bringing activities in arts and culture to all people in greater Houston.

• The intrinsic value of the arts comes through both the creative expression of the artist and the experience of that expression by others. To fully benefit from, appreciate and take part in cultural offerings, people must engage in activities routinely and repeatedly, and they must draw meaning from those experiences.

Look at what they actually fund and the amounts

• example

Check out their 990 for more information, including the list of

trustees, and details on who they have funded and the amounts:

www.guidestar.org

Match this up to your organization – what is the likelihood that they will

fund you? “When prospecting for potential donors one traditionally looks for three factors: linkage, interest and ability. The stronger each of these qualities, the more likely

your prospect is to make a gift.”

Look at their website, look at what they fund, what do they say about

themselves and their focus

• Houston Endowment supports initiatives in public and higher education to increase the number of students earning a valuable postsecondary credential.

• The systematic failure of many youth and young adults to graduate from high school and to succeed in obtaining a postsecondary credential (a degree or certificate) with genuine value in the marketplace is one of the most important long-term challenges facing our city. The foundation is especially interested in initiatives that address the challenges to success confronted by low-income students, students of color and first-generation college students.

What if the guidelines say they don’t accept unsolicited applications?

Does anyone on your board know a trustee? Look to see whom else they have funded.

Do you know someone at that org? Send a letter of introduction to your

program or organization. Use one of your contacts, if you have one, to

help follow-up.

Success story: Musiqa

Their board chair had a lot of contacts and they were able to increase their budget from $50,000 to $200,000 in

two years.

Create a list and a calendarPrioritize where you want to spend

your time

Foundation Center Resources

www.foundationcenter.org

Foundation Funding Research”This special day-and-a-half course

concentrates on strategies for finding and evaluating funder prospects. Learn to chart

your organization’s needs and develop a targeted list of prospects using top-tier

Foundation Directory Online Professional.”

Philanthropy News DigestWeekly email newsletters that are very

helpful Advertises webinars and on line chats

where you can ask questions. A recent webinar was on raising

money through Groupon

The United Way Resource Library • Foundation Directory Online with nearly

100,000 U.S. foundations and corporate donors• GrantStation's database includes government

grants and loans in addition to funder profiles• Lending library includes books on fundraising,

board governance, nonprofit management, finances, human resources etc.

Questions?

Thank you!

Sara Kellner

www.kellnerconsulting.com

Christine West

www.lawndaleartcenter.org