Making the Most of Your Grant Writing Efforts

This document is a supplement for the Online grant writing course available to you free of charge for the month of April 2020.

Introduction

This brief guide provides an overview and additional information designed to augment Penn State Extension's "Making the Most of Your Grant-Writing Efforts" workshop.

In general, there are two types of grant writing in which nonprofit organizations are commonly involved. The first is responding to a Request for Proposals (RFP). These are usually offered for project specific, predetermined funding purposes established by the funding agency. In almost all cases, the application guidelines, timeline, requirements, and award criteria are established by a funding organization or agency and must be strictly adhered to. Although this is beginning to change, it is this type of grantseeking that public organizations and state and local governments are most frequently involved.

The second type of grantseeking involves a proactive strategy of seeking out operational and project funds from one or more of the many philanthropic foundations and organizations to assist nonprofit groups in meeting their common goals.

The information in this booklet will be useful to those undertaking both types of funds-seeking. Because RFPs often come with their own specific instructions, however, much of the following discussion is geared toward assisting those organizations considering a proactive, foundation-based strategy to acquiring the funds they need - primarily from the vast resources of the private philanthropic community. As federal, state, and other public resources continue to decline, it seems clear that this will become an increasingly important consideration for many nonprofit organizations in Pennsylvania.

This brief guide will provide you with:

• An introduction to the grant process
• A look at the philanthropic community
• An outline of an effective research strategy
• A guide to effective proposal writing
• References
• A glossary of terms
• Further reading suggestions
• Internet resources
• A list of Foundation Center publications and services
• Additional Information

Understanding the Grantseeking Process

Novice grantseekers often mistakenly put their greatest effort into the writing of a proposal or responding to an RFP. Although a written grant proposal will likely be the ultimate product of your grantseeking activities, it is only a small component of the larger grantseeking process. To be successful, grantwriting must be a process that entails careful planning, organizational development, research, partnerships, and building relationships.

The Foundation Center's Guide to Proposal Writing notes this process is grounded in the conviction that a partnership should develop between the nonprofit organization and the donor. Foundations, as well as public funding agencies, are 'in the business' of finding valued and professional partners with whom they can work. In fact, the dollars contributed by a foundation, corporation, or public entity have no value until they are attached to solid programs in the nonprofit sector.

This truly is an ideal partnership. Non-profits have the ideas and the capacity to solve problems, but no dollars with which to implement programs. Foundations, corporations, and public entities have the financial resources but lack the means needed to create programs. Bringing the two together effectively results in a dynamic collaboration intended to meet the mission and goals of both partners.

Seeking either foundation or public agency support requires careful planning and takes time and persistence. Because demand almost always exceeds the supply of available resources and because expectations continue to increase this is an increasingly competitive environment.

Raising funds is an investment in your future. Your aim should be to build a comprehensive network of funders. By doggedly paying attention to establishing relationships, building your professionalism, enhancing your organizational capacity, and monitoring and evaluating your impacts you will be best positioned to both acquire and manage the resources your organization needs to carry out its mission.

1. Establish Need
2. Write and Submit Proposal
3. Discuss Project with Source
4. Refine Concept
5. Select Best Sources
6. Analyze Guidelines
7. Research Funding Sources
8. Negotiate Contract / Modify Proposal
9. Follow-up Activity

Although accurate estimates are difficult to come by, it is clear that most grant proposals (perhaps as high as 95 percent) are rejected – most often because they are sent to inappropriate or too many sources in the first place. Unfortunately, once a need is established, eager grantseekers often write proposals before completing the necessary homework. By most accounts, approximately 75 percent of all grant-writing effort should take place before you actually write the proposal. In addition to the steps outlined below, it is also important to realize that many organizations are now requiring a Letter of Inquiry prior to you developing or submitting a full proposal. As always – do your homework and know what your funder expects. (A brief guide to Letters of Inquiry can be found in Appendix B).

The chart below (Figure 1) identifies "proposal writing" as the seventh step in the grant process. Successfully completing steps 1-6 can dramatically improve your chances of receiving funds and positioning your organization for long-term success.

In a nutshell, your primary job is to present your ideas and position your organization so that your potential funders know (and can clearly understand) that you are worthy of their resources. Your primary challenge is to develop your proposal and grantwriting efforts from the perspective of those who will review it – not from the perspective of your organization or group. This means writing to your readers' perspective and goals as well as making your proposal as absolutely user-friendly and easy to understand as possible!

Preparing your organization for Fund Seeking

Ensuring Readiness

Before seeking funds, organizations should possess certain capabilities. According to Michael Seltzer, an organization needs to have a strong statement of purpose, meet the legal Internal Revenue Service (IRS) requirements of 501(c) 3 (nonprofit) organizations, and develop a strong board of directors. Having well-defined programs, an accomplished track record, and well-developed and realistic budgets is also essential.

