Nonprofit Adviser

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It’s an old and frustrating story in the charity world: You’ve spent a tremendous amount of time and effort applying for a much-needed grant. But when all is said and done, you get turned down by a funder that says you didn’t make a good-enough case to warrant support. What can a nonprofit leader do?

An important way to strengthen your case, win support, and make the time invested in grant-proposal writing worthwhile is to build an accurate, thorough budget that links clearly to the proposed activities described. David Wheeler recently talked to several grant makers and grant seekers who offered actionable advice. Here are a few highlights:

• Your narrative and budget should be closely tied together and tell the same story, says Shashank Rastogi, a partner in the Mumbai, India, office of the Bridgespan Group, a consultancy that works with nonprofits and philanthropists.
  
• Alice Ruhnke, president of GrantStation, which provides grant-seeking resources to nonprofits, says when funders read a proposal, they should not be surprised when they arrive at the budget. Your grant narrative should set up expectations that activities will have costs, and the budget should outline those costs.
  
• Jessica Edwards, chief development officer at the National Alliance on Mental Illness, an advocacy and educational organization, suggests “putting on your funder hat” when creating a budget. Edwards recommends presenting budgets in a way that is compelling and reflects broader goals the grant maker will easily grasp.

For more tips, read the full article, “Proposal Budgets Should Strengthen Your Case for Support: Here’s How,”and consider signing up for the related on-demand webinar, “Crafting Proposal Budgets That Instill Confidence.”

Have a good week,

Maria Di Mento
Senior Reporter

Engage people before asking for a donation. Experts say charities are more likely to win a gift if they can first get someone to take another action in support of the charity. “We see that with something as little as sharing a post on Facebook,” says Jeremy Berman, a social-media fundraising expert. Also, people should be acknowledged for the “four T’s” — time, testimony, ties, and talent — before they’re solicited, says Laura MacDonald, founder of the Benefactor Group, a fundraising consultancy. Evaluate whether you are “asking them to get married on the first date,” she says. For more tips, read “Tips to Reach More Small-Dollar Donors,” by Ben Gose and Rasheeda Childress.

Your Chronicle subscription includes free access to GrantStation’s database of grant opportunities.

Young People: Young Futures aims to support youth-led, youth-designed solutions that give teens the agency to thrive in a tech-filled world. Young Futures’ Under Pressure Challenge is a $1 million commitment and open funding call for early-stage organizations and solutions focused on alleviating the pressures teens (ages 10 to 19) in the U.S. feel growing up in a tech driven world. Solutions can be tech driven (e.g., an app or online platform), offered online or in-person (e.g., campaign, curriculum, community, or digital platform), or feature a hybrid approach. Grant up to $1 million total will be provided to up to ten organizations.

Education: The Teagle Foundation works to support and strengthen liberal arts education in the United States. The Foundation’s Transfer Pathways to the Liberal Arts initiative, jointly sponsored with the Arthur Vining Davis Foundations, aims to bring the lifelong benefits of a liberal arts education to students who historically have been excluded from higher education—including low-income students, first-generation students, students of color, and immigrant students. Support is provided for statewide, regional, or consortial academic partnerships between public two-year and private four-year colleges to facilitate transfer and completion of the baccalaureate in the liberal arts. Deadline for concept papers is December 1.