Consultant Urges Charities to Start Early, Do Their Homework on Grant Makers

NEW BOOKS

The “How To” Grants Manual: Successful Grantseeking Techniques for Obtaining Public and Private Grants, Sixth Edition
by David G. Bauer

Nonprofit groups that wait until the last minute to prepare and submit grant proposals do themselves a great disservice — not only will their requests most likely be rejected, but grant makers may “remember your flawed past submittals and will view your latest efforts with a jaundiced eye,” writes David G. Bauer, a fund-raising consultant.

Mr. Bauer writes that charities can improve their chances of acceptance by focusing on the grant makers’ own values, preparing proposals well in advance of deadlines, thoroughly researching foundations’ and companies’ preferences, and highlighting the grant-seeking organization’s strengths and uniqueness.

He argues that “the best strategy for winning grants (is) to tailor each and every proposal to the perspective of the potential grantor.” Therefore, grant seekers should begin creating their grant proposals several months to a year before the deadline, beginning by studying the goals and values of the grant-making company, foundation, or government office.

The book provides dozens of sample forms to help structure the research, planning, and writing processes, as well as a 17-page list of resources for further reading.

Publisher: Praeger Publishers, Greenwood Publishing Group, 88 Post Road West, Westport, Conn. 06881; (203) 226-3571; http://www.praeger.com; 302 pages; $44.95; ISBN 978-0-275-99790-8.