Locating Potential Funders for Homeland Security Activities

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Locating Potential Funders for Homeland Security
Activities

• Project TAHS Webinar
• September 2005

Presented by Damon Coppola, Bulow Group
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Todays Agenda

• Welcome and Introductions
• Overview of Project TAHS and the Resources
  Available to You
• Overview of Funding Resource Directory
• Q and A
• Peer to Peer Sharing

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Project TAHS

• Who we are
• Aguirre International
• The Bulow Group
• Goals of Project TAHS
• Provide user-driven T/TA
• Develop capacity and skills for Homeland Security
  programming
• Assist National Service programs in creating new
  partnerships for Homeland Security activities
• Enhance sustainability

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www.projecttahs.org
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Project TAHS Resources

• 1-800-656-3011
• Email TAHS_at_aiweb.com
• Web Site http//www.projecttahs.org
• Participation in meetings
• One-on-one assistance

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Main Topic Agenda

• The Project TAHS Funding Directory
• Foundations Primer
• Approaching Foundations
• The Proposal

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TAHS Funding Directory

• Contains almost 2,000 foundation contacts
  throughout the United States
• Targeted list of appropriate foundations
• Includes
• Community Foundations
• Public Foundations
• Family Foundations
• Private Foundations

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Accessing the Directory

• Access the Project TAHS website
• www.projecttahs.org
• Click Guides and Resources
• Scroll down to Searchable Directories
  Database
• Select Database 2 2005 Homeland Security
  Funding Resource Directory

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Directory Search Page
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Search Options

• State, Funder Description, or Priority
• Animals Arts Business CivicsCommunity
  Development Community Service Disabilities Dis
  aster ReliefEducation EmploymentEnvironment
  HealthHousing JusticePhilanthropy Poverty
  Recreation ReligionSafety ScienceSenior
  Citizens Special ProjectsYouth Women

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TAHS Funding Directory

• Select up to 3 Priority areas
• Use the Control Key to select multiple records
• Database will retrieve records with any of the
  three priorities, not necessarily all of them
• Select your state, and click on Submit
• HINTRepeat search with Whole US to retrieve
  foundations that have no geographic limitations

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Search Results
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TAHS Funding Directory

• Information contained in the records
• Foundation Name
• Contact Information (Address, Phone, Fax, Email)
• Website (if one exists)
• Priorities
• Description
• Office locater URL (if the foundation maintains
  multiple offices, and lists those on a website,
  that website will be listed here)

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Individual Record
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TAHS Funding Directory

• Next Steps
• Access the foundations website
• HINT - Use the right mouse button to click on
  the link, and Open in New Window to save your
  TAHS Funding Directory Search Screen
• If they do not maintain a website, or if their
  website does not contain useful information,
  contact them directly by the phone number or
  email address provided

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Foundation Website Example
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Grant Information Example
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Other Sources

• Public / University Libraries
• FC Search (Cooperating Collection of the
  Foundation Center)
• http//fdncenter.org/collections/
• CD ROM
• Subscription
• Foundation 1000
• Foundation Directory 12
• Guide to US Foundations
• National Directory of Corporate Giving
• Annual Register of Grant Support
• State Directory of Community Foundations?

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Internet

• The Foundation Center www.fdncenter.org
• Internet Nonprofit Center - www.fundraiser.org
• American Fund Raising Institute www.afri.org
  (great stories)
• Fundraisingweb.org - www.fundraisingweb.org
• Minnesota Council on Foundations - www.mcf.org
• Raise Funds - www.raise-funds.com
• Council on Foundations www.cof.org
• Grass Roots Fundraising Online -
  www.grassrootsfundraising.org
• Fundraising.Com www.fund-raising.com
• Contributions Magazine www.contributionsmagazine
  .com
• American Association of Fundraising Counsel
  www.aafrc.org

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Why Foundations?