The following checklist can be used to evaluate an organization's readiness for fundraising activities. Before undertaking any serious fundraising or grantseeking, your organization should be able to meet most of these conditions. If your organization does not currently have these capacities you may want to use this list to guide your organizational development or consider partnering with another public or non-profit entity that has particular strengths in these areas.

Does your organization:

1. Have 501(c) 3 IRS (nonprofit) status?
2. Have a well-defined and written mission statement?
3. Use long-range planning methods?
4. Have a positive, visible image in the community?
5. Have organized record keeping?
6. Have sound fiscal management? Follow standard accounting practices?
7. Operate without a deficit? Have an annual audit?
8. Have an active board representative of the community?
9. Have an approved organization budget?
10. Have a finance committee on the board that reviews periodical financial statements?
11. Have staff or board members with fundraising skills?
12. Have stable financing?
13. Have staff able to deliver new projects or have the ability to recruit such staff?
14. Have a track record of success?
15. Collaborate with groups or have the desire to collaborate?

Choosing a Fund Raising Strategy

Ideally, an organization should never depend exclusively, or even primarily on one source of income. A long-term financial strategy should combine several different approaches to raising funds. These could include developing or increasing earned income revenues, using federal or state assistance, establishing a planned giving campaign, and/or effectively competing for grant monies.

Before choosing a suitable fundraising strategy, you need to think through the following questions:

• How much money do you need to raise?
  The answer to this question will determine the types of approaches or the sources to pursue.
• What are the human resources available?
  The grant seeker must know how much time the organization is willing to spend and the talents and abilities of staff and board members.
• Can your organization afford to spend money to make money?
  Often, fundraising requires a certain amount of "upfront" money. For example, a direct mail campaign would entail printing and mailing costs.
• What, if anything, has worked before?
  If your organization has had a successful fundraising event, consider using the same approach again. But even with an effective approach, you need to consider diversifying so you are not dependent on one source of income.
• What is the competition for money? It is important to identify any competition, or potential competition, for money. If another community organization is planning a supper dance, it would be smart not to schedule a similar event. Sometimes groups may be able to join competitors in co-sponsoring an event or submitting a joint proposal.

Selecting the most appropriate fundraising strategy is critical. While grant-writing is clearly one option, it does not always provide organizations with the full range of resources they need to accomplish their missions. Indeed because grant-writing efforts are generally tied project-specific accomplishment they often don't provide the flexibility many organizations need to operate on a day-to-day basis.

Methods of fundraising you may want to consider:

• Art shows
• Auctions
• Bake sales
• Book sales
• Capital and operational fund campaigns
• Challenge gifts
• Concerts
• Convocations
• Dinners
• Direct Mail
• Door-to-door solicitations
• Endowments and Planned Giving
• Flea markets
• Individual requests
• Investments
• House parties
• In-kind gifts
• Matching funds
• Newspaper advertisements
• Online services, fundraisers, campaigns
• Open pledges
• Phone squads
• Raffles
• Sale of services
• Sports / special events
• Telethons
• Workshops
• Wills and bequests

Several publications are available to help critique the pros and cons of each of these methods (see Recommended Reading). Before starting, it is important to know the best way to implement a particular strategy, the types of revenue one could expect to generate from that activity, what costs will be incurred by the organization, and the amount of time and work required to execute the task.

Assuming your organization has a clear idea about what it wants to accomplish, and that the grantseeking approach is the best alternative for your organization, the next step is to begin to understand the priorities and sources of potential support.

Understanding Foundations

According to the Foundation Center's Key Facts on U.S. Foundations, the United States now has more than 81,00 active grant-making foundations with aggregated assets exceeding $622 billion. Foundation giving in 2011 accounted for $49.4 billion and is estimated to reach $50.9 billion in 2012. In short, despite some decline in both assets and giving during the most recent economic downturn, assets and giving have now recovered and exceeded 2007 levels. Gains in the stock market, growth in gifts to foundations, and new foundations were the major factors in this rise in giving.

Among the key findings in the report:

• Health and education are the top priorities of the country's largest foundations, accounting for almost half of all grant dollars.
• More than one third (35%) of all grant dollars awarded by the nation's largest foundations were specifically intended to benefit the economically disadvantaged.
• In 2011, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation made the single largest grant: $967 million over five years to the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization.

"It may not be the boom years of the late 1990s or mid-2000s, but the good news is that it looks like U.S. foundations will continue to provide a stable source of support for new ideas and ongoing programs that improve lives around the world," said Steven Lawrence, the Foundation Center's director of research and author of the report about the outlook for 2013.

