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Preliminary
Considerations |
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We
can now move on to the challenge of finding a grant source
for your project or program. Before you begin researching
which grantmakers to approach, you must consider things
such as timing, eligibility, compatibility, and the scale
of the organizations in terms of the size of funds they
can distribute. The following factors are preliminary
considerations.
Timing
Timing is a critical issue. You may have an excellent
idea and you may have found just the right sources for
your grant. However; if your timing is off, you will decrease
your chances of being successful at obtaining it. Be sure
to carefully review information about deadlines for applications.
Consider the following factors that affect timing.
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Closing
date - the closing date is the deadline for which
the grant application must be received. Start preparation
in plenty of time so you aren't forced to rush if
you are too close to the closing date. Give yourself
ample time for research, organization, and diligence
in the preparation of your application and materials.
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Urgency
of cause - your chances of receiving a grant may
be increased if your cause matches the most urgent
causes the grantmaker represents. For example, shortly
after 2001, the issue of homeland security became
paramount to many different communities nationwide.
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Advanced
support - allow yourself enough time to muster support
on every level. Try to solicit in-kind donations,
volunteers and support from your constituents before
you enter the grantseeking process. |
Eligibility
Not everyone is eligible to apply for a grant. Many grantmakers,
such as the federal, state and local governments, require
that grantees meet certain terms. These terms are usually
stated clearly,either in the application literature or
in the grant source's website. You may not be eligible
based on the following factors:
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Lack
of existing matching funds |
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Your
project does not fit the right demographic, geographic
or socioeconomic criteria or the mission of the
grantmaking organization |
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Your
stakeholders and partners may not conform to the
terms of eligibility |
Compatibility
Pursue grant sources that have missions compatible with
your own. You can have an excellent idea, but if you approach
a grantmaker whose mission does not fall at least broadly
within that realm, you cannot expect them to support your
project. Compatibility can be determined in several ways:
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The
grantmaker is a major presence in your professional
field, e.g., the National Science Foundation is
compatible with many of the goals of engineers and
scientists. |
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The
grantmaker has a broad mission, e.g., providing
education to children worldwide, and your project
falls within its scope. |
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The
grantmaker has business interests related to your
mission, e.g., improved corporate image. |
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The
grantmaker has expressed interest in solving the
same problem that you seek to solve. |
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The
grantmaker may list types of support they sponsor,
e.g., seed capital, operating support, conferences,
etc. |
Scale
The scale, or resource capabilities, of your potential
grantmaker should be considered carefully when you seek
financial support. The grantmaker may not be a large organization
and it is possible that you will have to seek more than
one source to meet your total funding requirements. Consider
the following:
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Find
multiple grantmakers who share your mission and
approach them all |
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Find
corresponding grant sources such as federal, state,
and local organizations that either match or require
one another's contributions. |
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Find
some organizations to donate in-kind support to
supplement financial resources and minimize the
size of your grant request. |
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