Private Grants Alert

Don't Be Bedeviled by Fundraising; Mission Trumps Size

CYF's Grant Guru is a periodic feature in which we answer your questions. It is part of our continuing effort to enhance our coverage. Dear Grant Guru: We are a small organization, but we are having difficulty getting our fundraising efforts on track. We can't seem to open any doors. Are all small nonprofits in the same boat or is there a magic formula out there we don't know about? Grant Guru: Nope, there are no silver fundraising bullets that we know of—other than a lot of hard work. Remember, it isn't the size of the organization that matters; it's the importance of the mission. Mission match trumps scale every time. We Can't Raise Big Money—We Don't Know Any Rich People You don't need wealthy people in your database to raise money. But without them, there are two imperatives facing you: You must get your message out and relate the impact of what you're doing to the broader needs of the community. You must be willing to think of ways to identify and approach those who do have money. If you don't know wealthy people, make no mistake: raising money is much harder and demands more imagination. But it is not impossible. With dedication—and tenacity—on the part of the board and the staff, it can be done. Wealth Is Mostly What Determines a Person's Willingness to Give That's not really true. When an individual makes a philanthropic gift, at least three factors come into play—a connection to the organization; a concern for the cause; and financial capacity. It may surprise you, but the first two far outweigh the third. A person can have incalculable wealth, but if he or she is not connected to the people or services of your organization or doesn't display interest in what you're doing, that person isn't likely to give. --------------- Please Make Sure We Have Your Correct E-mail & Ma...