The very basics of foundation prospecting.

1. PowerTools 2012: Foundation
Prospecting 101
Presented by Christine West
and Sara Kellner

2. Be clear about your your mission
and focus
What makes you stand apart?

3. Have a few projects you can ask for
money for, general operating support,
education, a special exhibition, etc
Create a kit of parts
Get a coach or a mentor if you need
help developing a program

4. Write a great proposal – make the case
for your organization
Include a clear budget
Plan for implementation
Include overhead and administration
How will you evaluate?

5. Look at who has given to your
organization in the past
Go back to the beginning
New trustees, a new generation
Examples

6. Research who has given to similar
organizations and what amounts
Look at programs and invitations
Get on email lists
Get out there; stay involved in the
community
Cultivating a foundation is like
cultivating and individual

7. Research each foundation, using a tool
such as The Foundation Center online
www.foundationcenter.org

8. • Fdn center sample

9. Look at the stated priorities of the
foundation

10. • Houston Endowment supports artistic
achievement, cultural knowledge and
bringing activities in arts and culture to all
people in greater Houston.
• The intrinsic value of the arts comes
through both the creative expression of the
artist and the experience of that expression
by others. To fully benefit from, appreciate
and take part in cultural offerings, people
must engage in activities routinely and
repeatedly, and they must draw meaning
from those experiences.

11. Look at what they actually fund and
the amounts

12. • example

13. Check out their 990 for more
information, including the list of
trustees, and details on who
they have funded and the amounts:
www.guidestar.org

15. Match this up to your organization –
what is the likelihood that they will
fund you?
“When prospecting for potential donors
one traditionally looks for three factors:
linkage, interest and ability. The stronger
each of these qualities, the more likely
your prospect is to make a gift.”

16. Look at their website, look at what
they fund, what do they say about
themselves and their focus

17. • Houston Endowment supports initiatives in public
and higher education to increase the number of
students earning a valuable postsecondary
credential.
• The systematic failure of many youth and young
adults to graduate from high school and to succeed
in obtaining a postsecondary credential (a degree or
certificate) with genuine value in the marketplace is
one of the most important long-term challenges
facing our city. The foundation is especially
interested in initiatives that address the challenges to
success confronted by low-income students,
students of color and first-generation college
students.

18. What if the guidelines say they don’t
accept unsolicited applications?
Does anyone on your board know a trustee?
Look to see whom else they have funded.
Do you know someone at that org?
Send a letter of introduction to your
program or organization.
Use one of your contacts, if you have one, to
help follow-up.

19. Success story: Musiqa
Their board chair had a lot of contacts
and they were able to increase their
budget from $50,000 to $200,000 in
two years.

20. Create a list and a calendar
Prioritize where you want to spend
your time

21. Interactive Theater Company
FY12 Grant Calendar
August 25, 2011
Completed Grants
Organization Request Project Deadline $ Receipt Bd Contact
Houston Arts Alliance $25,000 Marketing 10/1/2011 Q1
Cullen Trust for the $10,000 Performing Arts 10/15/2011 Q1
Performing Arts
Grants in Progress
Organization Request Project Deadline $ Receipt Bd Contact
Houston Endowment $40,000 GOS April 2012 Q1
Final report due May 12 2012
Brown Foundation $25,000 GOS November 2011 Q1
Final report due February 7, 2012
Wortham Foundation $10,000 GOS Fall 2011 Q2
Upcoming Grants
Organization Request Project Deadline $ Receipt Bd Contact
Powell Foundation (new) $10,000 Education Spring 2011 Q1
City Initiative Grant $15,000 Special Opportunity TBD Q2
Grant Report 11/9/2011 Page 1 of 2
Kellner Consulting

22. Foundation Center Resources
www.foundationcenter.org

23. Foundation Funding Research
”This special day-and-a-half course
concentrates on strategies for finding and
evaluating funder prospects. Learn to chart
your organization’s needs and develop a
targeted list of prospects using top-tier
Foundation Directory Online Professional.”

24. Philanthropy News Digest
Weekly email newsletters that are very
helpful
Advertises webinars and on line chats
where you can ask questions.
A recent webinar was on raising
money through Groupon

25. The United Way Resource Library
• Foundation Directory Online with nearly
100,000 U.S. foundations and corporate
donors
• GrantStation's database includes
government grants and loans in addition to
funder profiles
• Lending library includes books on
fundraising, board governance, nonprofit
management, finances, human resources
etc.

26. Questions?

27. Thank you!
Sara Kellner
www.kellnerconsulting.com
Christine West
www.lawndaleartcenter.org