We wish there was a not-so-secret formula for writing grants that scored funds every time.
Often, the Selby Foundation’s “no” on a grant proposal does not reflect a lack of interest in the organization or the project. We have to make tough choices based on dollars available in that cycle. It often comes down to looking at your request in the context of others that applied and asking how we can make the biggest difference.
Imagine yourself walking into your favorite store. You may want to clean out the contents for your home if you could afford everything, but you have a budget. You might consider how long each item will last, whether the item is being sold at a fair price–even whether it is different enough from previous purchases. You will likely give the greatest attention to how well the item will perform based on what you expect it to do.
Given tough choices in grantmaking, here are some questions to help organizations have the greatest chance of success with an application for funds.
The basics:
- Is your organization’s mission one of our focus areas? These include human services/health, environment, arts and culture, and education. If your nonprofit is focused on animal welfare, for example, your mission is not a primary area of concentration. This does not mean we do not value what animal welfare organizations do for animals or people, but it is simply not a priority for the foundation. Your grant has a small chance of being selected when we receive many more requests in our primary areas of focus that what we can invest in.
- Are you serving people who are underrepresented or under-resourced? With limited funds, our focus is helping people who may not otherwise be able to access opportunity without the support of the nonprofit. If you have a question about how we would approach this with regard to your specific mission, feel free to ask us…or help us learn from you.
- Have we already made a grant for the current project? If we have already made one investment in a capital campaign, for example, it is less likely we will come back to the same campaign again when considering other pressing proposals brought to us by others that have not already received Selby Foundation funds.
Other questions we will want to talk about with you include:
- Can your organization articulate the gains people make because of its programs? Like most, we have a keen interest in organizations that are effective or have well-formulated plans for tracking gains in a newer program that may not yet have a “proof point.”
- Is your organization able to show that it will be a good steward of the capital investment? If we help you purchase a new vehicle, for example, is it likely that your organization will still be around a few years from now? How does the amount you are asking for relate to your overall annual budget? These are all conversation questions–not absolutes.
- Does your organization have support from individual donors or other income sources? If not, is it actively working toward this with a plan?
- How does the board of directors contribute (time, talent, treasure, ties, testimony) to your organization? Does it participate in big picture thinking that will guide the present and future? What about helping the CEO and team raise money?
- What are the biggest challenges for your mission and organization, and how are you addressing them? Challenges are ever-present, and they provide the fodder for new opportunities when they are called out and explored.
- If the Selby Foundation does not invest in the proposed request, how hard will it be for your organization to find the funds elsewhere? This isn’t a trick question. It makes sense to discuss this with you because we want to help forge opportunities where they may not be possible otherwise.
- How important is this need to the overall success of your organization and its work?
In our grant process, we first schedule a short Zoom with our team to talk through your potential proposal. We use this time to help to guide your potential ask and the amount, share tips for your application based on what we would most need to understand, and most importantly, ensure that your request falls within our guidelines before you apply.
After you apply, we’ll schedule a formal site visit. Here are some tips for that process.
One thing we always want to know is what we can learn from you. We hope you will always feel comfortable reaching out, because we reserve the right to get better at meeting the needs of nonprofits.
You can reach Susie Bowie, President/CEO, at SBowie@SelbyFdn.org and Elizabeth Power, Grants Manager, at EPower@SelbyFdn.org.