How to Write Winning Approaches to Funders
A Fundraiser’s Guide to Researching, Reaching Out, and Following Up with Foundations
If your job covers both grants and individual giving, you’ve already learned that foundation fundraising is just one part of your income mix—and it’s a long game. Winning approaches to funders boil down to three essentials: researching well, writing with clarity, and following up like your mission depends on it (because it does).
Think of building a relationship with a foundation like getting new neighbors to trust you enough to borrow a cup of sugar. You don’t knock on the door and immediately ask for cake. You introduce yourself, show you’re part of the community, and plant the seeds for future mutual support.
Identify Strong Prospects First
Strong grants start with strong matches. As fundraising guru Jane Geever wrote in The Foundation Center’s Guide to Proposal Writing, “If your request is not aligned with the funder’s interests, no amount of good writing will make it successful.” That means starting with targeted research, not mass emails.
Your first stop should be the funder’s website. Look at:
Mission, vision, and funding priorities
Geographic restrictions
Staff and board lists (potential networking points)
Lists of their past grantees and supported projects
Here’s the pro tip: The grant list is your gold mine. It reveals the kinds of projects they actually choose, and these often say more about their priorities than the mission statement alone. If half the grants are going to STEM-based school programs, and yours is STEM-oriented environmental education, you’re likely on the right track.
Do Your Homework—Seriously
In fundraising, “doing your homework” isn’t a metaphor—it’s a survival strategy. Too many funders receive proposals that completely miss the mark. Picture it: you write an impassioned 10-page pitch for your beloved rescue dog sanctuary, only to send it to a foundation laser-focused on urban forestry. Two amazing causes, no overlap.
Knowing this saves you time and signals to funders that you respect theirs. As fundraising coach Gail Perry reminds us, “Your credibility begins the moment your name hits their inbox.”
Prepare for Rejection—and Play the Long Game
You will hear “no” often. Professional fundraisers know that “no” is usually code for “not now,” “not this project,” or “apply later.” Your mission depends on finding enough “yes” responses to move the needle.
Foundation fundraising is a regulated system. Private foundations must give away roughly 5% of assets annually, but they “give away” by investing in strong-fit projects. You are not begging; it’s a business transaction—you are offering them the opportunity to meet their giving obligations with a program that matches their goals.
Crafting Your First Contact—Don’t Ask for Money Yet
Many worthwhile foundations don’t accept unsolicited proposals. That’s okay. Your first outreach should be about opening the door, not pushing in. The aim is to spark dialogue. That said, plenty of funders have application deadlines or Letter of Inquiry processes.
Below is a sample email to structure your call for conversation:
Subject: Introductory meeting/advice request, environmental education grants
Dear Ms. Foundation Executive Director or Program Officer:
Greetings from My Organization, a Bay Area nonprofit that combines environmental education, volunteerism, and green job training to inspire environmental awareness and protection. (include a link to your group’s website)
We’ve reviewed the [Foundation Name’s] guidelines and are interested in applying for an environmental education grant to support XYZ’s long-standing work with the [Your City’s] Unified School District.
We would value a chance to meet in person or speak by phone with you first to discuss possible angles and get your advice.
Would you have time during the week of February 3? Cheryl So-and-So, XYZs’ executive director, and I would be pleased to meet you. A few good times on our end are on 2/3: 11:30am or 1:30pm, or 2/4: 11:00am, 1:30pm, or 2pm.
XYZ offers K-12 environmental education programs that are hands-on and STEM-based, with classroom and outdoor field-trip components. Many include service-learning opportunities. XYZ also works with schools on greening projects, such as building rainwater cistern systems to manage stormwater, while training high school students to maintain this infrastructure as part of workforce development.
(Include links to relevant posts or reports)
Many thanks for your time and consideration. We look forward to hearing from you.
Best regards,
Tonya Hennessey
Fundraising Coordinator
XYZ organization
This initial outreach succeeded because it was early, intentional, and informed. The funder responded with: “Please get back in touch closer to the application opening date.”
Six months later, when the application window opened, the follow-up led to a meeting, an invited proposal, and ultimately 4 years of funding, before we had to take a gap year. The initial process, including the wait time for the foundation’s board decision meeting, was about a year.
Follow-Up: Timing Is Everything
When a window opens, you want to be top of mind. Here’s how the follow-up looked:
Dear Foundation Executive Director:
Greetings to you, and happy fall as we move into October!
We’re writing again from [Your Organization’s Name] now that your application process is open again. Our team is interested in applying for funding during the upcoming November 29 – December 10 window, and we’re wondering whether we could have a quick talk to see if our environmental education programming in [Your City] would be a good fit. Could we talk during the week of October 18? Any day except the 19th?
Thanks sincerely for your time.
Best regards,
Tonya
This outreach worked because it was respectful, precise, and referenced prior conversation.
Bringing It All Together
Winning approaches involve a clear arc:
Research deeply – Know their priorities, grantees, and operating style.
Reach out early – Use polite, non-ask emails to start conversations.
Maintain contact – Respect application cycles and build rapport.
Persist through no’s – Document responses and re-engage strategically.
As iconic matchmaker Yente might say in Fiddler on the Roof, “A matchmaker’s greatest skill is knowing when a match will work.” Your role is similar: finding the right “marriage” between your mission and their funding priorities.
Approach funders like prospective partners rather than vending machines. Over time, you’ll find the matches that lead not only to one grant cycle, but to lasting relationships.