Development 102: Advance Tools for Grant Writing & Acquisition of Funds

1. Development 102: Advance Tools for Grant Writing & Acquisition of Funds By Katy Flint Coppinger, Sr. Director of Development Food Bank for Westchester agency day 2013

2. Resume Fund Development Manager – Girls Scouts Heart of the Hudson Director of Development – White Plains Performing Arts Center Development Officer/Marketing Manager- Music Conservatory of Westchester Director of Outreach & Development Associate Westchester Philharmonic Board Memberships: Pleasantville Fund for Learning – Founding member Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (Westchester Hudson Valley Chapter) – Board President Chair of Cultural Arts Committee, Pleasantville Union School District Committee on Special Education – Parent Advocate

3. Development 102: Advanced Tools Review of revenue sources: Corporate Foundations: Family & institutional Government Individuals Community Special Events Grant Writing: preparation & execution

4. Development 102: Advance Tools Revenue Sources Corporate Naming Opportunities – I.e.: CitiField, Barclay Center, etc. “The New Order for Corporate Giving” Employee driven – employee volunteer grants – matching grants “Corporate Responsibility” Donations of products or services – easier than money! Local businesses: banks - chain stores – community grants

5. According to Giving USA, a report compiled annually by the American Association of Fundraising Counsel, figures on American philanthropy in 2011 showed that

6. Development 102: Advance Tools Government Grants • National level – Federal funds - USDA • State level – New York State Department of Social Services; NYS Dept. of Health • County/Local level – West. County DSS, city, town, village Block grants, community development grants. *Go to your local government – if not money then get resources!

7. Political Representatives http://www.senate.state.ny.us/http://assembly.state.ny.us/http://www.house.gov/ Westchester Government Agencies (e.g. Westchester County Youth Bureau, Department of Social Services, Department of Health, Office for Women, Department of Planning-Community Development Block Grants) Towns and Cities (Some towns put money in their budgets for nonprofit. Check with your town’s finance director.)

8. Development 102: Advanced Tools FOUNDATIONS Family Foundations – small, best source Community Trust Foundations – Westchester Community Foundation Corporate Foundation Institutional Foundations – Ford Foundation Re-grants via national member organization or` locally –Food Bank for Westchester, United Way.

9. Development 102: Advance Tools Individual donors – The most important sector • The largest sector • The most loyal

10. According to Giving USA, a report compiled annually by the American Association of Fundraising Counsel, figures on American philanthropy in 2011 showed that

11. Individual Donors How to get them? Methods: Direct Mail On-line campaigns Newsletters/Annual reports Communicate – often, multiple ways. Ask - “If you don’t ask, you don’t get!” - meet people - talk to community groups - work with board members to make the ask.

12. Development 102: Advance Tools • Note – Direct Mail • Do Direct Mail! • Most in-expensive and effective tool • Increase the number of fund raising letters you send • Do not omit those who just gave you a gift – that is the donor most likely to give again. • Thank each person as quickly as possible. • Include a reply donation envelope with the thank you letter • When you reach 2,000 names consider outside help. • Start with the names you have and grow your list

13. Development 102: Advanced Tools Community All groups in your community such as Rotary Clubs, churches, synagogues, Junior Leagues, Jack & Jill, Chamber of Commerce, any civic organization or membership organization. Go to the organizations meeting and make a presentation – tell them what you do; tell them who you are serving, tell them about the increased need! Be the beneficiary of the local pancake breakfast, or community festival or fair, etc.

14. Development 102: Advanced Tools Special Events – Why? • Raise un-restricted funds • Friend raiser • Raise awareness of mission Cause marketing events & campaigns – work w/ local business to develop a campaign. “for every T-shirt we sell – we will send $1 to the Food Pantry”

15. Development 102: Advanced Tools • Grant writing: Preparation • Documents needed • Tax return - (Form 990 if applicable) • 501 (c) letter • Audited financials • Annual budget – w/ narrative • Stats – your demographics – who do you serve? • What do you do? Meals, bags of food, pounds of food, etc.

16. Development 102: Advanced Tools *Monthly reports to the Food Bank have all this information stats for what you do; how many people you serve; what items you distribute, quantities, etc. enables comparisons – year to year; Identify trends, helps to tell your story. Helps to describe the need that you are seeing in the field. Tells your operational successes and growth.

17. Development 102: Advanced Tools Process Review the parts of the grant – be sure you have all the necessary documents. 1) Follow directions to the letter 2) Adhere to deadlines! 3) Qualify for the grant – funders criteria 4) Allow plenty to time to prepare. 5) Tell your story – testimonials – get the stories

18. Development 102: Advanced Tools Process, cont’d 6) Save the information for all grants 7) Reports – save the info and keep the history 8) Follow –up with funder 9) Do what the grant says! 10) Develop a simple tracking system – excel sheet 11) Contract the funder - establish relationship if possible

19. Development 102: Advanced Tools Sources: Foundation Directory – White Plains public Library or www.foundationcenter.org Volunteer grants – from your volunteers. Business Community – local banks, chain stores. Community organizations Foundations – private family foundations

20. Resources Association of Development Officers – ADO www.adoonline.org Association of Fundraising Professionals – AFP www.afpwestchester.org Chronicle of Philanthropy – National publication The Non-Profit Times – NY Metro area The Foundation Center - New York City Search Engines: Guide Star, Wealth Engine, Zoom info.com Nonprofit Coordinating Committee of New Yorkwww.npccny.org