Even nonprofits that don’t receive direct federal grants often benefit from money provided by state, county, city or other organizations that pass-through federal support. The far-reaching arm of the federal dollar means almost all nonprofits feel the hurricane-force drama pouring out of Washington, D.C.
One organization can’t do everything, and go-it-alone grant proposals that don’t make good use of community networks and resources are not convincing. The most effective proposals include authentic collaborations where participating organizations pursue their own missions while also contributing to a common goal. Unless the "usual-suspect" groups are involved as partners, funders will have questions. For example, if an early childhood agency wants to improve child health through better nutrition, it only makes sense to work with the food bank and the community health center.
A general operating grant is the most prized type of funding award. In the best circumstances, it’s a significant chunk of money handed to your organization with the magnificent instructions to do what needs to be done. Private grantmakers increasingly recognize that general operating funds provide flexible support that enables nonprofits to be most effective.
A written proposal is usually just the first step in the grantmaking process. The proposal is not the only information private foundations or corporate grantmakers will use to learn about your organization and to make funding decisions.These private funders may refer to a variety of sources when investigating your organization. Keep the following in mind when you submit a proposal.
Family foundations—relatively small, usually without paid staff and often supporting only local causes—comprise the largest section of the private foundation world. Though their grants are seldom large, support from family foundations can be extremely rewarding:
