Hi... this was very interesting perspective however, I have always wondered why you need to do something legendary to secure grants. This leads to several utopian ideas that fizzle out after a couple of years. This doesn't discount the numerous successes the teams you described here have. But I am just wondering... people like me that have a project going on and don't even know who to talk to , does that make our dreams not distinguished? Must I do something extra ordinary or must I do something to lift others up in a selfless way to gain the attention of big donors? I run what you could call a medium class school in an urban area in Nigeria and I want to use that platform to sensitize and include rural communities knowing that if I touch the lives of 6 children annually and take them to university level not bound by ethnicity, that it would make a difference in whatever rural communities those children come from. I am starting from my community. I obviously can't do this alone. The kids will need laptops books and uniforms, upkeep and logistics. But I can provide every other thing including safety, nutrition and a balanced mental health. Is this not enough to attract help? I am just a regular person trying to do my best and make sure it pays forward. I don't need to reinvent the wheel. I just need to keep oiling the wheel so it never stops moving. There is no sense of entitlement in doing good. You just do it.
These are such wise observations, Uzo. It is clear that you are doing so much good.
I have encountered many organizations that are well-kept secrets. I respect that humility. And yet, if people don't know about the work, how will they know about the opportunity to invest in it?
Alas, marketing is an inherent part of fund development. I will make the argument that touting your work is indeed a selfless act, since you are getting the word out on behalf of those you serve.
Speaking of those you serve, the most transformational work impacts individuals. Yes, some organizations execute at scale, but there is power in depth. In your example, if you can describe the change in one or two of the six children you mention, you will attract investors who will dream with you about the next group of six.
You might not need a mega-donor to do that work. Your partnership will be transformational nonetheless because you are making change at the individual level. I am rooting for you.
Well said, Susan! Pie-in-the-sky isn't a fundraising strategy. Nor is it sustainable. Diversifying gifts and donors, getting to know each other in dialogues (rather than 1-sided communications), and then cultivating the ones where you see both interest+capacity is the only solid plan for sustainable revenue. But I'm preaching to the choir – I know that is exactly the kind of work you do building major grants!
It sounds like you've secured a more than a few major grants yourself, Melanie! What I do appreciate about aspirational investors is that they push us to attain new heights. When you and your team can repurpose that same energy throughout the top-tier of your portfolio, that's when organizations attain funding momentum.
Hi... this was very interesting perspective however, I have always wondered why you need to do something legendary to secure grants. This leads to several utopian ideas that fizzle out after a couple of years. This doesn't discount the numerous successes the teams you described here have. But I am just wondering... people like me that have a project going on and don't even know who to talk to , does that make our dreams not distinguished? Must I do something extra ordinary or must I do something to lift others up in a selfless way to gain the attention of big donors? I run what you could call a medium class school in an urban area in Nigeria and I want to use that platform to sensitize and include rural communities knowing that if I touch the lives of 6 children annually and take them to university level not bound by ethnicity, that it would make a difference in whatever rural communities those children come from. I am starting from my community. I obviously can't do this alone. The kids will need laptops books and uniforms, upkeep and logistics. But I can provide every other thing including safety, nutrition and a balanced mental health. Is this not enough to attract help? I am just a regular person trying to do my best and make sure it pays forward. I don't need to reinvent the wheel. I just need to keep oiling the wheel so it never stops moving. There is no sense of entitlement in doing good. You just do it.
These are such wise observations, Uzo. It is clear that you are doing so much good.
I have encountered many organizations that are well-kept secrets. I respect that humility. And yet, if people don't know about the work, how will they know about the opportunity to invest in it?
Alas, marketing is an inherent part of fund development. I will make the argument that touting your work is indeed a selfless act, since you are getting the word out on behalf of those you serve.
Speaking of those you serve, the most transformational work impacts individuals. Yes, some organizations execute at scale, but there is power in depth. In your example, if you can describe the change in one or two of the six children you mention, you will attract investors who will dream with you about the next group of six.
You might not need a mega-donor to do that work. Your partnership will be transformational nonetheless because you are making change at the individual level. I am rooting for you.
Well said, Susan! Pie-in-the-sky isn't a fundraising strategy. Nor is it sustainable. Diversifying gifts and donors, getting to know each other in dialogues (rather than 1-sided communications), and then cultivating the ones where you see both interest+capacity is the only solid plan for sustainable revenue. But I'm preaching to the choir – I know that is exactly the kind of work you do building major grants!
It sounds like you've secured a more than a few major grants yourself, Melanie! What I do appreciate about aspirational investors is that they push us to attain new heights. When you and your team can repurpose that same energy throughout the top-tier of your portfolio, that's when organizations attain funding momentum.
What a wise Wednesday morning read!
Glad you find some nuggets of truth in there. Collective emotions--a subset of culture--have such a strong influence on results!