While all foundations are 501(c) 3 nonprofit organizations, each foundation has its own priorities and patterns of giving. The most common types of foundations are:

Types of foundations

• Independent (69% of giving) Includes most of the nation's largest foundations. Generally established by individual donors or donor families
• Operating (11% of giving) Primarily run their own programs, but some also make grants. Generally established by individual donors or donor families.
• Corporate (11% of giving) Established by businesses ranging from major corporations to family-owned shops, although legally separate entities.
• Community (9% of giving) Raise funds from the public. Engage in grantmaking primarily within a defined geographic area.

Figure 2. This graphic highlights the primary issues to which foundations provided resources in 2011.

Foundations in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania lies in the heart of the "foundation belt", those six states between New York and Washington D.C. where approximately 40 percent of the nation's philanthropic wealth is located.

In 2011 there were 5,235 non-operating grant-making foundations in Pennsylvania with assets of $30.1 billion and total giving of $1.6 billion in giving (3.3% of U.S. total). Not surprisingly, most of Pennsylvania's foundations are concentrated in the Southeastern and Southwestern regions.

Corporate Giving

Corporate giving also can be an important source of funding. While tax advantages provide an inducement to giving, many companies believe it is in their best interest to support the communities in which their employees live and in which their manufacturing or administrative headquarters are located. Corporate responsibility and public image are two reasons companies cite for giving to nonprofit organizations.

According to Corporate Foundation Profiles, approximately 22 percent of corporations have set up company-sponsored foundations, which are legally independent entities whose purpose is to make and administer grants. Most of the other corporations have direct giving or contribution programs which are administered within the corporation itself. Before you approach a corporation it is always best to do your homework – find out as much as possible about how their giving programs are established, who is the best contact, what their priorities and limitations are. Company-sponsored foundations are sometimes less subject to the upheavals of the profit cycle because, in times of higher profits, companies may use their foundations to set aside funds that can be used to support giving during years of lower profits.

In addition to grants, companies often will give non-cash contributions to support local projects. Recognizing this, grantseekers may well consider contacting local corporations and businesses directly, as well as the independent foundation arm of a local corporation when asking for funding. These gifts may include services such as accounting, advertising, printing, legal advice, loans, co-op purchasing, contract review or graphics. Sometimes nonprofit organizations will look for corporate help with volunteers, transportation, space, computer use, special equipment, or office supplies. It is important not to overlook these types of contributions when approaching corporations.

Public Sources of Assistance

Despite the decrease in federal funding of nonprofit organizations since the early 1980s, federal assistance is still the largest source of support for local governments and many community-based projects. This assistance comes in the form of formula and project grants, direct payments, loans, training, technical information, and specialized services. As noted earlier, acquiring funds from public sources generally involves responding to a Request for Proposals (RFP). While the process for responding to an RFP frequently involves specific criteria and formatting requirements, it is worth noting that many of the guidelines provided on the following pages can be useful for generating ideas, formulating your plans, and writing your proposal.

Opportunities are also available at the state and local levels. Information about funding programs can be found easily on the Internet (see Internet Resources) or by contacting your local representative or elected official. Because comparatively little is currently spent to support small innovative projects, this is the area where private giving often is a good source of funds

Now that you have a snapshot of where the money is, it is time to begin a concerted effort to seek out the most appropriate sources.

Finding Public Resources

If you are seeking funds from other than a foundation or corporation, you should carefully investigate as many resources as possible. While some of these are provided in this section, you should not overlook many of the resources now available on the Internet. A listing of websites for public agencies with granting programs can be found on pages 17-18.

Almost all Federal proposals must now be submitted through the Grants.gov website, the web portal for government grants. The process is sometimes a bit complicated and you will have to have a registered DUNS number if it's the first time you are doing this so leave yourself plenty of time. (For more information see Related Links in the Appendix)

If this is your organization's first grants.gov application, begin the registration process right away--it can take several weeks. Save all PINs, passwords, log-ins, etc. in a place where others in your organization can find them should you be run over by the proverbial bus.

Call the federal agency to which you're applying and ask for assistance. The program officers will be glad to help, but if you wait till a week before the due date they won't have time.

Submit the finished proposal several days before the due date. If you wait till the last day (or minute), the servers may clog up and your proposal may be deemed late even if you pressed "Send" at 4:59 p.m., EST. Submitting in plenty of time will also allow you to correct any technical problems.

Grants.gov is the portal for researching federal grants, but also be sure to check the agency website as well (e.g. HUD, NEA, NIH, Dept. of Education, etc.)

