The following list entitled “13 Tips for a Wise Grantmaker” was compiled by the North Carolina Center for Nonprofits. The NCCN created the list by talking with focus groups and interviewing more than 1,100 nonprofit leaders from across North Carolina.

c     1) Provide multi-year support.

c    2) Support programs over projects. Support programs that are central to the mission of the nonprofits whose work you value – rather than “special projects” that tempt the organization to veer from its mission and strategic priorities.

c      3) Support results over novelty. Consider support for specific programs with documented results – rather than pushing only new programs or projects. If you support something new, fund it long enough to help it begin to get established and sustainable (2-3 years at least).

 c      4) Offer operating funds!

c       5) Make investments for desired results. Support the full cost to do what is proposed.  You’re not helping when you make a grant that’s inadequate to do the job well. As in business, an investment that is too small for the job is often wasted.

c       6) Promote staff development and renewal.

c       7) Improve board and management capability.

c       8) Address root causes, not just symptoms. Invest in advocacy to address the root causes of problems, not just their symptoms.

c       9) Promote financial sustainability. Support multi-year efforts to build the financial capacity and stability of organizations whose work you value.  Most successful investments of this type require at least three years.

c       10) Support evaluation of results.

c       11) Fund strategic planning.

c       12) Encourage collaboration. Underwrite collaboration among nonprofits working in areas of interest to you when they initiate the collaboration. Externally imposed cooperation seldom works.

c       13) Be clear about priorities. Let nonprofits know whether to invest in you. Provide the information they need to decide whether to spend their scarce time and resources to prepare a proposal for you.

			NCCN Contact Information

For more information on the North Carolina Center for Nonprofits, please use the following contact information:

N.C. Center for Nonprofits
1110 Navaho Drive, Suite 200
Raleigh, NC 27609-7322
voice: 919-790-1555
fax: 919-790-5307
web: www.ncnonprofits.org
email: info@ncnonprofits.org
 

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