Non Profit Grant Blog

Imagine you have two slices of pie. One of them is on your left and the other one is on your right. The one on the left is as plain as they come: brown crust, on a brown plate, with brown filling. A simple fork is put on the plate, which in turn is put in front of you.

The one on the right is very different: it’s a pie that’s cut evenly on all sides, with the cinnamon filling just oozing out of the edges of the slice. The crust is immaculately delicious and is the kind that crumbles inside your mouth as you take a curious bite into it. The slice is served on an antique ceramic plate with intricate designs adorning its mahogany finish. The waiter approaches you and courteously hands you a fork wrapped inside a fine linen cloth. Then he bids you to enjoy your meal as he smiles widely and brightly. You take your fork, scoop out a small portion, and then take a bite. You can literally taste the flavors of cinnamon and apple wash through your mouth as they twist and turn your taste buds. Simply heaven.

Truth be told, both the slice on the left and the slice on the right were cut from the same pie… just presented differently.

You may be wondering “what does all this talk about pie have to do with writing a cover letter?” It’s relatively simple: the pie on the left is a plain cover letter for your non profit grant proposal. The pie on the right is an intricate cover letter for your non profit grant proposal. Both present the same thing: a slice of pie. But one has the advantage of forming the appetite in your mouth before you even actually taste the pie.

That’s because words have the ability to change a person’s perception. An obviously plain thing can become much more beautiful and enticing if described correctly and with sufficient prose. This is exactly what you want to do with your cover letter.

You may “bake the perfect pie,” but if you don’t get people to eat the pie first, no one will know how great it is. Likewise with a cover letter: you may have the perfect program and a non profit proposal to get a funder interested, but unless your cover letter is attractive, no funder would “take the first bite” to see how good your program and proposal is.

And when it comes to a cover letter, it’s the little details that count: the person you address it to, the salutations, closing keys, brevity, conciseness and the focus of your cover letter will all help your funder “salivate” enough to want to keep on reading through your proposal. Not only that, but it’ll set the mood for the funder to perceive your proposal in a positive and excited point of view, rather than an irritated and uninterested mood.

One last thing: don’t make your cover letter too rosy and poetic. No one wants to eat a slice of pie that’s garnished with too much of everything. Keep it tight, focused and beautifully simple. When you do that, you’ll be sure to make your funder look forward to tasting the pie you have to offer him.

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anybody know any good books pertaining to non profit grants? Not necessarily how to write grants, but more about what organizations out there have grant money avaliable? Thanks!

Please visit the following sites
www.Servenet.org
www.guidestar.org
www.managementhelp.org/fndrsng/np_raise/np_raise.htm – 27k -

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horticulture therapy for people with learning disabilities, cerebral palsy, and people with other kinds of disabilities.

First you have to apply to become a 501c3 organization. It is a long process – I’ve been at it for almost 2 years.

Once approved you can look for grants. No use in looking now, as what is available in 2 years won’t be available now.

You need a solid business plan, and then you apply to be a 501c3 based upon your plans. Then you wait for them to approve it – average wait 18 months. Then with your 501c3 status you can apply for grants, but not before.

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Your philanthropic dreams may be as grand as hoping to end world hunger or bring the light of education to the furthest reaches of the planet. Or your dreams may be as simple as opening a free day-care and recreation center for your community. You?re still going to need money to do that. And one of the most practical ways to go about this is to get a grant proposal from a funding party. You should have an idea of what non profit grants are by now: to cut a long story short, they’re financial grants to help achieve the objectives of your non profit organization.

But of course, you can’t just go up to someone’s door, knock twice, hold out your hands and say “trick or treat.”

No person would succumb to a sob story or lofty ideal if there’s no solid basis for doing so. That’s why you have to know how to write up good grant proposals if you want to convince anyone to hand you their hard-earned cash for you to use. Here are the basics:

Cover Letter

This is the wrapping on a Christmas present that’s below a Christmas tree. Even if the contents are absolutely fascinating and essential, if the cover letter is dull, uninspired and outright boring, you’ll be sure that it’ll be the last gift that gets picked up in the pile. Make it powerful, attractive and thought-provoking and you’ll be sure to pique the interest of your funder enough to continue reading and consider you for a non profit grant.

Executive Summary

This is a short summary of everything you plan to do. It can range from a few sentences to a maximum of one page. For the lack of a better term, it’s your entire proposal “in a nutshell.”

Need Statement

This is the part of your proposal where you get to strut your stuff by showing the urgency and importance of your own organization’s purpose, and that a non profit grant would aid greatly in reaching that purpose.

Objectives

You’ve got your ultimate purpose for your organization, your “goal,” and the outcomes you expect, your “objectives.” Both fit into this part of your proposal.

Methods

How exactly will you go about accomplishing your objectives to reach your goal? List them down here.

Evaluation

Your funder will want to know where his or her money is going. Do this by writing up ways to keep record, manage information, and ultimately assess your organization’s progress in the short and long run.

Sustainability

Speaking of long run, you’ll need to show your funder that your organization will know how to keep itself alive over time. Other non profit grants, fund-raising activities and donations that will help assure your funder that your organization won’t flounder in just under twelve months.

Information

Share with your funder the history and other little bits of information about your organization. How did you come about? Why do you do this? Who do you plan to serve? These are just a few questions you can answer in this part.

Budget

Of course, show your funder what expenses you plan to incur and how you’ll manage them. Non profit grants without proper budgets will lose money faster than you can say “what.”

Other Extras

Legal documents, proof of certifications and accreditation, previous and projected fiscal reports are some other extras you can add at the end of your proposal for a little extra “oomph” in convincing the funder that you’re not a waste of time and money.

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