Q: With today's tight economic picture, competition has dramatically increased for philanthropic dollars.  How do you make your grant stand out in a crowd?

A: Keep up-to-date with up-to-the-minute information. The successful fund developer will be busy at work researching ways to expand their funding base and solidly matching funder's interests with their organization. Start with basic sites like The Foundation Center or The Chronicle of Philanthropy. Educate yourself about foundations in your region and stay abreast of trends in giving. Be aware of the national, state and local economic situations and forecasts to be able to plan ahead and anticipate your next move in the fund development arena.

Q: What trends are taking shape in program design?

A: There are several "buzz" words floating around in Requests For Proposals these days.  All funding sources are requiring the following elements in a successful program design/proposal:  Measurable Outcomes, Research- or Evidence-Based Programming, Collaboration and Evaluation are essential elements of all successful proposals. If you want your program to be competitive for dollars, all must be reflected in your program's design and corresponding grants.

Q:  I've never hired a consultant before, what is the process?
A:  Once you've contacted Fund Finders to discuss your nonprofit needs, we work with you to design a service plan tailored to the exact needs of your organization.  Given our years of experience in providing a wide range of services to nonprofits, Fund Finders will prepare a written quote for services based on what it is you need done, how quickly you need it done and your budget.  Once the quote for services is accepted, Fund Finders will send you a contract outlining the number of service hours to be performed per month, a detailed description of services to be provided, the length of time that the contract will cover, the total cost of the contract and the monthly payment that will be due over the life of the contract.  Fund Finders will submit monthly invoices to your organization outlining the services that were performed and the amount of payment due.  Once your contract with us is complete, you have the option to extend it for additional work to be performed.  All materials produced become the property of your organization and you are provided with all work completed on a CD rom upon completion of your contract.