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www.NAVSO.org
Welcome to Today’s Webinar
Screening For Success
Developed by Forward Motion Strategies www.NAVSO.org
Welcome to Today’s Webinar
Writing For Success
Developed by Forward Motion Strategies LLC in collaboration with NAVSO
www.NAVSO.org
Goals for Our Webinar1. Describe the elements of good proposals and what they include
2. Understand what funders are looking for in grant proposals
3. Describe the importance of and have a basic understanding of how to tailor grant proposals to what the funder is seeking
4. Avoid common mistakes in grant-seeking and grant writing
www.NAVSO.org
www.NAVSO.org
Chris Ford, NAVSO Founder & CEO
www.NAVSO.org
Chris Ford is the Founder and CEO of the National Association of Veteran-Serving Organizations (NAVSO). In this role, Chris is responsible for the strategic direction and day-to-day management of the organization. NAVSO provides essential resources to those who serve veterans and military families, fund efforts aimed at helping them or work to employ them so they are more effective in meeting their needs. He is a 20-year Air Force veteran retiring in 2014 from the Joint Chiefs of Staff where he served in the Chairman’s Office of Warrior and Family Support. In this role, Chris leveraged his perspectives on veteran reintegration to assist communities across 18 states seeking to improve their support for military families. He previously served in nearly a dozen countries around the globe supporting Operations Southern Watch, Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. Chris was awarded the Bronze Star Medal and is a graduate of the United States Air Force Academy, University of South Carolina, Naval Postgraduate School and the FBI National Academy.
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Bill Lockwood, Program Officer, Veterans & Military Families, May and Stanley Smith Charitable Trust
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Bill Lockwood has held leadership positions in the military, for-profit and nonprofit sectors. Prior to joining the Trust in 2014, Bill served as Director of the National Organization on Disability’s Wounded Warrior Careers program, which supported veterans with serious disabilities in their transition to education and careers. Bill retired from the U.S. Army as a Lieutenant Colonel in 1996. He pursued a career in human capital management; including wide-ranging experience in human resources, training and development, recruiting,career counseling and consulting. He began his military career as an Infantry Platoon Leader in Germany and subsequently transferred to Army Aviation serving in operations and training positions in Air Cavalry and Attack Helicopter units in Korea, Ft. Lewis, Washington, and Schofield Barracks, Hawai'i. Additional assignments included operations and strategy positions on the staffs of the Pacific and European Commands and as an author and instructor at the Army Command and General Staff College. Mr. Lockwood earned his Master’s degree in History from
the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College and his undergraduate degree, also in History, from the University of South Dakota.
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David brings to the table more than 30 years of nonprofit and business leadership experience in both international and national organizations, most recently as CDO atIraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America. Reis has provided strategicplanning services, piloted a stage-gate innovation program for a national voluntary health organization, carried out fundraisingcampaign audits, and built fundraising capacity in a half dozen different nonprofits. He has raised more than $70 million in individual, corporate, and foundation funding. David has a masters degree in nonprofit management and postgraduatecertificate in organization development from the New School, And is an Ethical Culture Leader. He serves as a member of the Board of Directors at Operation Code, and is a member of the Advisory Board of the National Association of Veteran-Serving Organizations.
David Reis, Managing Director, Forward Motion Strategies
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Kate has over a decade of experience working across all functions of nonprofit management on causes related to human rights and veterans. She hassupported new and established organizations to develop, pilot, andsell innovative programs and member organizing strategies, and has experience creating easy-to-use monitoring and evaluation tools to measure success. Kate is a trained storyteller and abeliever in the power of stories to build community and deepen supporter connections and commitment to causes. She has amasters degree in public administration from NYU and a certificate in nonprofit management from Georgetown. She is the proud sister of a U.S. Marine veteran.
