1. Funding Opportunities & Proposal Development for Humanitarian Organizations U.S. Private Foundations – Getting Started Faculty: Jeffrey Ritchie Director of Sponsored Programs for Lewis University

2. U.S. Foundations – Getting Started Foundation – Usually a limited number of donors (Grant Maker) Public Charity – Usually a broad donor base (Grant Recipient) Foundations fund Public Charities -No Funding to Individuals - No Religious or Political Organizations - No Private Benefit (“inurement”)

3. Foundation Funding Interests To work with communities to end hunger and poverty and care for the Earth – Heifer Foundation To undertake research and action focused on preventing and ending grave abuses of human rights – Amnesty International To inspire breakthroughs in the way the world treats children and to achieve immediate and lasting change in their lives – Save the Children Providing medical aid to those most in need regardless of their race, religion, or political affiliation – Doctors Without Borders

4. Foundation Funding Interests Foundations will typically fund: Programs that improve access Programs that improve quality Programs that increase efficiency

5. Foundation Funding Interests Foundations will typically not fund: Payments to individuals (other than disaster relief) Scientific or academic research Capital Projects Endowment Funding or Debt Elimination Private organizations (unions, veterans, fraternal organizations) Sponsorships or advertising

6. Compliance Issues To receive foundation funding, an organization must be: Registered 501(c)(3) Organization Approved for Equivalency Determination Covered by Expenditure Responsibility Partnering with a U.S.-based, 501(c)(3) Organization is often the “path of least resistance” with regard to foundation funding.

7. Where Is The Funding? Online Resources Foundation Directory Online Chronicle of Philanthropy The Grantsmanship Center Grant Forward Other Resources Board Contacts Professional Contacts Associations (i.e., Council on Foundations)

8. Foundation Directory Online Features Subscription Service ($50/mo - $200/mo) Grantmaker Profiles Contact Information IRS Form 990 FDO Workspace Access Limited Access (without Enterprise Subscription)

9. Foundation Proposals – Best Practices Have a U.S. based partner (if an international entity) Have an international partner (if a U.S. based entity) Include a Program Evaluator in the proposal - University partner - Professional evaluator - Typically an allowable cost If possible, contact the Program Officer

10. Foundation Proposals – Best Practices Clearly define your target population - Sponsor may have no specific knowledge - Why these and not those? - The “shotgun” approach is never a good idea Clearly define the issue or need to be addressed - Is a formal Needs Assessment viable? - Does third-party or academic documentation exist? - Be clinical in your assessment of need

11. Program Evaluation A Nearly-Universal Expectation By Sponsors Independent program evaluation is the “Gold Standard” Evaluator and evaluation should start early Can be quantitative, qualitative, or a combination of both - What was the intervention? - To whom was it provided? - What were the short- and long-term outcomes? - Were the outcomes consistent with the objectives?

12. Logic Models Tool for planning your project - Resources - Activities/Interventions - Outputs - Outcomes (short-term & long-term) - Impact Helps to focus your activities First step in Program Evaluation

13. Sample Logic Model from Kellogg Foundation

14. Sustainability What Happens A-F? (After Funding) Can the program be designed to limit future costs? Does the program naturally “sunset” in a few years? Are other resources available?

15. Thank You! Jeffrey Ritchie, CRA Director of Sponsored Programs 815-836-5129 ritchieje@lewisu.edu