Several resources are especially helpful when seeking public assistance. While this list is not exhaustive, the most common sources include:

• USA.gov
• Grants.gov
• Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance
  This publication is the government's most complete listing of Federal programs and activities. Extensive descriptions of each program include eligibility requirements and application procedures. This publication is available through the National Rural Information Center. It is also available at the public library. Government funding is an ever-evolving process and the CFDA is not always up to date; however, it does provide a comprehensive starting point for researching public funding. A searchable version is found online.
• Federal Register
  This publication reports the daily activity of the Federal government and includes requests for proposals. It can be found on the Internet at Federal Register.
• Pennsylvania Bulletin
  This publication reports the weekly activity of the State government and includes requests for proposals. It can be found on the Internet at PA Code and Bulletin.
• Federal Funding Sources for Rural Areas
  Published by the Rural Information Center (a joint project of Cooperative Extension and the National Agricultural Library), this compilation is an extensive recourse of federal funds available for a wide range of community projects.
• Rural Access Guide
  Published by the Center for Rural Pennsylvania, the Rural Access Guide features many of the state-administered programs and services available in Pennsylvania.

In addition to the sources mentioned above, other good resources for public funding include individual federal and state agencies (often have grants information on their websites); the Local Development District or Metropolitan Planning Organization; your county planning office or Chamber of Commerce; and the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development. You can also contact the local office of your state or federal representative who can serve as a valuable resource in finding public funds. As always, time spent exploring the Internet is time well-spent.

Knowing the research tools and methods

Locating Basic References

Foundations
By methodically researching foundations or other organizations that may be able to fund your project, you can find those whose interests are related to your proposed project's goals and objectives. The proposal then becomes a marketing tool to promote those ideas. While this method can seem tedious, it can greatly increase your probability of funding.

A serious grantseeker looking for foundation support should become familiar with The Foundation Center - a national service organization founded and supported by foundations to provide a single authoritative source of information on foundation giving. The Foundation Center's references help grantseekers as they begin to select those few foundations that may be most interested in their project. The Foundation Center disseminates information on foundations through two national libraries in New York and Washington, D.C., three regional libraries in Cleveland, Atlanta, and San Francisco, and more than 170 cooperating library collections across the U.S. The audiences that call on the Foundation Center's resources include grantseekers, grantmakers, researchers, policymakers, the media, and the general public. Whether you are seeking $100 or $100,000 for your project or nonprofit organization, someone is available to answer your questions and to point you in the right direction. Another option is to query the Online Librarian.

Each Foundation Center library offers free orientations on the funding research process and a wealth of other assistance. Orientations are designed to give representatives of nonprofit organizations an overview of the foundation and corporate giving universe, and to introduce them to the effective use of the Foundation Center's publications, resources, and services. Foundation Center staff can also tailor orientations to the specific needs and interests of various groups. To learn more about the Foundation Center's orientations or to schedule a library tour, call the Foundation Center operated library nearest you. A listing of some of the reference materials, services, and publications of the Foundation Center can be found in the appendix of this booklet.

The Foundation Center's Funding Information Network now includes more than 20 libraries across Pennsylvania. A listing can be found in the Appendices and on the Foundation Center's website.

You can also search grantmakers, companies, grants, and 990s directly (at no cost) at the Foundation Center's 'Foundation Directory On-line'

Web-based, Subscription, and Electronic Information Sources
There is an increasing array of options now available to grantseekers – far more than even as recent as five years ago. While you'll want to organize your efforts as much as possible and make the most of your time (and money of course), there really is no substitute for 'just doing it'. Consider the time spent an investment in your organization's future that will surely pay dividends. Visit the sites of public agencies and foundations, explore (or automate) database search engines, read tips and suggestions, gather issue related data, or search for relevant research.

Your Options include (are surely not limited to):

• Do it yourself – the web has changed the world of grant-writing. As noted, easily accessible information is widely available – but it takes an investment in your time. In addition, keyword searches on either clearinghouse or specific grantor websites are a useful way to find grants and information about grants. There are also countless online courses and tutorials you may want to consider.
• Take advantage of free and fee-based software, directories, listservs, and tools. While a few are listed here (and in Appendix A) your best approach is to explore these through the eyes of the specific needs of your organization. Free directories include subscriptions through Grants.gov, RSS Feeds from Grants.gov and other organizations such as Guidestar.org.
• Purchase (or explore) software and other directories. Here too is a wide array of options that are best determined only by you with your specific needs in mind. An example includes GrantSeeker Pro.
• Sign up for subscriptions and newsletters. Examples include the Foundation Center, Guidestar.org and many others.
• Hire development and grant writing services. There are of course lots of options for either hiring or contracting the services of a professional grant writer or manager. As with the purchase of any good or service, the fees and costs will depend on your needs, capacities and the services they provide. Many work on a contingency basis. In addition, you can look either locally or more regionally or nationally. The American Grantwriters' Association will give you an idea of what to expect but there are many others. Again, the web can be your friend.

Doing Preliminary Research

Before researching sources of funds, it is necessary to carefully define your proposed project. Without this preliminary work, a trip to the library or contacting a public agency is likely to be in vain. For example, some foundations will not fund educational projects or do not support advocacy projects. Others may not award grants for capital support or operating costs. Funding from a source may be limited to amounts less than $10,000. Most public funding requires a local match of up to 90 percent of the total project cost.