Kate Horner, Managing Director, Forward Motion Strategies
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The Success Formula Series So Far
1. Prospect: We demonstrated the Grant Map Tool and learned to efficiently screen prospects
2. Screen: We learned how to be effective by ensuring we fit foundation guidelines, and how to use simple tools to prioritize the right prospects
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www.NAVSO.org
A Foundation Officer’s Perspective
1. Role of Program Officera. Advocate for fundingb. Compliance with foundation’s funding strategyc. Due diligence
2. Grant Timing / Budgeta. Foundation workflowb. Responsive vs proactive process
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www.NAVSO.org
Keys to Navigating the Process
1. Demonstrate Needa. Is the request aligned with the foundation’s
goals & funding strategyb. Is the need specific to population & location?c. What is the challenge the program will address?d. Does the organization demonstrate deep
knowledge of the challenge?e. Will this grant have an impact?
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www.NAVSO.org
Keys to Navigating the Process
2. Program a. What does the program do?b. How is it supported? c. Is it sustainable?d. Is the budget realistic?e. Who does the work?f. Are the staff culturally competent?
g. Are there other partners? What are their roles?
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www.NAVSO.org
Keys to Navigating the Process
3. Results / Impacta. What results has the program achieved with this
program? Other programs?b. Are results long-term? Short-term?c. Is there independent evidence that the program
will produce desired results?d. Are results realistic for the population served?
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www.NAVSO.org
Red Flags
1. Financial / staff instability2. Poor logic model3. Lack of demonstrated results4. Failure to address foundation’s
goals and priorities
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www.NAVSO.org
1. Research & relationships inform us2. We know we fit their criteria
a. Geographic b. Populationc. Funding interest/programmatic alignmentd. Type of support: general operating, program, capitale. Request deadlines
3. Funder has told us what they need
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A Nonprofit Perspective
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Set Yourself Up for Proposal Writing Success1. Program Logic
a. Get clear on activities, outputs, outcomesb. Basis for program narrative, M&E sectionsc. Get clear and find gaps before the funder does
2. Fundraising Casea. Provides a basis for other proposal elementsb. Helps you think through how you might
structure different funding opportunities
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www.NAVSO.org
A Random Walk Down Proposal Lane
1. Typical formats a. Online form, online with written narrative b. Email or (still) hard copy via post officec. Often an LOI, followed by proposal
2. Proposal typesa. RFP, Project or Program Support, General Operating, Capitalb. Specialty: technical support, in-kind, etc.c. From written proposals to decks to competitions!
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www.NAVSO.org
What are funders looking for?
1. Personal and institutional integrity2. Evidence of need3. Organization capacity4. Good program design 5. Proof your organization can count6. Other important indicators of credibility
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www.NAVSO.org
Avoiding Common Mistakes
1. Applying when you don’t meet funder req2. Blanketing the universe with your proposal 3. Spitting up facts while avoiding the heart4. All heartstrings: no facts and no case
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www.NAVSO.org
Avoiding Common Mistakes
6. Not answering funder questions7. Poorly written, illogical proposals 8. Failing to focus on relationship development9. Proposals that do nothing for your org
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www.NAVSO.orgwww.NAVSO.org
Unique OpportunityForward Motion Strategies is pleased to offer NAVSO Success Formula participants the opportunity to join its Fundraising Coach program. It’s an economical way to increase your VSO's fundraising capacity. By taking advantage of our three-coaching-calls-in-three-months approach, you will receive expert strategic counsel on your proposals, relationship strategies and more. In between, you’ll work on specific homework assignments designed to help you improve - with their support. The Fundraising Coach is perfect for those who don't have big budgets, but still need help retooling their grant proposals, developing new relationship strategies, or help managing a challenging grant.
NAVSO members will receive a 10% discount off our regular rate, or $225 per month over three months. For more information, contact [email protected].
www.NAVSO.org
Next Event:Success Formula Part 4: Cultivating for Success
Tuesday, November 27, 2018 - 1400 EST
With special guests
Derek Coy, Program Officer, New York State Health Foundationand
Laura Atwell, Chief Development Officer, Catholic Guardian Services
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