Before Applying for a Grant, Do Your Research

President Lynnette Forde shares advice for grantseekers to uncover funding opportunities.
Winning a foundation’s philanthropic dollars is like falling in love with a stranger. Both the grantseeker and the foundation will need to do some research before the “marriage” — or at least before the “blind date.”
Grantseekers should endeavor to learn as much as possible about the foundation’s interests, history, availability and joys. The funder website is the best place to start. A thorough review will help you discover: the issues and interest areas of the foundation, the types of organizations it has funded, restrictions on the types and amounts of grants it supports and any due dates and requirements for submitting a proposal.
But the true path to winning a grant will rarely be unveiled simply through website research. Grantseekers need to learn what brings a foundation joy, and only a conversation with a foundation executive or staff member can reveal the heart of a foundation.
Whenever possible, engage in a meeting with the foundation staff to get insights into the institution’s motivations and key philanthropic strategy. Joy is what moves a foundation, its team of executives, trustees and volunteers to fall in love with your organization and potentially provide funding.
A little research, followed by a meeting with the foundation staff, can certainly improve the quality of your proposal and increase your chances at funding.
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Lynnette Forde has been president of the Youngstown Foundation since 2020. She loves to engage with nonprofit leaders conducting research on the foundation.