My job right before this one, was Development and Communications Director for a mid-sized nonprofit. Going directly from being the one asking for money and stressing about making budget, to working for a foundation has been jarring and eye-opening in so many (and often times hilarious) ways.
In that time I’ve learned so many things I wish I had known when I was fundraising. Not that I’m going back to fundraising (ever), but if I ever did, boy would I be raking in the donations, knowing what I know!
So here’s a few of my reflections from the move to the dark (or light, depending on your perspective) side. Hope they might help those of you doing the asking and relationship building:
- When a potential major donor agrees to a meeting you should definitely ask for something! People who frequently get asked become quite good at declining meetings, so if you were able to get a meeting with a donor or a foundation, it’s probably because there is interest. It doesn’t have to be money, but it could be getting them to come to an event, or volunteering, but probably money, let’s be honest.
- But also do your homework and know what’s reasonable to ask for, since I’ve been a part of meetings where the ask seemed outrageous, and also a part of meetings where the ask was laughably small/easy to do. Unless the person is on your board or is literally jumping up and down as you talk, the first ask probably shouldn’t be on the level of any of your biggest donors. On the positive side, at least in my experience, even if the ask wasn’t appropriate it didn’t mean the door closed, it just meant there was a bit more work to do.
- Foundations are run by their boards too. I think I knew this one, but I didn’t realize how much a foundation is similar to a nonprofit in this way. A staff member might love you and your work and “get it”, but they still have to convince their boss and perhaps their boss’s boss that the work is a fit and worthwhile so help them make that case. If a Program Officer is asking difficult questions or being critical, it’s probably with that in mind, rather than them being a pain in the butt (most of the time).
- Foundations/donors are people first and foremost, not ATMs. I hope I knew this and treated people accordingly, but I frequently find myself appreciating the organizations and people who treat me like a person and who reach out to update me, or invite me to events or just send me an interesting link, or ask about my adorable kids. There are even a few grantees whose work I’m not personally passionate about, but whose staff I just LOVE because they treat me like a person. And that actually makes a difference, for better or worse.
- Hearing about challenges is interesting and makes foundations and donors more invested. I actually already had this hunch, particularly as someone who has been accused of being overly honest when I was a fundraiser (open mouth, insert foot, that’s me). But it’s so much more interesting to feel like a partner in an organization’s growth and it helps donors think the funding is making a different when you’re given this inside scoop on what’s happening. Also, foundations have access to things beyond grants like access to experts or sometimes can even access special pots of funding if a specific need arises. I’m not saying share that a staff member has been fired, or your plumbing over-flowed last week, but rather share the things that aren’t just sunshine and roses. What is keeping you up at night? It isn’t a surprise to anyone and it helps us see you as someone who is thoughtful and reflective and proactive, especially if you can see your challenges as opportunities to do something differently.
- Foundations read SO MANY proposals, and budgets, and strategic plans, and annual reports. I know this is obvious, but because of this they actually know quite a bit about whose stand out and why. I can’t believe I never thought to ask this, but I wish I had asked more specifically what I could have improved in a proposal, or what wasn’t very clear, or if they had any examples of really great strategic plans or annual reports they would share. Who else sees hundreds of examples a year?!
If you have ideas of things you wish foundation knew TELL US! We’d love to share those with our colleagues too. I wish we could all be just a little bit more honest with each other, and a little more empathetic.
-Alison Upton Lopez
Alison came to her role at the Julian Grace Foundation from a career in nonprofits, most directly working in fundraising, and hopes to continue to share some of her unique perspective as both a fundraiser and a grantmaker.