How do you prepare for a funder visit during the grant application process?
Dana Miller of M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust and Darcie Spar of Oregon Food Bank and Grant Professionals Association (GPA) answered this question at today’s GPA chapter meeting. Key points included who should be in the room, how they should be prepared, and the right level of detail.
Who and how many
The people who are critical to implementation, success, and reporting for the project should be in the room. This includes not only program and development personnel but, most importantly, organizational leadership. A bottom line for attendance is that a board member and the CEO/E.D. must be there. Someone who will manage the program and someone who will report on the grant should be there as well; these may be the same person. If it’s a collaborative proposal, then a representative from the partner agency should participate.
The specific number of people will vary by the project and funder. Three people may be enough. Four to six is reasonable. Eight to twelve is probably too many to manage an effective meeting that allows time for the funder to get the information they need. However, there are times when a proposal with multiple partners or geographic areas may necessitate more people rather than fewer. You will probably have a larger team to prepare for the meeting, and prepare you must.
How to prepare
Leadership must be ready to answer both high level questions about the agency and to drill down to the details. The funder will want to know that your agency’s leadership “owns” and understands the project. If the foundation’s program officer asks about “the budget number on page seven,” and the executive director turns to the grant writer or a consultant for an answer, this is a problem. Everybody will have a copy of the proposal in front of them, and they will understand it. Also, they must be on the same page regarding the proposal and the organization: if someone says, “She and I don’t see eye to eye on this issue,” that’s a sure sign that the organization is not prepared to effectively carry out the project and wisely steward the grant funds.
What about a presentation?
Do we need PowerPoint slides, client testimonials, a lot of information about other aspects of the agency? No, we do not. Generally, the website, the proposal, and a walking tour should give enough information. A brief client testimonial at the beginning may occasionally be effective, but that testimonial could also use up valuable time for answering the program officer’s questions. Finally, be sure that leaders are there to answer questions about this project, not to “pitch” another idea that they hope to seek funding for!
How do I learn more?
There are many details to consider. Luckily, Dana and Darcie have prepared an extensive checklist of what to prepare, questions to expect, and additional resources in The Funders are Coming! Preparing for a Grant Site Visit. This presentation builds on work by GPA members Alyssa Hanada, Michael Wells, Susan Jordan, and Rick Horton.
Post by Arthur Davis
Arthur provides grant writing, strategic planning, and capacity building consulting services. He serves as treasurer for GPA of Oregon & SW Washington. arthurdavisconsulting.com
Dana Miller of M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust and Darcie Spar of Oregon Food Bank and Grant Professionals Association (GPA) answered this question at today’s GPA chapter meeting. Key points included who should be in the room, how they should be prepared, and the right level of detail.
Who and how many
The people who are critical to implementation, success, and reporting for the project should be in the room. This includes not only program and development personnel but, most importantly, organizational leadership. A bottom line for attendance is that a board member and the CEO/E.D. must be there. Someone who will manage the program and someone who will report on the grant should be there as well; these may be the same person. If it’s a collaborative proposal, then a representative from the partner agency should participate.
The specific number of people will vary by the project and funder. Three people may be enough. Four to six is reasonable. Eight to twelve is probably too many to manage an effective meeting that allows time for the funder to get the information they need. However, there are times when a proposal with multiple partners or geographic areas may necessitate more people rather than fewer. You will probably have a larger team to prepare for the meeting, and prepare you must.
How to prepare
Leadership must be ready to answer both high level questions about the agency and to drill down to the details. The funder will want to know that your agency’s leadership “owns” and understands the project. If the foundation’s program officer asks about “the budget number on page seven,” and the executive director turns to the grant writer or a consultant for an answer, this is a problem. Everybody will have a copy of the proposal in front of them, and they will understand it. Also, they must be on the same page regarding the proposal and the organization: if someone says, “She and I don’t see eye to eye on this issue,” that’s a sure sign that the organization is not prepared to effectively carry out the project and wisely steward the grant funds.
What about a presentation?
Do we need PowerPoint slides, client testimonials, a lot of information about other aspects of the agency? No, we do not. Generally, the website, the proposal, and a walking tour should give enough information. A brief client testimonial at the beginning may occasionally be effective, but that testimonial could also use up valuable time for answering the program officer’s questions. Finally, be sure that leaders are there to answer questions about this project, not to “pitch” another idea that they hope to seek funding for!
How do I learn more?
There are many details to consider. Luckily, Dana and Darcie have prepared an extensive checklist of what to prepare, questions to expect, and additional resources in The Funders are Coming! Preparing for a Grant Site Visit. This presentation builds on work by GPA members Alyssa Hanada, Michael Wells, Susan Jordan, and Rick Horton.
Post by Arthur Davis
Arthur provides grant writing, strategic planning, and capacity building consulting services. He serves as treasurer for GPA of Oregon & SW Washington. arthurdavisconsulting.com