Many people, including fundraising professionals, freeze up when they hear the word grant. They think of a long, drawn-out process that includes a lot of paperwork and reporting, but I’m going to let you in on a little secret…they’re not that scary!
The most important step of any process is the first one. Whether you’re an executive director, board chair, development director or pregnancy center intern, committing to take the first step in the grant process will set your center up for success.
Today I’m going to talk about the first two steps to winning a grant. And the good news is, they’re incredibly simple! First, you must know who you are and then know who they are.
Step 1: Know Who You Are
Before you can win a grant for your pregnancy center, it’s important to know WHO YOU ARE. Consider the following questions:
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What is the vision and mission of your center?
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Who do you serve?
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How do you serve?
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What is the impact you are making?
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What is your greatest need?
Step 2: Know Who They Are
After you have a firm grasp of who you are and what your funding needs are, it is important to know WHO THEY ARE, i.e the foundations who will support you. In order to win a grant, you need to identify foundations who will be interested in funding you.
Here are some tips and tricks in finding potential foundation partners:
- Look into your own Database
- Use a Grant Database
- Work with your Board Members
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