Funding opportunities tend to fall within one or more categories of support. Foundation directories, instructions for grantees, annual reports, or RFPs will specify the type of funding and funding restrictions of the organization or agency. If you are unsure as to whether your project fits the funding requirements, contact the program officer and ask.

Major Proposal Components

While potential grantors have specific requirements and expectations, the basic components of most proposals include:

Cover Letter

• Always include full proposals
• Include the amount requested
• Personalize each cover letter
• Connect your project with the funder
• Briefly explain your project
• Offer to meet with or discuss your project with the funder

Executive Summary

• Synopsis of your proposal
• Grab their attention
• Include:
  • Problem Statement (1-2 paragraph)
  • Proposed Project (1-2 paragraph)
  • Funding Needed (1 paragraph)
  • Your Organization (1 paragraph)

Needs Statement

• Evidence the need for your program in your community
• Show your understanding of the problem and its manifestation in your community
• Emphasize the community or constituent need –not your organization's need
• Avoid circular reasoning
• Use the facts or statistics that best support the project; be accurate, up-to-date, and relevant
• Avoid overstatement or overly emotional appeals
• Decide whether or not you can demonstrate that your program addresses the need differently than other projects

Project Description

The who, what, when, where and why of your proposal

• Goals-broad statement of intended/expected accomplishment
• Objectives-your Plan of Action specific outcome(s) –measurable
• Methods-how you're going to do it?
• Staffing/Administration -who is going to do it and how much time will it take?
• Evaluation-how you will be able to measure effectiveness, success or impact?
• Future Funding –what is needed, will it continue and who will support it?

Budget and Budget Narrative

• Inclusive – include new costs as well as ongoing expenses that will be allocated to the project
• Detailed – all significant costs should be identified within subcategories
• Self-explanatory – if costs are not straightforward, include a budget narrative
• Accurate and realistic – make sure you've done due diligence in all your estimates. Try not to underestimate or overestimate costs

• Connect all costs to activities and outcomes – ensure there is a logical and clear progression between all costs and project activities, impacts, and outcomes

• Make sure all costs in your proposal are consistent with grantor expectations and policies. When in doubt, ask!

• Estimate in-kind contributions if they are eligible for match
• Explain future funding plan
• Use worksheets for hours, miles, postage, rent, supplies, other costs, and benefits

Organizational Information

• Answers the question: Why are you uniquely qualified to carry out this project?
• A concise resume of your organization (as appropriate)
  - mission
  - vision
  - expertise/experience
  - audience/stakeholders
  - board construction
  - staffing/administration
  - the role of volunteers

Appendices – as appropriate

• Supporting data and information
• Legal agreements
• Letters of support
• Program/organization brochure
• Official drawings/pictures for large capital expenses
• List of board members and affiliations
• Copy of IRS 501(c)(3) letter
• Other

It is important to note that increasingly, foundations (particularly in a region) work together to develop a common, (and often online) application form. One example in Pennsylvania includes Grantmakers of Western Pennsylvania.

Scoring and Weighting

While each organization – whether a public funding agency or foundation – may weight various parts of a proposal differently, almost all use some quantitative scoring mechanism to determine which of the proposals they receive will ultimately be selected. Your job, of course, is to be aware of this as it applies to the specifics of the agency or foundation you are working with and, of course, to score as high as possible. While all the components of your proposal are important, funders will pay particular attention (and give the most weight to) to your needs statement, project description, and budget. It is not unusual for these sections alone to make up 60-75% of your total possible score. It is therefore critically important that these (and all sections of course) are tight, logical, concise, well-written, substantiated by relevant data, and coherent. Many foundations or public funding entities provide (on their website or elsewhere) a guide to how they will evaluate proposals. If they don't, or you are uncertain, be sure to ask!

Goals, Objective, and Methods

It is important to outline each of these carefully in any proposal you are preparing – and to ensure that they are connected to one another to create a coherent picture or road map of what you are going to do and how you are going to do it.

• Goal: identifies "the what" you intend to accomplish or attain after a prolonged effort – the final result in broad terms

• Objective: identifies the tangible benchmarks in route to reaching your goals within a given time frame.
  - Needs to be measurable, have an end date, be realistic, be specific, and be set up by the evaluation
• Method: the means by which you will reach your objectives.
  - Should identify persons responsible, should establish timelines, should fit within the budget, and should make sense given the objectives and goal. Should answer HOW, WHEN, and WHY.

Evaluation

Like most other grant related topics, evaluation is a topic more complex than can be covered in this brief overview. Suffice it to say that the era of accountability is here and most organizations receiving grant funds will need to have both a plan for how they will effectively measure their impact and document not only their activities – but most importantly the outcomes – of their efforts. From the former director of the William Penn Foundation

"Most philanthropies are looking for measurable impact – not unlike an equity investor," said Jeremy Nowak, the former president of the William Penn Foundation who is now working as a consultant. "They're asking themselves: If I fund a project, how might I then be able to trace it and see whether it had any effect?"

