Finding Foundations

• When it comes to grant writing, the focus should be on quality, not quantity. Apply to foundations with similar missions to yours and that seem likely to fund your cause.
  
  The best way to contact a foundation is through an existing contact. Ask your organization's board members or supporters to put you in touch with their contacts.
  
  To apply cold to a foundation, use services such as the Foundation Center to find funding organizations that are accepting grant proposals. Visit one of the center's locations or pay a fee to access their database.
  
  

Letter of Intent

• Most foundations will not allow you to merely send them a proposal for review. Rather, they will first ask for a letter of intent. This is your opportunity to make a good impression and explain to the foundation why your cause is a worthy one.
  
  Review the foundation's guidelines to determine if the letter of intent can be sent at any time or if there is a set time frame during which they are accepting letters.
  
  Before writing the letter, contact someone from the organization to introduce yourself. This will be the person to whom you can address any questions while writing the letter of intent and proposal.
  
  Carefully read the foundation's guidelines to understand its requirements. Also, read the materials to learn more about the foundation's mission and priorities.
  
  A second or third pair of eyes is always a good idea, so have at least one other person read over your letter of intent before you submit it.
  
  After submitting the letter, you'll receive a confirmation letter from the foundation. The letter will tell you when you should expect the foundation's decision whether to invite you to submit a full-length proposal.
  
  

The Proposal

• You could be requested to write a lengthy proposal. The most important two sections--and the ones most likely to be read--are the executive summary and the budget. It is vital that you justify everything in your budget and that there are no unnecessary costs.
  
  Think about your goals before writing the proposal and have a solid plan to accomplish them.
  
  Depending on the foundation, you will either write a narrative or answer a series of questions. Sufficiently answer each question posed to you. As with the letter of intent, follow the foundation's guidelines and have someone else review the proposal before you submit it.
  
  

Follow-up

• The foundation should send you confirmation that it has received the proposal along with a timeline for when to expect a decision.
  
  If you are denied funding--do not despair, it was most likely not due to something you did wrong. Particularly in difficult economic times, the majority of proposals are rejected because foundations have a limited amount of funds.
  
  If you are granted funding--congratulations! Write a thank-you letter to the foundation. The foundation will also most likely request a mid-year and final report about the project.