Donor Giving Trends for Today and Tomorrow, Part 3

Foundations are taking a more hands-on approach and demanding more transparency from the organizations they’re looking to fund, just like individual donors. Approach them accordingly.

Slocum offered these suggestions to position your organization for institutional-giving success:

• Ask yourself: Are you a top-performing nonprofit? Your case for giving must be strong.
• Keep your ear to the ground. Pay attention to external factors and trends. Stay on top of hot-button topics. And be an early responder.
• Partner up for broader impact, particularly if you are a small nonprofit. “Successful collaborations are most likely to make large-scale change,” Slocum said.
• Stay in touch with your funders, and don’t just ask them for money. Again, this comes back to building relationships, just as you would with an individual donor. The donor/funder-as-ATM model simply doesn’t work today. Give quick updates on your successes. Ask for guidance on new ides and programs. At the end of a grant cycle, see if your program officer can recommend other funders that may be interested in your work. Make the funder feel a part of your organization, your mission and your decision-making.