All of my clients have great ideas.  It’s true, if they didn’t  they wouldn’t be a client of mine.  There are only so many hours in the day, so I’m picky.  The other thing I love about my clients is their eagerness to learn.  If a winning grant application was totally based on concept, there would be a lot more ideas funded.  My clients understand all of the factors which come into play.  Concept and quality of grant application are certainly huge parts of it. If you don’t have these, you have nothing.  Hopefully you have a grant writer who will be honest about that.  However, I can’t stress enough the need to cultivate a relationship with the grantors.  Many times grant seekers will turn in an application without ever speaking to an individual at that particular foundation/agency.  There will be more on this to come, but suffice to say at this point, grants are very competitive.  If you are hiring a grant writer, make sure she understands it is expected that she “cultivate” a relationship.  All it takes is a couple of phone calls with questions.  It give you a chance to do your “30-second” elevator speech.  It may well be the one little difference which makes your grant application stand out from the other 500 which will surely be coming in.

Many fledgling non-profits have a few things in common.  I share this with you because if your organization is in this situation this may be something for you to consider.  Many new groups have small boards of directors and their first idea for funding is to get a grant.  Well, there are a couple of problems with this.  First, boards of directors are considered a built-in system of check and balances when it comes to grant management.  I usually suggest 7-10 members with one having an accounting background.  Grantors like this because it reflects 1) a group believes in your mission rather than a couple of buddies, 2) several people will look after the granting money to insure it is appropriately spent.  Think about it…if you were investing a $1,000 of your own money, would you rather it be with an organized institution or in the hands of a couple of kids with a lemonade stand…regardless of how good the lemonade was?  Not everyone would agree with me.  I recently had a client tell me the accountant had said they only needed three because they were small.  Well, that’s correct if you want to stay small, but before you go after big money I would suggest growth.

I have been writing grants for several years and a consultant to non-profits full-time for two years now.  I’ve worked with grassroots efforts and multi-million dollar organizations, and one characteristic is really standing out among those with operating budgets able to support their causes.  Obviously grant writing is important; however, many people believe grants to be the first stream of revenue to the organization and this just isn’t the case.  Board members are vital, especially those with the willingness to support fundraising.  So many times I’ve talked with individuals who have received their 501(c)(3) based on putting together a group of friends as the first board of directors.  Boards need connections and people who believe in the mission enough to put their hand out for a gift.  Grants come after the organization has established themselves as responsible with donors small $10-20 dollar gifts then it’s on to the bigger money.  Think about it.  If you’ve got a board shy about raising money for the cause, do they really beleive in the organization enough to make it succeed.  In addition, I always recommend a CPA.  As the budget grows they are handy to have within a phone calls reach.

TechSoup.org is truly a find for nonprofits. This website is dedicated to delivering discounted software to nonprofits. For a small service fee, registered nonprofits can receive software such as Microsoft Office 2008 (Now available for Macs, too) for only $16. The nonprofit must submit verification of its status which can be lengthy, but it is worthwhile. The site also offers numerous opportunities to learn strategies to get the most benefit out of the software packages as well. I know the companies are getting a huge tax break for offering these products, but with these prices it’s a win-win situation for everyone. Happy shopping.

Leo

July 22 – August 22

Much of your day, dear Leo, could be spent in advancing the interests of an organization dedicated to a cause that means a lot to you, perhaps animal or children’s rights. You tend to be service-oriented by nature, and today something you learn, perhaps from TV or the Internet, could excite your desire to make a difference to those you wish to serve. Expect to derive a lot of satisfaction from this. You ARE making a difference!

 Like many of you, as CEO of LLP Grants, my laptop is set up as command central when I first start the office day.  My homepage has all of the important links to check daily, newsletters which need to be read to keep us all up on information in the nonprofit sector, grant alerts and so on.  Tucked in the corner is my horoscope.  I’m not saying I am a true believer, but I do find them entertaining at times.  Today’s made me smile, and it did put a bit of a skip in my step.  I had a meeting on a grant which will bring arts education to a very underserved school district, a teleconference on senator appropriations for workforce development, and a quick conversation on a grant for improving the U.S. healthcare system.  I think my horoscope may have been on target today.  Good work and LLP Grants loves doing it.

The Indianapolis-based Lumina Foundation for Education announced more than $6.8 million in grants to forty-one organizations in eighteen states and the District of Columbia to help increase college access and overall student achievement. After taking a moment to review the programs who were fortunate enough to be supported, we were impressed. There are a many groups quietly moving through each day in an effort to meet their goals, and few people know of them. Again, justification for Lumina’s generous support. There are many worth noting, but we picked one to give kudos to today. College Goal Sunday gives students and parents free information on finding funding for college including even how to fill out the tricky financial aid papers. For a full list of recipients visit the Lumina website.

Happy Birthday to one of the greatest elocutionist of all time. The video is of his most famous “I have a dream…” speech; however, Letters from a Birmingham Jail does not get the recognition it deserves.

The polar bears just might have a fighting chance. The bear was the first to be placed on the United States endangered species list due to climate change. Reportedly ice was melting so rapidly they were literally drowning from having to swim so far to reach the next solid, weight-supporting, ice mass.

“ The George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Foundation in Salt Lake City has awarded $3 million to the Hogle Zoo to help plan and construct an arctic exhibit and return polar bears to the zoo, the Deseret Morning News reports.” Further emphasis was placed on education in making sure people understand the impact they have on the environment.

I’m sure careful attention will be placed on safety of the enclosure due to recent incidents in the news.