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| Re: Deadlines
Posted by Julie Rodda  on 2/13/2009, 11:42 am, in reply to "Deadlines"
VIP Poster
Sheryl
It would be presumptuous for me to answer from a funder's position. I can only reference what I have encountered personally, relative to conversations I have had with funders.
I have always been a firm believer in not being the last one through the door with a proposal. One can attach all kinds of reasoning to that, but my ideals formulated from a conversation with a Trust's Senior Program Director. She mentioned to me that the first ones in the mailbox after a completed funding cycle were always looked forward to...a new horizon so to speak. She also felt she had more time to devote to those which came in early, and present them with more confidence to Trustees than those that came much later. So I follow her advice. In her case, the deadline is 6 weeks prior to Trustee meeting, which shows that she spends a great deal of time reviewing materials before presentation to Trustees.
Not all foundations have the personnel to do this job, and as often as not, first see the materials when all the family members sit down over a weekend to review proposals. The real help in that situation is having establishing contact before sending your proposal, and referencing that contact in your cover letter. It basically places your proposal into the "contacted us first" pile amongst so many others.
I recommend that piece of advice above all others. If the organization has contact information, utilize it. Typically this means they are willing to be contacted. The questions you have posted here are ones which you might ask, although probably not specifically the way you posted...
I recently phoned a Foundation which had funded a program last year, and encouraged me at time of follow-up reporting to apply this year. When I phoned for deadlines, I was encouraged NOT to apply this year because the Trustees were re-writing giving guidelines in light of their lack of funds. I thanked the Program Officer for being frank. (Their proposal is very involved, and I would have spent 40+ hours on something I have now avoided). We spent some time chatting about how difficult times have become for NPO's and funders alike-- two sides of the same coin.
It served to remind me that Foundations are in fact having to make tremendously difficult decisions regarding funding, how much, if at all...all the relationships they have worked hard to establish with grantees are affected. However, it does not mean that they may not have interest in what you might propose, especially if it speaks to a direction they are pursuing with the funding they DO have.
We must remember that foundations are run by people...just like you and I. I encourage you to phone or email and ask your questions...it certainly cannot hurt in the least, and may be just the 'in' for honest conversation regarding your position for applying.
Hope this helps!
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Julie Rodda
http://www.roddaconsulting.com/
Funding Consulting, Grant Research
& Proposal Writing Services
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