• Exist to fund projects like yours
• Give away 25 billion/year (10 of philanthropic
  funding)
• Over 400 billion in assets
• Reliable, growing source

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Advantages of Foundation Funding

• More likely to focus on emerging issues, new
  needs, populations not yet recognized as "special
  interests."
• Often willing to pool resources with other
  funders.
• Wide range in size of available grants
• More willing source of start-up or experimental
  funds.
• Full length, complex proposals not always
  necessary.
• Can be much more flexible in responding to unique
  needs and circumstances.
• Able to avoid bureaucratic administration
  requirements.
• Can often provide alternative forms of
  assistance.
• Oftentimes, there are fewer applicants.
• Can generally be much more informal and willing
  to help with the proposal process

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Disadvantages of Foundation Funding

• Average grant size usually much smaller.
• Priorities can change very rapidly, continuation
  support can be difficult to predict.
• Information on policies and procedures must
  generally be researched, can be time consuming.
• Less likely to cover all project costs
• May have limited staff fewer opportunities for
  personal contact and/or site visits.
• May not be clear about reasons for rejection
  hard to improve for 2nd attempt.

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Where Foundations Give
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Foundation Support by Type
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Foundation Giving by Target Group
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Types of Foundations

• Community Foundations
• Public Foundations
• Family Foundations
• Private Foundations

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Targeted Approach

• All foundations have characterand they dont
  hide it
• The key is matching the mission and goals of your
  project with the mission and goals of the
  foundation
• Applications are labor and time intensive but a
  targeted approach helps you avoid wasted effort

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What to Look For

• Guidelines
• Geographic restrictions
• Project type restrictions
• Organization type restrictions
• Grant history
• Amount
• Project type
• Organization type
• Exclusions (We dont fund.)
• Application Is proposal also needed?
• Grant evaluation criteria

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Where to Start?

• Start with the community foundations serving your
  community (look beyond the directory)
• Similar geographic priorities
• Strongest connections
• Move on to the family, private, and public
  foundations next

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Explicitly Defining Your Project

• What is your project?
• What is the specific problem or issue it will
  address?
• What are the benefits of the project to the
  community?
• Will the donor personally enjoy benefits?
• How many people will be involved in the project?
• How many people will benefit from the project?
  Who are these people?
• What are the costs involved in the project, and
  where will they be spent?
• Exactly how much more money do you need for the
  project (your project goal)?
• What other sources of funding do you have?
• When do you need the money?
• Is the project sustainable?

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The Proposal

• Gather Background Information
• Concept
• Program
• Nature of the project and how it will be
  conducted
• Timetable of the project
• Anticipated outcomes and how you will evaluate
  results
• Staffing/Volunteer needs (existing and new staff)
• Expenses

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The Proposal

• Base it on the foundations individual proposal
  requirements
• General proposal components
• Executive Summary (1 page or less)
• Statement of Need (1 to 2 pages)
• Project Description (1 to 3 pages)
• Budget (1 page or less)
• Organizational Information (1 page or less)
• Conclusion (1/2 page)

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Proposal Executive Summary

• Problem
• Solution
• Funding requirements
• Organization and its expertise

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Proposal Statement of Need

• Be succinct, yet persuasive
• Present evidence facts and statistics
• Accurate, specific, and relevant
• Cite research supporting your argument
• Give the reader hope
• If appropriate, show that your project addresses
  the problem differently / better
• Avoid circular reasoning

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Proposal - Project Description

• Objectives
• Methods
• Staffing / Administration
• Evaluation
• Sustainability

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Proposal - Budget

• May be simple, one page statement of projected
  expensesor
• May be a more complex presentation, showing
  projected support and revenue, and notes
  explaining various expenses

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Proposal - Organizational Information and
Conclusion

• Resume of your organization
• History
• Mission, structure, programs, special expertise
• How do volunteers contribute
• Experience / skills of staff
• Activities / Assistance you provide
• Who you serve your audience

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Examples of Proposals

• Nonprofit Guides - http//npguides.org
• School Grants - http//www.schoolgrants.org/Sample
  s/samples.htm
• Idea Bank - http//theideabank.com/onlinecourse/sa
  mplegrant.html
• Gill Foundation -http//www.gillfoundation.org/tat
  a_materials/tata_materials_show.htm?doc_id90214
• Google, InfoSeek, Altavista

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Questions?
Contact Us
1-800-656-3011 www.projecttahs.org