Skip to Main Content

Five Ways to Connect with Grant Makers

Yoder

by Steve Yoder, Community Development Regional Educator, Purdue Extension 

 

Most grant applications can now be completed online with little, if any, personal interaction between the grant seeker and the grant funder. Applicants can conduct research, draft a proposal, and submit their request without ever having to pick up the phone or meet the funder in person.  

However, for many grant-makers and grant writers, building a relationship before, during, and after the application process can be mutually beneficial. This can allow the more intangible aspects of the grant writing cycle, such as establishing trust and improving the flow of communication, to develop over time. 

On Day 2 of Purdue Extension’s Beginner’s Guide to Grant Writing workshop, the focus shifts from grant writing to relationship building. One question that often comes up is, “How do you initiate contact with a funder before you’ve submitted your proposal?”  Over the years, workshop participants have helped answer that question by sharing their experiences working with funders. Their suggestions include: 

  1. Make an appointment in person to talk to a director or program officer.
  2. Speak with someone on the phone about your grant idea.
  3. Attend a funder’s online seminar or training about their grant program.
  4. Ask clarifying questions about the RFP (request for proposals) or application.
  5. Invite the grant-maker to your organization for a site visit.

Approaching staff members or designated contacts for a funder is typically appropriate. However, discussing your proposal ideas with board members may be inappropriate, especially if the board member is also a reviewer. Whomever you contact, remember that most funding organizations gladly welcome inquiries seeking guidance or clarification because, ultimately, they want to review high-quality grant proposals.

Featured Stories

Capital Comments
Policies to Cut Homeowner Property Taxes

Suppose we want to cut property taxes for homeowners. How could we do that? Probably we should...

Read More
Capital Comments
The Federal Reserve Makes Its Move

The Federal Reserve’s press release from Sept. 18 said it would “lower the target...

Read More
Capital Comments
How Do We Know If a Recession Has Started?

How do we know if a recession has started? Sometimes it’s obvious. In March 2020 during...

Read More
Capital Comments
Balances Cover Shortfalls in Indiana’s State Budget

In fiscal 2024, revenues were 1.4 percent higher than in 2023. That’s much slower growth...

Read More
Capital Comments
Fifty Years of Indiana Property Tax Policy

Indiana voters elected Otis Bowen as Governor in 1972 on a pledge of “visible, lasting and...

Read More
Capital Comments
What Will Happen When the Social Security Trust Fund Runs Out?

Social Security trustees just published their annual report about the program’s...

Read More
To Top