Grant Writing Grant Writing Funder Research and Alignment Questions and Answers 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: When researching a potential funder, which source is MOST useful for understanding their recent giving priorities?
- The funder's annual report and 990 tax filings (Correct answer)
- A general internet search for the funder's name
- The funder's social media follower count
- News articles about the funder's CEO
Correct answer: The funder's annual report and 990 tax filings
Annual reports and IRS 990 forms reveal actual grant amounts, recipient organizations, and stated priorities, making them the most reliable primary sources for funder research.
Question 2: What does 'mission alignment' mean in the context of funder research?
- Your organization's goals match the funder's stated priorities (Correct answer)
- Your budget matches the funder's typical grant size
- Your organization is located near the funder's headquarters
- Your executive director knows the funder's program officer
Correct answer: Your organization's goals match the funder's stated priorities
Mission alignment refers to the degree of overlap between your organization's purpose and programs and the funder's philanthropic goals and funding priorities.
Question 3: A foundation's 990-PF form is particularly valuable for funder research because it reveals which of the following?
- The foundation's total assets, grants paid, and recipient organizations (Correct answer)
- The foundation's preferred proposal format
- The names of rejected applicants
- The foundation's strategic plan for the next five years
Correct answer: The foundation's total assets, grants paid, and recipient organizations
The IRS 990-PF requires private foundations to disclose financial data including assets, grants awarded, and the organizations that received funding.
Question 4: Which strategy is MOST effective when a funder's guidelines do not explicitly mention your program area?
- Identify how your work connects to the funder's broader goals and frame your proposal accordingly (Correct answer)
- Submit a proposal anyway and hope for the best
- Contact the funder and ask them to expand their guidelines
- Modify your entire program to fit the funder's stated priorities
Correct answer: Identify how your work connects to the funder's broader goals and frame your proposal accordingly
Skilled grant writers find legitimate connections between their work and a funder's broader mission, framing proposals to highlight genuine alignment without misrepresenting the project.
Question 5: What is a 'Letter of Inquiry' (LOI) primarily used for in funder engagement?
- To gauge a funder's interest before submitting a full proposal (Correct answer)
- To formally accept a grant award
- To request feedback on a declined proposal
- To introduce your organization's board of directors
Correct answer: To gauge a funder's interest before submitting a full proposal
An LOI is a brief preliminary document sent to determine whether a funder is interested in your project concept before you invest time in a complete proposal.
Question 6: When building a prospect list of potential funders, which factor should be evaluated FIRST?
- Whether the funder supports your geographic area and program focus (Correct answer)
- The funder's total endowment size
- How quickly the funder makes award decisions
- Whether the funder accepts electronic submissions
Correct answer: Whether the funder supports your geographic area and program focus
Geographic and programmatic eligibility are threshold criteria that must be confirmed before investing time in deeper research on a potential funder.
Grant Writing Grant Writing Funder Research and Alignment Questions and Answers 2
When researching a potential funder, which source is MOST useful for understanding their recent giving priorities?