Issue 6
December 2008

In This Issue:

How Are You Tracking Your Grants?

If you are currently applying for grants, you are probably tracking and managing a myriad of detailed information. MatchMaker FundRaising Software is the complete, affordable and easy-to-use software solution which ensures that all aspects of the grant process are thoroughly accounted for and on schedule. MatchMaker reminds you when a proposal is due, and with a few clicks, gives you a report regarding the status of all your grants.

MatchMaker empowers you to save time, be more productive, and get exceptional value while streamlining the grant process.

For information about how MatchMaker FundRaising Software can support your fundraising efforts, check out our web site at www.MatchMakerFRS.com or call 800.752.3100.

Welcome to MatchTips!

MatchTips, a quarterly newsletter from MatchMaker FundRaising Software, will provide fundraising tips and technology information to nonprofit organizations. Volume 6 discusses information and resources regarding foundation giving. Below are helpful tips that will enhance your organization's fundraising.

Do Foundation Giving Priorities Change in Times of Economic Distress?

Written by Steven Lawrence, Senior Director of Research, The Foundation Center

As nonprofit organizations brace themselves for the possibility of reduced charitable giving, we have been asked whether specific funding areas may be more vulnerable to cuts than others. For example, do foundations reduce their funding for the arts to increase support for social services, or do they cut back on international giving to address increased domestic demand? Some fear that society in general, and grantmakers in particular, may not place as high a value on staging a new symphony, funding economic development activities in Africa, or preserving green space at a time when domestic unemployment is rising and the social safety net is growing weaker.

While we cannot guarantee that future actions will mirror past behavior, an examination of giving by U.S. foundations during the economic downturn of the early 2000s suggests that overall grantmaking priorities do not shift suddenly in the face of reduced resources and over the longer term are remarkably consistent.

Read More

The Good Goodbye

Foundations rarely fund a project or organization forever. Even though the end of a funding relationship is normal, it's still often stressful for both grantmakers and grantees. Is there such a thing as a good goodbye? According to a superb new guide from GrantCraft, "The Effective Exit: Managing the End of a Funding Relationship" the answer is yes.

Authors Anne Mackinnon and Jan Jaffe, who interviewed dozens of grantmakers, assert that "an effective exit takes skill, planning, and a dose of strategic foresight. But, done well, it can add value to a project and leave a grantee organization in a strong position."

Read More

Online Sources for Information on Grants and Funders

Finding grant opportunities can be challenging in today’s economic climate. There are dozens of great resources that are available to help guide your search process. Below are a handful of those resources that are available online. We at Heritage Designs do not endorse any of the sites below, please make sure to do your research before giving any contact information to these organizations.

1. The Foundation Center
The Foundation Center is a good resource for almost anything related to funding by foundations. The nonprofit Center sends out a free email newsletter called Arts Funding Watch as well as its free RFP Bulletin which gives listings of newly announced requests for proposals.

There is also a "Foundation Finder" that allows you to look up basic information on foundations, a Philanthropy News Digest, and links to other helpful sites.

You can also subscribe to The Foundation Directory Online. This comprehensive database details a foundation's funding priorities, and past grants it has made. The Directory is also available on a CD-ROM, with access to over 91,000 foundations, corporate donors, and public charities.

2. The Council on Foundations
The Council on Foundations sponsors The Community Foundation Locator. The website displays a map of the U.S. where you can click on a state and pull a list of its local community foundations and links to their websites.

3. GrantStation
GrantStation is an interactive website that allows grantseekers to identify potential funding sources for their programs or projects, and mentors them through the grantseeking process. Searchable database of grantmakers who are activily accepting inquiries and proposals, federal grant deadlines, online tutorials, and frequent webinars. This site requires fee-based membership, although some features are free.

4. NOZA
This is a For-Profit prospect research tool. While there is a cost to some of the features, you can search on foundation information with a free subscription.

5. Grants.Gov
Grants.gov is the number one source to find and apply for federal government grants. Sign up for their grant e-mail alerts to save you time in your search process.

6. Guidestar
Guidestar provides information on all nonprofits, including foundations. Guidestar allows anyone to register for free. Once you register you can use the advanced search capabilities to access Form 990s, 990-PFs, and other publications.

7. Foundation Search America
This is a fee-based membership site. It contains tools and articles to help connect with funders.

8. The Chronicle of Philanthropy
The Chronicle is an excellent site for news and information on the nonprofit sector. The do have a grants database, but you have to be a subscriber to access the data. There are a few articles that are available for free.