Public Affairs U8126y

Fundraising and Proposal Writing for NGOs

SPRING 2002

Professor Holly Bartling 

Develop skills in research, writing, team consulting and presenting fundraising proposals.

Students act as consultants to 15 leaders of human rights NGOs from developing countries. This is a hands-on course to raise real money. $300,000+)

Required Readings

Most readings will be on-line examinations and evaluations of research sites on the internet. There is little published information on this topic, and the class will, in effect, be breaking new ground. However, useful reference material and articles that are identified by the instructor and the class in the course of the semester will be distributed on line for discussion. If warranted, the class findings could be published as an article in a professional journal e.g. the MESA Bulletin.

• Attendance at all classes, limited readings and oral comments on other proposals
• Group Preparation, through different stages, of a proposal and a fundraising plan
• Visit to the Foundation Center (79 Fifth Avenue) before February 14 class.
• Meetings with at least three potential donors during the second part of the semester.
• Complete texts of final proposals by last class, March 8th. For final grade of students: brief written report on the three donor visits is required of each group before the end of April.

January 23

Introduction, Proposal Development Stages, Distribution of Tasks and Team meetings.

Basic Proposal Outline (There is no single template) Background Information on problem and organization seeking grant Possible Components of Proposal

Executive summary
Statement of need/problem

facts and statistics
issues
past solutions

Project Description/rationale

Goals and objectives
Strategies
Activities (rationale for choice)
(What will work and why)

Funding requirements
Evaluation
Budget
Organizational Information and Expertise

sources of credibility
organizational history
accountability and transparency
personnel
outside personnel, boards
relevant experience, past projects etc.

Project Schedule

January 30

Defining, Conceptualizing and Researching a Proposal Brief Presentations and Reviews of the idea and topics (concept papers) of the 15 proposals (in less than 100 words)

Required: Written 100 word description of projected proposal by each group

February 6

Basic Proposal Design and research 
Questions a proposal must answer
Presentations and Critiques of short/summary proposals Looking for funds: Using the Foundation Center; Prospect Working Sheet;
Data Bases; Approaching Donors; secrets of success;

Required: Revised Executive Summary for eventual proposal

February 13

Linking needs, goals, strategies, budgets and outcomes
Reports on Visits to Foundation Center

Required: Printed list of possible US foundation and other sources

February 20

Other Components and Longer Term Strategies, Alternative Forms of Fundraising (fee for service, internet café, etc.), Research.

Required: E-mail text of next week’s presenters

February 27

Maximizing the pillars of project credibility: organization, personnel, track-record, institutional capacity, technical assistance, etc.
5 minute presentations of each project followed by 10 minute critiques (7 groups)

Required: E-mail text of next week’s presenters

March 6

5 minute presentations of each project followed by 10 minute critiques (7 groups)

Required E-mail text of next week’s presenters

March 13

Course Evaluations
5 minute presentations of each project and critiques (7 groups) End of Course

Important Resources:

• Publications of the Foundation Center and website www.fdncenter.org
• “Funding Human Rights”, Human Rights Internet, 3rd Edition, 1999 and online www.hri.ca
• Chronicle of Philanthropy
• “Generating Local Resources”, Center for Sustainable Human Rights Action