by Shelley Uva

Some people think interviewing for a job is similar to dating. Since I’ve been married for 35 years, I can’t remember what dating is like. But if my recent job interview experience actually resembles dating in any way, I worry for the future of our species.

by Mike Burns

The intensity and passion that’s intrinsic to serving in the nonprofit sector can lead to burnout: that overwhelming feeling that a problem is too big or the obstacles to solving a problem are not resolvable. That same intensity can lead to conflict within the board if people aren’t operating under similar assumptions. The solution is to take some time to think about what you’re doing and why, through a Theory of Change process. This article presents the Theory of Change as one tool for developing and expressing a collective “terms-of-agreement.”

by Stacie Harting Marsh

“Hi…I heard you write grants, and I need the grant.”

Well, yes, I do write, but I write proposals (or applications) to apply for grants. I don’t actually write the grants themselves. And no, I probably won’t write for “the grant” since there are numerous grant opportunities you should consider.

I don’t mean to sound pompous. As a new consultant, I used to welcome these eager grant seekers with open arms, offering to shepherd them into a wealth of grant-funded bliss. Inevitably, we were less than successful. Over the years, I have developed a list of screening criteria to quickly assess the organizational readiness of new grant seekers before I spend my limited work hours (and their limited resources) pursuing something they are not ready for....

What I Wish Foundation Program Officers Knew About Grant Developers

by Toby Fox

In comparison to other fundraising vehicles, grant development is an area of fundraising that suits my personality because of its predictability. Although there is no such thing as a “perfect” grant, I appreciate knowing in advance exactly what I need to do in order to make the best possible case for support. The questions might change, and the specific requirements might vary, but at the end of the day there is a clear rhyme and reason to the work.

With all of that said, there are moments when interactions between myself and program officers leaves me scratching my head. One of the keys to building a positive working relationship is open communication, so I present the following: What I Wish Foundation Program Officers Knew About Grant Developers (like me!).

What Happens if We Just Talk?

by Brian Hayman

When I reflect on my experience in and around governing boards, both as a member of and a consultant to them, I’d have to say that transactional conversations are the order of the day. In other words, the domain of action is pretty much confined to the domain of the known. But boards must provide direction for the future because how else are they to judge the appropriateness of management’s decisions in the present? In doing so, however, they cross the border between the known and the unknown and move from the domain of relative certainty into that of uncertainty. And it is here that the mode of conversation has to change from the relative tidiness of the transactional to the messiness of the transformational; from the exchange of information to, in Berthoff’s terms, the creation of meaning.

Major Gift Prospecting and Prioritization

by Norman Olshansky

One of the most important activities a nonprofit needs to undertake prior to initiating a major gifts campaign is the identification and prioritization of prospects. Some organizations spend a lot of money, time and human resources on prospect mining and research. Others try to identify pockets of wealth in their community and then determine what is the best way to contact and solicit those individuals.

For many organizations, I recommend the following simple and inexpensive technique to identify and prioritize major gift prospects....

by Arvetta Jideonwo

Researching grant opportunities can be a difficult and time-consuming process, especially when you are searching for program funds in a specific field or industry. In many cases, during this process you find extraneous opportunities that can distract you. Don’t get sidetracked because they may have specific eligibility requirements or lead to dead-ends in your search for viable grant funding. Other times, we can get caught up in “cherry-picking” or “dialing for dollars,” both of which can negatively impact our organizations and our grant-seeking efforts.

Crisis Governance

by Caroline Oliver

Everyone has heard of crisis management, but is there such a thing as crisis governance? I would suggest there is. I would also suggest that there is a significant difference between the two, and that boards need to understand the difference if they are going to add real value through bad times.

by Saadia Faruqi

If I had a penny for each time a client has instructed me to “write some proposals and get some money,” I would be swimming in pennies. It seems to be the rallying cry for countless organizational leaders who fail to realize that writing and submitting proposals needs much more preparation and groundwork than just writing and submitting alone. One of the key elements to getting funded is determining whether the organization is ready to apply. Contrary to popular opinion among non-grant professionals, one cannot and should not apply to every funder that exists within a hundred-mile radius.

Beatitudes for Friends of Grant Writers

by Rebecca Shawver

So often as grant professionals, we bemoan the fact that those outside our field don’t understand our work, our passion, our challenges, and our frustrations. But recently as I reflected on just who my grant team members really are, I was reminded that countless others contribute to my success.

With many kudos coming my way in recent months, I am blessed to have the support of many other dedicated professionals. The following is dedicated to the unsung “heroes” that continue to make my success possible.