For arts and culture organizations, it's one thing. They can count ticket sales and memberships, and come up with imaginative new ways to build and engage a larger audience – The Philadelphia Opera Company, Eastern State Penitentiary, and Laurel Hill Cemetery are several organizations that are doing just that.

But for social service non-profits, which do the work of feeding and housing people in need, documenting success is more challenging.

"Thirty years ago, most philanthropy was really thought of as pure charity," said Farah Jimenez, head of the People's Emergency Center CDC in West Philadelphia. "People would give to a church, for instance, and nobody ever came back to ask the pastor how many lives he saved that week."

"Now, if I give out food, I can document how much I give," she said. "But the question that's being asked is, 'as a result of our having intervened in your life, how are you now increasing your ability to feed yourself'? (Source Philanthropy Network Greater Philadelphia.) "

While this is often a topic requiring some professional development and a time commitment on the part of staff or volunteers there is assistance available. Ultimately your organization will benefit from considering this time and effort an investment in your organization's long-term future.

In terms of your proposal, you will want to pay attention to several key considerations.

• All objectives and methods should be set up for evaluation
• Design evaluations that fit your mission and the needs of your clientele as well as your funder's
• Establish an evaluation plan including activities, persons responsible, and a timeline (see Appendix, pg. 22)
• A good evaluation plan shows responsibility – you are determined to use the funding well and evidence that you have!

Determining what to measure is often the most difficult aspect of evaluation and greatly depends on your skills, the needs of your funders, and perhaps as noted above the needs of your clientele. You can't measure everything. Picking your battles in the most efficient manner possible is your best bet. Other questions you should consider include:

• What data can you acquire?
• What secondary data exists?
• How much effort and cost will it take to collect primary data?
• How important are each?
• What skills or assistance do you have or need?
• What is your funder most interested in?

In general, evaluation strategies fall into two broad categories – formative and summative. Formative strategies include measuring the success and lessons learned from the process, and short term impact of your intervention efforts. Summative (sometimes called 'outcome') strategies investigate the long-term and broader audience (or perhaps even social, economic, environmental) impacts of your activities. While this sometimes sounds daunting, especially for those new to evaluation concepts and approaches, assistance and resources are available either online or by contacting Penn State Extension. In either case, you owe it to your organization's long-term success to enhance its capacity for measuring the impact and effectively telling the story, of your accomplishments.

If you are not familiar with Logic Models you may want to consider becoming acquainted with this basic planning and evaluation tool. While many resources exist a good basic introduction can be found in UW - Division of Extension. Logic Models ask you to consider the indicators listed below and can be an invaluable planning tool and evaluation tool.

• Inputs
• Activities
• Short term impacts
• Medium-term impacts
• Long term impacts
• Output and outcomes.

Appendices

Appendix A - Selected Web Resources

Common Grant Forms (example and guide – GrantMakers of Western PA)

Chronicle of Philanthropy

Foundation Center On-line 

Foundation Center Foundation Search 

Grant Space (a service of the Foundation Center)

Free Management Library – Non-Profit Fundraising

Guide Star 

National Center for Charitable Statistics

Grants.gov Federal grants clearinghouse 

Fed Connect

USA.gov 

PA GrantWatch 

Government Benefits – Check Your Eligibility

GovLoans.gov – Find the Right Loan for You

Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI)

PA Department of Community and Economic Development 

PA Department of Education 

Grantspace: Know the Terminology

Foundation Center Glossary of terms 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Rural Assistance Center

Appendix B– Letter of Inquiry – Suggested Guidelines

Many foundations now request that interested applicants send a Letter of Inquiry (sometimes called a Letter of Intent) before submitting formal grant proposals.

Before submitting such a letter, be sure to conduct research to identify foundations and corporations that make grants to your type of organization and in your geographic area. Make certain that your purpose for seeking funds fits within the foundation's guidelines. Check each organization's website or annual report for an outline of its letter of inquiry and its grant guidelines. Letters of inquiry should be concise, generally one to three pages and should be signed by the organization's Executive Director or Board Chair. In addition, many funders request that their application sheet or the Common Grant Application Cover Sheet be attached to the letter of inquiry. Be sure to check with your funder for their preference. Below is a list of suggested information to be included:

Organization

• Brief description of organization
• Address, telephone number, fax number, email address
• Name of contact person

Project or Program

• Summary – one sentence statement of proposed project or program
• Overview – purpose, objectives, goals, how project relates to funder's priorities
• Description – target population, specific action plan, timeframe and duration
• Implementation (and results) – qualifications for executing proposed project, expected outcomes, how effectiveness will be monitored and evaluated, and a plan for continuance at conclusion of funding
• Cost – amount requested, total project cost, additional funding sources (pending and received)

