In today’s tough economic climate, many people are becoming choosier about what they do with their money. Those that bestow their money upon grant-seekers are no different and have become more involved with what is being done with the money that is donated. Here are some tips on how to approach a charitable foundation in hopes of receiving a grant:

• Do your research on the company before you approach them: It is important to have a clean understanding of the foundation you are approaching and what their goals are in terms of charitable donations. For example, if you are approaching a literacy foundation and you know they focus on adult literacy and you are approaching them from the K-12 perspective, you may not be in their target donation group and your proposal may not be accepted. Instead, look to prospective groups that have goals in line with whatever you are trying to do with whatever grant money you receive. In addition, if you approach a company and clearly do not have an understanding of what they do, they are less likely to be impressed with your proposal and more likely to deny funding as a result of your lack of preparation.

• Have a clear plan of action to reach your goal: A well-researched, well-written grant request or proposal should be submitted any time you approach a foundation for funding. You cannot simply send an email or letter to someone asking for money without first detailing your cause and your plans on what you will do with the money. Before you draft such a request, you should have a clear vision your goals and a layout on what you need to do to achieve them. If you do not have a goal, a foundation is less likely to invest in what you are doing, because without a specific goal in mind, they have no concept of what you plan to do with the funding they bestow upon your organization.

• Submit a written proposal: The written proposal is usually what makes or breaks a grant request. It should be a well-written request, full of as much detailed information as possible. You should outline your organization’s goals, give information your programs, include statistics on your target population and offer solutions to whatever void your organization seeks to fill. Many people hire a professional grant writer because the process of submitting a request is so extensive and the actual proposal is usually what makes or breaks your request.

To find a foundation that interests you, go online to search for charitable donations. By gaining insight into their past contributions, you have an idea of where your proposal may stand. It is always nice to find a non-profit organization providing grants who have a good background in providing excellent charitable grants and donations. A company dedicated to serving donations will certainly lend a helping hand to all those concerned.