The Hell-Raiser's Blog: Grassroots Organizations Need Not Apply

Gaaaaggghhhhhh!

Huh???

WTF? (Why the Twisted Funding?)

Applying for foundation funding has often felt like jumping through a lot of random hoops. 

But lately, it seems the number of hoops is getting bigger while the size of the hoops is getting smaller. Consider these funder hoops:

• We do not accept proposals (or letters of inquiry) that we have not already solicited.

• We accept proposals from only organizations with a budget of $500,000 or more. 

• We do not fund proposals from organizations without a full-time staff person.

• We do not accept proposals from organizations not currently our grantees.

• We are not accepting proposals this year.

• We will not fund any organizations whose administrative costs are over 20% of its budget.

• We will not fund organizations without at least one full-time staff person.

• We will not provide funding for staff

                                                              food
                                                              rent

                                                              utilities
                                                              fundraising
                                                              record-keeping
                                                              administrative work
                                                              general operations of any kind.

Only 25 percent of nonprofit organizations spent at least $500,000 in 2012. If this trend continues, how long until the organizations that can navigate the hoops constitutes one percent?

A Time-Saving Tip on Researching Foundations

Credit: LaurMG

Has this ever happened to you?

You’re studying a foundation website, wondering: Will these folks fund my proposal?

You check the foundation’s mission statement. So far, so good.

You check the deadlines – plenty of time to submit.

Do they fund organizations in Seattle? They do!

You keep reading … Great! A perfect fit!

And then you see it. In fine print. At the bottom of your screen: “Due to the economic downturn, we no longer accept unsolicited proposals or letters of inquiry.”

Ugh. 

Save yourself some time and heartache: Ignore those exhortations to PLEASE READ ABOUT OUR FUNDING PRIORITIES AND GUIDELINES FIRST! and check the section on how to apply for any “Don’t call us, we’ll call you” statements.