New York, NY — The Foundation Center is pleased to announce the publication of the completely updated 3rd Edition of its best-selling Guide to Proposal Writing, written for the Center by Jane C. Geever, a professional fundraiser who has been creating successful proposals for more than 30 years. Recommended for both new and more experienced grant writers, this comprehensive guide delivers up-to-date information on the basics as well as the finer points of this crucial nonprofit skill. Excerpts from a brand new group of proposals illustrate the principles of successful proposal writing that are discussed throughout the volume. Also included are responses to a new series of interviews that feature a cross-section of foundation and corporate giving representatives who share their current thoughts on the essential elements that should be incorporated into grant proposals.

"Proposal writing is an art, not a science," explains Ms. Geever. "However, the recommended steps described in this Guide offer an approach that can be easily adapted to fit the needs of any nonprofit and the particular circumstances of each situation. By adding their own creativity, nonprofit fundraisers will be successful in writing exciting and compelling proposals, proposals that will capture the interest of foundations and corporations, proposals that will generate grant support for their nonprofit organization."

The Guide provides straight answers to a wide range of questions on proposal formats, red flags, follow-up strategies, how to re-submit a rejected request, and much more:

Step One: Pre-Proposal Planning — The work that must be accomplished before writing begins: how to decide which funding priorities will translate into good proposals.

Step Two: Writing the Document — How to assemble detailed background information on the project, select the proposal writer, and write the necessary components of the "master proposal." Helpful models are provided from new excerpts of successful grant proposals.

Step Three: Packaging the Proposal — Fine-tune each part of the proposal according to the specific funders' priorities, adding a cover letter and an appendix, where appropriate.

Steps Four and Five: Identify and Cultivate Potential Funders — Key to finding a successful match is identifying donors with demonstrated interests in the project type and geographic focus, among other criteria. Fundraisers will learn how to conduct this research as well as how to use various forms of cultivation to build an ongoing relationship with the prospective funder.

Step Six: Responding to the Result — Post-grant follow-up is critical for turning a mere grant into a true partnership. Obtaining feedback after a rejection can improve the chances of a successful resubmission or of getting funding from another source.

The Foundation Center's Guide to Proposal Writing builds on expert advice from Ms. Geever by providing insights from the grantmakers themselves: how they do their work, the challenges they're currently facing, and how they are responding. Interviews of 39 foundation and corporate funding representatives - including a geographic mix of local and national foundations, community foundations, and corporate givers -- elicited views not only on proposal writing but also on the entire funding process and particularly on the impact of new technologies on this process.

Orders for the Guide to Proposal Writing may be charged with VISA, MasterCard, or American Express by calling 1-800-424-9836; by faxing requests (with return address and credit card number) to 212-807-3691; by using the interactive order form at the Center's Web site: www.foundationcenter.org; or by mailing orders to the Foundation Center, Dept. NO3, 79 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10003-3076. Prepayment of $34.95 is required. Please add $5.50 shipping and handling for the first copy ordered, and $2.50 for each additional copy. Make checks payable to the Foundation Center in U.S. dollars only.

Editors who wish to examine the new 3rd Edition of The Foundation Center's Guide to Proposal Writing for possible review in newsletters or periodicals may request a review copy by sending this form to the address below or faxing it to (212) 807-3691..

Name/Title of Reviewer ______________________________________

Newsletter/Periodical _______________________________________

Organization ________________________________________________

Address _____________________________________________________

City/State/ZIP ______________________________________________

Telephone (must be filled in) _______________E-mail____________

Review Date/Issue _______________________________
 

Return to Press Releases