In my 25 years of working in the philanthropy sector, I’ve developed an approach to grantmaking that gives us and our clients confidence. And from feedback we’ve received from charities, they appreciate it too. Underlying everything is the belief that all of us – both those who are seeking funding, and those who are giving – are united in a common mission to see change happen in societies through charitable work.

We make ourselves available, and try to communicate clearly regarding our expectations. But we also need to have boundaries or we would be inundated by requests and meetings. Any charity leader may book a Charity Consultation with us if they want to meet, but with our unique approach it might not be necessary.

Here’s how we operate:

We provide formal connections through grant applications and progress reports:

• Charities are invited to create Project Profiles in our Stronger Grants database. I recommend you select 1-2 projects that are matches to one or more of our client’s priorities.
• An access code is no longer necessary to create a Project Profile.
• We also request you complete our Charity Survey which helps us understand your organization better.
• We proactively match various projects in our Stronger Grants database to our clients and provide them with a Project Menu when they’re ready to consider new opportunities. They look at their Project Menu, and if they want to know more about your work, we will request you complete a grant application.
• Project Profile deadlines are coming up on September 6 and 30, 2024. These are the last opportunities for grants this year.
• If you’re invited to apply for a grant, you’ll have about three weeks to complete your application, and then we will meet with you in a complimentary virtual site visit paid for by our clients.
• If you receive a grant, you’ll be invited to update us through progress reports every six months. While the project is underway, you are not eligible for new funding from that particular client.
• If your grant application is declined, you can book a complimentary meeting with us to learn why. We will include a coupon code in your email.
• Any Project Profiles that aren’t advanced to an application are declined at the end of the calendar year. You’re invited to add fresh opportunities in the new year.

We provide informal connections through our Stronger Community:

• You are invited to join the Stronger Community which is our private social media space for connection, networking, resources, and events on philanthropy, and for you to raise awareness of what your charity is doing. The value of participating goes beyond a possible transaction. Fill out our Charity Survey if you’d like to be invited.
• Your presence and involvement in this community is also one of the drivers behind our clients (and us) developing an interest in your work, understanding your need, and building trust.
• The staff of Stronger Philanthropy are available to you through DMs in the app if you have questions or ideas to share.
• You don’t have to join our community before you create a Project Profile (see above), but we believe there is deep value in developing a relational connection before filling out a transactional form for funding.