Attachments

(each funder may have specific preferences for information to be included)

• IRS 501(c)(3) determination letter
• Mission Statement
• Board of Directors list

Appendix C – Foundation Center Funding Information Network

Name	City
Albright Memorial Library	Scranton
Allentown Public Library	Allentown
Beaver County Library System	Aliquippa
Butler Area Public Library	Butler
Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh	Pittsburgh
Chester County Library and District Center	Exton
Citizens Library	Washington
Community Library of the Shenango Valley	Sharon
Dauphin County Library System	Harrisburg
East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania	East Stroudsburg
Erie County Public Library	Erie
Free Library of Philadelphia	Philadelphia
Hazleton Area Public Library	Hazleton
Lancaster Public Library	Lancaster
Margaret R. Grundy Memorial Library	Bristol
Martin Library	York
Montgomery County Community College	Blue Bell
Nonprofit and Community Assistance Center	Pittston
Northampton Community College	Bethlehem
Pottstown Regional Public Library Reading Public Library	Pottstown Reading

Appendix D – Community Foundations in PA

Source: The Grantsmanship Center

Foundation Name	Geographic Focus
Armstrong County Community Foundation	Armstrong County, PA
The Beaver County Foundation	Beaver County, PA
Berks County Community Foundation	Berks County, PA
Bread and Roses Community Fund	Philadelphia, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery counties, PA and Camden County, NJ.
Bucks County Foundation	Bucks County, PA
Capstone Legacy Foundation
Central Pennsylvania Community Foundation	Blair County, PA
Central Susquehanna Community Foundation	Columbia, lower-Luzerne, Montour, Northumberland, and Snyder counties, PA
Centre County Community Foundation	Centre County, PA
Chester County Community Foundation	Chester County, PA
Clinton County Community Foundation	Clinton County, PA
Community Foundation for the Alleghenies	Cambria, Bedford, Indiana, and Somerset Counties, PA
The Community Foundation for the Twin Tiers	Tioga County, NY; Bradford, Sullivan, and Tioga Counties, PA
Community Foundation of Fayette County	Fayette County, PA
Community Foundation of Greene County	Greene County, PA
Community Foundation of Warren County	Warren County, PA
Community Foundation of Western Pennsylvania and Eastern Ohio	Trumbull County, OH; Mercer and Lawrence, PA
The Community Foundation of Westmoreland County	Westmoreland County, PA
Delaware County Community Foundation	Delaware county, PA
Elk County Community Foundation	Elk County, PA
The Erie Community Foundation	Erie, PA
First Community Foundation of Pennsylvania	Central and North Central Pennsylvania counties of Bradford, Lycoming, Montour, Northumberland, Sullivan, Tioga, and Union
The Foundation for Enhancing Communities	Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Lebanon, Perry, and Northern York Counties, PA
The Lancaster County Community Foundation	Lancaster County, PA
Lehigh Valley Community Foundation
The Luzerne Foundation	Luzerne County, PA
The Montgomery County Foundation	Montgomery County, PA
North East Community Foundation	North East, PA; northeastern Erie County area
The Philadelphia Foundation	Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia Counties, PA
The Pittsburgh Foundation	Allegheny County, PA
POISE Foundation	Pittsburgh/Allegheny County, PA
Schuylkill Area Community Foundation	Schuylkill, PA
Scranton Area Foundation	Lackawanna County, PA
Taylor Community Foundation	Collingdale Borough, PA; Darby Township, PA; Eddystone Borough, PA; Folcroft Borough, PA; Glenolden Borough, PA; Morton Borough, PA; Nether Providence, PA; Norwood Borough, PA; Prospect Park Borough, PA; Ridley Park Borough, PA; Ridley Township, PA; Rose Valley Borough, PA; Rutledge Borough, PA; Sharon Hill Borough, PA; Springfield Township, PA; Swarthmore Borough, PA; Tinicum Township, PA
The Community Foundation of the Endless Mountains	Susquehanna and Wyoming counties, PA
Three Rivers Community Foundation
Washington County Community Foundation	Washington County, PA
Wayne County Community Foundation	Wayne County, PA
York County Community Foundation	York County, PA

Appendix E – Your Fundraising Plan

Developing Your Fundraising Plan - Worksheet

Overview/Background

The following questions relate to some of the fundamental issues you will need to address in order to develop an effective Fundraising Plan.  On the following page you will find a matrix that identifies key elements for long-term financial planning. 

