NCSC News Jul/Aug 2005, Vol 4, No. 6
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The Truth About ASBCS


The Funder Doesn't Really Care About Your Organization's Needs
by
Rebecca Vermillion Shawver, MPA

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Did the title of this article shock you? Are you thinking, she can’t possibly be referring to my organization’s funders. Think again. I mean your funders (as well as everyone else’s)!

Does that sound harsh and uncaring? That’s not my intent. The statement is simply meant to remind fund developers and proposal writers that money is seldom (if ever) donated based upon organizational needs. In fact, I have yet to encounter a donor, foundation, or government agency that is truly concerned about any organization’s ability to meet payroll, hire additional staff, pay off a deficit, build a new facility, or fund any administrative burden.

Don’t get me wrong. Donors and grant-makers care about our communities and their residents. In fact, they care so much that they give millions of dollars in donations and contributions to local non-profit groups each and every year. But the most successful of fund developers and proposal writers know that they don’t make these allocations based on organizational needs. Rather, they make their funding decisions because they want to make a difference in the lives of people and the community (not meet organizational needs). They want to believe that their money will play an important role in the direct facilitation of a desired change for individuals and the community-at-large. Simply stated, they care about what your organization can do!

As professional fund developers and proposal writers, it is our job to tell potential funding partners how our organizations can and will positively impact the community. It is our job to tell them about the difference that our programs make in the lives of people and the community. It is our job to convince supporters that our organizations’ programs and services are wise financial investments.

So tell them….

  1. What community needs can the program help mitigate? Whether in solicitation materials or a grant application, potential supporters need to be told the specific needs of the community and its residents. Quantify and explain how the need was determined. Provide clear and understandable facts and data. Put the community’s need into perspective by comparing it to national, state and regional information.

  2. Why is this the time to act? Supporters will want to know that the program is needed NOW. Clearly explain the information on which the need for the program was based. If it is based upon particular circumstances or events, share them. Help potential contributors to understand the urgency for your programs.

  3. Why should they want to support the initiative? Although donor motivations differ, a great number of them contribute to a particular cause based on a desire to help people. Help potential supporters to feel a personal connection to those individuals that will be helped by your program. Encourage your potential donors to feel good about their ability to help someone else.

  4. How can the program help? Explain how the program will address the identified needs. Describe the positive impacts that the program will facilitate for both individual participants and the community-at-large. Tell potential donors what the program will achieve. Tell them about the program’s implementation plan. Describe program components in such a way that they see the direct correlation between program activities and the anticipated outcomes. Show the relationship between the positive impacts that the program will have upon participants and the community-at-large.

  5. How will program success be measured? Share the program’s measurable outcomes and its evaluation plan. Explain how the organization will determine that anticipated goals and outcomes have been achieved.

  6. Why should your organization be the one to provide the program? Build confidence in your organization by providing information about past agency accomplishments and the successful implementation of similar programs. Provide potential supporters with testimonials from clients and partnering agencies. Describe the qualifications of staff and your organization’s good standing in the community. List the community groups and agencies with which you have ongoing collaborative relationships.

As fund developers and proposal writers, it is our job to sell our organization’s ability to positively impact the community. We need our supporters to buy our programs through their donations and grant awards. So the next time you sit down to write a proposal, create a solicitation letter, plan a capital campaign, or make that one-on-one presentation, remember: The funder really doesn’t care about your organization’s needs!

Rebecca Vermillion Shawver is the Assistant Director of Grant Development at Ivy Tech State College in Indianapolis. Rebecca’s work require a great deal of collaboration, including assisting regional personnel in the selection, development and submission of corporate, foundation and government grant applications; working with college teams to develop multi-region and statewide program proposals; and assisting with the development of funding strategies for college programs. Rebecca also serves as a grant consultant and provides workshop presentations in Indianapolis. She can be reached at rshawver@ivytech.edu.

Copyright © Rebecca Shawver. All rights reserved.

This article is reprinted with permission from CharityChannel.com and the author of this article. The author holds the copyright to the article. To receive the entire issue by email each week, visit http://charitychannel.com/newsletters and use the subscription form. To seek permission for reprints, visit http://charitychannel.com/reprints. For more information, write to editors@charitychannel.com."

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