How do you approach a funder who doesn’t accept unsolicited proposals?

First off, getting funding from them is a long shot.

Make sure you have the kind of organization or project that the funder is interested in. You can find out about their funding interests from their website, their annual report or by looking them up in the Foundation Database. (Find a library near you that offers free access to the Foundation Database by clicking here.)

If your funding interests match, next try to find out who the funder HAS funded. If you can get a copy of the funder’s annual report, their grant recipients are often listed in the report. Or do a google search on their name. Even if they don’t have a web page, their name may pop up on the websites of organizations they have funded. Of course, the Foundation Database is a great source for this information, too.

Next, if you know one of the organizations they have funded (I warned you this was a long shot), call that nonprofit. (You can try calling one you don’t know, of course. Longer shot.) Ask how THEY got recognized and funded. Maybe the non-profit met a grant officer for the foundation at a conference….a conference you could attend next year too. Or maybe the nonprofit would be willing to invite you to an event that the grant officer will be attending. Or maybe the nonprofit would be willing to mention your organization to the funder. You never know!

If you get an opportunity to meet the grant officer, introduce yourself. Hand him/her a business card and your newsletter. You can say something (acting very cool and collected) like “I know you don’t accept unsolicited proposals, but if you ever hear of another funder who might be interested in our innovative program, please pass on my contact information. In a nutshell, what we are doing is….” (and be brief!). THERE. You have gotten information about your organization/program to a decision maker, and that is the best you can do. And if they aren’t interested, they just may indeed know another funder who would be interested and will pass on your information.

Don’t spend too much time pursuing this unless you are an extremely good match with the foundation’s funding interests. And even then, keep in mind the foundation may not solicit proposals because they already know exactly where all their funding is going.