Gain Clarity and Confidence with our GearUp for Grants support
Our GearUp for Grants packages are intended for nonprofits who have not been previously approved for grants, yet they are looking for a roadmap and guidance to better position them for qualifying for grants. The GearUp solutions are designed to help Nonprofits asses a prospective funder’s interest in your programs and projects. The cornerstone of the GearUp packages are customized Letter of Inquiry’s (LOIs) to better gauge and understand your odds for potential funding, thus placing you in better standing for approval. Within the LOIs we help to prepare for your organization, we will describe the need, and outline the plan to meet those needs, along with specifying how your program or projects align with the funder’s priorities We believe in setting your organization up for success, it’s a good practice to select and submit LOIs to multiple foundations to see if your project and programs fit with any of them. Should any organizations respond favorably, then we can work with you on a complete customized grant proposal. This approach allows you to both watch your organizations budget while also improving your odds for receiving grants, verse spending a lot of time and money on potential grant rejections. Together, we will work with you to provide you with clarity and confidence in your quest to secure additional funding for your Nonprofit organization.
Many foundations now prefer to receive an LOI as the first step toward funding. They can quickly assess whether your project is a good fit for them. If it isn’t, they and you can move on. However, if they wish to move forward, then you are in an excellent position to move forward with an official grant proposal request, which we can assist you with.
To be in a good position of eligibility for Grants, funders will be assessing the following criteria
- Are you a legal nonprofit? Have you received your501c(3) status?
- Is your nonprofit in compliance with updated financials and 990 filings?
- Do you have a compelling mission? How are you different or unique to other similar organizations?
- Do you have strong leadership in place? Is your Board of Directors active and supportive of your efforts?
- Do you provide high-quality programs that meet a need in your community or targeted geographical area?
- Do you have track record of effective program delivery with measurable results?
- Do you have a strong organizational and financial infrastructure?
We will work with you to insure you are ready and your nonprofit is in compliance.
Foundation Research
Included in all GearUp packages is our funder-foundation research. Through our multiple-grant data bases, we have access to many of the latest available grants and will identify foundations that align or identify with your cause and are open to providing support in your geographical area. The research includes information on key contact personnel, application formats, eligibility requirements, and specific giving priorities, all need-to-know items to ensure your nonprofit’s success. Once we identify prospective funders, we will present options for you to choose who you’d like to submit LOIs. From there, we will submit the grant inquiries on your behalf to the selected foundations. We guarantee our research and if any funders respond stating you are not in alignment with their grants, we will identify a replacement option for you free of charge and submit a new LOI on your behalf.
In our research, we are screening to answer the following on your behalf
- Does the funder provide funding in your area(s) of interest and the targeted population you help?
- Is the Funder open to funding in your geographic region?
- Does the Funder deliver the type of support you need or are looking for?
Letter of intent
Within the LOIs we help to prepare your organization, we will want to describe the need, and outline the plan to meet it, along with specifying how your program or projects align with the funder’s priorities We believe to set your organization up for success, it’s a good practice to select and submit LOIs to multiple foundations to see if your project and programs fits with any of them. Should any organizations respond favorably, then we can work with you on a complete and customized grant proposal. This approach allows you to both watch your organizations budget, while also improving your odds for receiving grants, verse spending a lot of time and money on potential grant rejections. Together, we will work with you to provide you with clarity and confidence in your quest to secure additional funding for your Nonprofit organization.
In this current day of technology, many of the highly desirable foundations prefer to receive an LOI as the first step toward funding. Reviewing LOIs enables funders to quickly assess which projects are a good fit for them. If your program or projects doesn’t meet their criteria, the funder and you can move on. However, if they wish to move forward, then you are in a good position to move forward with an official grant proposal request, which we can assist you with.
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Frequently asked Questions
Each GearUp package includes customized Letter of Inquiry for each selected foundation or funding source, dedicated Nonprofit Specialist to provide grant readiness guidance and education, a dedicated writer, foundation research based on the package chosen, problem statement research, and submission of the LOI to the funders.
Primarily foundation funding sources are included in the packages. These do not include government sources.
We will write the LOIs based on the funder’s requirements; however, typically, each LOI is approximately 2-4 pages in length.
The outlined sections included in the GearUp LOI are consolidated versions of a grant proposal, including Executive Summary, Organizational Background, Problem Statement (Need Statement), Objectives, Methodology, Evaluation, Sustainability, and the Budget, if provided by the client.
A Letter of Inquiry (also known as a Letter of Intent) is used to first better gauge and understand your odds for potential funding and consists of a brief outline of the proposed project that requires funding. It explains to the funder in 2-3 pages the main aspects of the proposal. Some foundations require this letter as the initial point of contact to ensure the project falls within their giving guidelines. The foundation will then reply and let the organization know when, and if, a full-length proposal should be submitted. Many foundations now prefer to receive an LOI as the first step toward funding. They can quickly assess whether your project is a good fit for them. If it isn’t, they and you can move on. However, if they wish to move forward, then you are in an excellent position to move forward with an official grant proposal request, which we can assist you with.
Yes, we will send the LOI on your behalf. Additionally, supplemental documents may be required, depending on the foundation requirements, such as evidence of 501(c)(3). If you have selected to have us submit the LOIs on your behalf, we will complete and submit the applications once all required supplementary info has been received.
Our goal is to provide you several options and include you in the final selection process. Additionally, for the foundations researched that you elect to not submit to, you will be able to refine our work and submit on your own later, allowing you more options to gauge funder interest.
In the grant package, we will provide you electronic copies of the full proposals, letter of Inquiry template, cover letter, foundation research, and a chart indicating initial approaches and amounts requested from each foundation
We recommend adding the following documents (if available) to each proposal’s appendix section before submitting it to a foundation. IRS501(c)(3) letter of tax exemption determination Your organization’s most recent annual report (if available) A list of your Board of Directors and Trustees, their board titles, their contact information, qualifications, and affiliations, your organization’s most recent financial audit (if unavailable, please submit the last two years of financial statements or your most recent Form 990), project implementation timeline. Also, you can include, a list of foundation, corporate, and major individual support (including givers name, address, amount donated, and date donated) with the amount that was given for the last fiscal year. A list of foundation, corporate, and major individual donations (including givers name, address, amount donated, and date donated) for the current fiscal year. A Personnel Chart which shows the employee, their staff position, their work duties, their qualifications, their hours per week, and their yearly salary. Program or organization brochure, Letters of support, and/or recommendation from influential members of the community.
If the organization is denied funding due to the foundation not funding their mission or in their geographical location, we will replace that funder with another. The foundation requirements change and may not be updated in our database. If the funding is denied simply because the foundation has chosen to fund another program, we do not replace the foundation research.
No. It would be unethical to make such a promise. We do, however, guarantee our research and the quality of the proposal. We understand what foundations are looking for, and we customize the proposal to the format requested. Getting funded depends in large part on the organization’s history of successful program implementation, programs offered, the methodology utilized, and long-term sustainability. Between the proactive steps you take with your organization and our GearUp for Grants programs and Full Grant Proposals, we do feel confident you are taking the actions needed to bring you closer to grant funding.
This is very difficult to say. Some applicants may receive funding within months, while others may take years or never get funded. However, just like advertising to create awareness, grant writing is something that must be implemented as one part of many diversified funding strategies.
Many funding organizations are against this practice, and additionally, the AAGP has ruled this as unethical and against their code of ethics. CharityNet does not want to facilitate any practice that may hurt your chances of getting funded.