1.  What is the competitive advantage that your organization has over other organizations to better address the challenges your community is facing?
2. Do you have the financial structures and guidelines necessary to effectively manage increased external funding?  Do you have the appropriate skills required on your team?  If not where or how will you get them? 
3. Do you have access to, or can you acquire the capacity necessary to effectively search for, and write quality grant proposals?  If not, what arrangements or resource will it take to acquire this capacity?
4. What are the current challenges your organization faces in its efforts to acquire the resources you need to effectively meet your mission? 
5. What are the greatest assets your organization has that will serve you well as you seek to strengthen your funding portfolio? 

Complete for each program goal as necessary

Mission-based Program Goal: [Insert goal here]

Relation to Mission/Vision: [Insert specific mission component here]  

Funding Level Required for Success: [Insert annual or short term funding required]

Top three most likely source of required funding:

1. Insert top priority source here
2. Insert additional potential sources here
3. Insert additional potential sources here

Tasks Required	Expected Accomplishment Date	Responsible Individuals/Committees	Additional Resources Required To Meet This Objective/Comments
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Appendix F – Your Evaluation Plan

Worksheet - Developing Your Evaluation Plan

Overview/Background

The following questions highlight a number of issues you will need to address in order to develop an effective Evaluation Plan for your organization. 

1. What are the primary purposes for which your organization will likely need evaluation data in the next 1- 3 years? 
2. Who are the major stakeholder groups for whom effective evaluation data would be most effective?
3. What are the most common types of data your stakeholder groups are most interested in (process, product, output, outcome, impact etc.)? 
4. What are the greatest challenges your organization has related to collecting effective evaluation data? 

Complete Worksheet for Each Program/Activity to be Evaluated

1. Program/activity to be evaluated:
2. Stakeholders for whom results will be the most relevant
3. Program type (i.e. educational, activity/event; coordinative/collaborative, etc.)
4. What will you evaluate? (process, product, or outcome)
5. Primary outcomes you are interested in assessing?  (skills learned, behavior changed, confidence strengthened, community statistics improved etc.)
6. Primary data collection method (survey, observation, secondary data analysis)
7. Evaluation Timing (baseline, pre-event, post event, short medium, long  term)
8. Do you have baseline data from which to compare results or outcomes?

Steps Required	Expected Initiation Date	Expected Completion Date	Responsible Individuals Or Committees	Additional Resources Required /Comments
1.1
1.2
1.3
1.4
1.5

Appendix G - Top Giving Foundations: Pennsylvania

Source: Grantsmanship Center (2016)

Top Giving Foundations: Pennsylvania

The following list of top giving foundations in Pennsylvania is derived from The Grantsmanship Center's^sm funding databases. All of the foundations listed have been prescreened to ensure that they have a staff, issue RFPs, or otherwise indicate an interest in receiving proposals. This also means that some foundations who give large amounts of money have been omitted because they do not meet these qualifications. A maximum of forty foundations is listed for each state.

More detailed information about these foundations- including their program areas, types of funding, application procedures, and more- can be found on GrantDomain - The Grantsmanship Center's exclusive online database of funding information.

Foundation Name	Total Annual Giving
The Pew Charitable Trusts	$131,988,597
John Templeton Foundation	$104,863,836
Richard King Mellon Foundation	$99,152,041
The William Penn Foundation	$79,722,683
The Heinz Endowments	$61,124,899
The PNC Foundation	$48,269,009
The Pittsburgh Foundation	$28,992,416
McCune Foundation	$25,988,575
Alcoa Foundation	$21,517,932
The Henry L. Hillman Foundation, Inc.	$20,277,076
The Philadelphia Foundation	$19,803,465
Oberkotter Foundation	$16,266,160
The Comcast Foundation	$16,170,519
Dominion Foundation	$14,832,691
Sarah Scaife Foundation	$14,647,500
Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation	$14,262,325
Eden Hall Foundation	$13,243,707
The Luzerne Foundation	$11,303,725
Grable Foundation	$10,883,346
The E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Foundation	$10,321,203
Connelly Foundation	$9,199,737
Lenfest Foundation	$7,476,737
The Erie Community Foundation	$7,436,781
John R. McCune Charitable Trust	$6,695,500
W.W. Smith Charitable Trust	$6,601,171
Bayer Foundation	$6,456,590
Edith L. Trees Charitable Trust	$6,176,351
The Foundation for Enhancing Communities	$6,016,035
Harry C. Trexler Trust	$5,792,138
The Lancaster County Community Foundation	$5,611,314
The 1994 Charles B. Degenstein Foundation	$4,852,711
The Air Products Foundation	$4,685,583
PPG Industries Foundation	$4,649,567
Highmark Caring Foundation	$4,507,735
The Sidney Kimmel Foundation	$4,474,960
The Barra Foundation, Inc	$4,241,196
CIGNA Foundation	$3,876,757
The Vanguard Group Foundation	$3,809,711
Lehigh Valley Community Foundation	$3,716,456
Mellon Charitable Foundation	$3,673,500