Perspectives on philanthropy

Part one of two

By Mel and Pearl Shaw

Changes in the economy, the stock market and employment rates impact nonprofit organizations and the foundations that provide funding to them. We posed a few questions to Cedric Brown, director of the Mitchell Kapor Foundation, related to these changes.

Question: How is the current economic climate impacting giving by foundations?

Answer: “The endowments and total assets of many foundations have ‘taken a hit,’ a term I’ve heard repeatedly around the philanthropic community. This means that many foundations, like nonprofits, are re-examining and scaling back to most-essential programs and administration. The recession has had a mixed effect on the grant monies that foundations are giving out — some funders are scaling back, while others see the need to make even more grants in order to help nonprofit organizations to sustain their work in these uncertain times.”

Q: What gets your attention in a positive way when you are reviewing proposals?

A: “The best grant requests are concise, giving as much information as possible in as few words as possible. Additionally, I appreciate grant requests that outline the overlap between the grant seeker’s work and the funder’s priorities. I’m also intrigued by new ideas, in thoughtful expansion plans for effective work and in collaborations between organizations.”

Q: What gets your attention in a negative way when you are reviewing proposals?

A: “It’s vital to read the funder’s guidelines and follow the directions. I’ll admit that I initially scan grant requests to make sure that the work aligns with our funding priorities. If it’s off, I’ll know in a matter of seconds and will discard the grant request. I’m also biased against typos, poorly written requests and overly written requests — that is, proposals stuffed with lingo and flowery language.”

Q: What is the one piece of advice that you would offer to a nonprofit that is considering applying for a grant?

A: “I advise nonprofits to do three things before applying: 1) read the potential funder’s Web site to learn about their funding priorities and their application process; 2) call a program officer to briefly discuss whether or not your work is a good match for the foundation (and don’t try to make it fit if it isn’t); and 3) have someone else read and edit your written materials to make sure that it sounds coherent before submitting it to a funder.”

Learn more next week in part two of this interview. For more information about the Mitchell Kapor Foundation, visit www.mkf.org.

Mel and Pearl Shaw are the principals of Saad & Shaw – Comprehensive Fund Development Services and the authors of How to Solicit a Gift: Turning Prospects into Donors, available at www.saadandshaw.com or by calling (510) 834-4310. Saad & Shaw provides clients with a unique brand of fundraising that combines marketing with fundraising fundamentals. Clients include hospitals, colleges and nonprofit organizations.