These are the most common questions I receive as a grantwriter.
If you have a question that is not covered in this section, please contact me.
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Funding ~ Assistance

Joy Wikoff
Midland, Michigan
Phone: (989) 573-0120
Fax: (989) 794-5955
email: kjwikoff@yahoo.com

1)  Can you guarantee that a proposal you write for our organization will be funded?

No. Proposals succeed or fail for a variety of reasons, most of which are out of the grantwriter's control. These factors include:

• The strength of the project: its feasibility, whether it meets a clear community need, and whether it has a well-planned budget.
• How well the project fits the funder's interests.
• The non-profit's reputation, track record and financial history.
• Relationships: how well the funder knows and trusts the non-profit's board and staff.
• Competition: how many other requests the funder has received and from whom.
• Funds and timing: how much money the funder has available in this cycle.
• The state of the economy and the funder's finances: whether their assets are growing or shrinking.

I can guarantee that you will receive a proposal of high quality with persuasive writing. I can guarantee that I will meet the funders deadlines and include all required elements. I cannot guarantee that you will receive funding. Even the most beautifully written proposal will fail if other factors are not in its favor. 

2)  Will you work on a commission basis (percentage of grant funds) instead of a standardized fee?

No. There has been a lot of discussion of this subject within professional fundraising organizations. The bottom line is, commissions are considered unethical by almost all professional organizations AND funders. Most grantmakers will not provide funding for your organization if they learn that a consultant is being paid as a percentage of the grant award.

Freelance proposal writers and consultants are professionals who are paid for their time and their expertise, even if the proposal is not successful. They may be paid either by the hour or on a project basis with a retainer fee.

For a more detailed explanation, please refer to the CharityChannel website and the Journal of the American Association of Grants Professionals (published August 2004). 

3) Do you work with individuals who are seeking grant funds?

As a general rule, I do not work with individual who are seeking grant funds for themselves.

Grantmakers have very specific limitations on their giving to individuals, based on IRS rules, so even if you can present a compelling case, they usually cannot make exceptions to their program guidelines. 

Most foundation funding is awarded to nonprofit organizations; however, The Foundation Center publishes a report on foundations who make awards to individuals for scholarships, the arts, research, etc.  You can order a copy here: Foundation Grants to Individuals 

You may also want to check the Michigan State University Grants and Related Resources site, which has a very useful section on Grants for Individuals.

4) Do you work with for-profit businesses who are seeking grant funds?

My efforts are devoted only to non-profits; that is, those who qualify for public charity status under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, and governmental organizations. Very few (if any) foundations will give their charitable dollars to a for-profit business.

If you're looking for start-up funds to start a business for profit, there are several places you can go to get good information. The Small Business Administration provides a startup kit, financial assistance programs, publications, an outline for a business plan, and additional resources such as information about Financing Your Business and Business Opportunities.

Inc. Magazine provides excellent resource information for financing a start-up on their website.  

There are a number of other online resources that can help you to learn more about starting a business and how to find funding. The Foundation Center has a great deal of information available as well.