Syracuse University

1
Syracuse University
Foundation Relations
Melissa Whipps Assistant Director, Foundation
Relations

• Mission
• To raise funds and resources from corporate and
• private foundations to support University
  priority
• academic, research, capital and service
  projects
• To build comprehensive, mutually beneficial,
• sustainable relationships with select
  foundations

NOTE Foundation Relations MUST be notified when
any foundation will be approached.
2
Foundation Relations
What We Do

• Learn about and advance priority projects
• Build close working relationships with
• foundations
• Facilitate linkages between the university and
• foundations
• Provide information to foundations
• Support active stewardship for funded projects

3
Foundation Relations
What We Do For You

• Assess your projects suitability for
  foundations
• Help target your proposals to foundation
  prospects
• Share information about foundations
• Facilitate interdisciplinary proposals by
  bringing
• together participants

4
Foundation Relations
What We Do For You
else

• Distribute relevant foundation RFPs
• Facilitate approaches to foundations
• For SU institutional priority projects, help
• develop letters of inquiry and proposals
• Assist with stewardship and follow-up
• Recognition and acknowledgement of awards

5
Foundation Relations
How You Can Help Us

• Identify possible foundation contacts
• Notify us of opportunities to cultivate
  relationships
• Keep us in the loop about big ideas and
  upcoming
• projects at your school/college
• Always getting in touch with us before
  contacting a
• foundation

6
Foundation Relations
What Do Foundations Support?

• A wide range of activities based on their
  mission
• and interests
• Generally, specific programs or research
  projects
• rather than operating costs
• Some foundations allow overhead in the budget,
  
• others do not
• Each has its own mission, interests, programs,
• requirements, exclusions, and guidelines

7
Foundation Support vs. Government Funding

• Lie between individuals and government
• Have program officers with expertise in a broad
• funding area
• Rely on boards to make funding decisions NOT
• experts on proposals they are voting on
• Some make decisions based on personal interests
  
• Many have limited submission rules
• Foundations play favorites
• Relationships can be a significant
  advantage

8
Foundation Relations or OSP?

• Most likely FR and OSP
• Work with FR staff, need to note who on IRR
• Go through OSP to
• Make sure funds requested are allowable, FTE is
  available
• Minimize cost-share commitments
• Clarify that only funds awarded will be reported
  on
• Ensure reports are generated

9
How to Identify Foundations to Approach for
Support

• Foundation Directory Online - log on through
  the SU
• Library website use keyword Foundation in
  search
• Visit Foundations websites - Review
  guidelines, programs,
• deadlines, policies and procedures, and
  list of recent grants
• Contact Foundation Relations - discuss how best
  to proceed
• if you find a foundation that is a good fit
  for your work.
• Proposal Writing Short Course - an online guide
  that
• covers the basics of preparing a foundation
  proposal

http//foundationcenter.org/getstarted/tutorials/s
hortcourse
NOTE Foundation Relations MUST be notified when
any foundation will be approached.
10
Foundation Relations Staff
Sara Wason, Executive Director, Foundation
Relations 443-2576. sdwason_at_syr.edu Roz
Black, Director, C F Relations, Lubin House, NYC
212-826-0320 x153, rblack_at_syr.edu Melissa
Whipps, Assistant Director, Foundation
Relations 443-3810, mjwhipps_at_syr.edu Zuberi
Tewogbola, Senior Information Analyst, CF
Relations 443-5178, ztewogbo_at_syr.edu Niki
Phillips, Administrative Specialist, Foundation
Relations 443-4940, nmphilli_at_syr.edu
We are here to help, please contact us!