You’ve Got a Prospect List. Now What?

Veteran Grant Fundraiser Playbook for What to Do After the Research Is Done

You’ve deep-dived into prospecting, lived in Foundation Directory like it was your latest streaming obsession, and now you’ve got a shiny list of potential funders. Excellent. Now comes the part that brings in the money: the steps you take next.

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Step 1: Prioritize like a Pro

Not all prospects are created equal, and you don’t have time to chase everything that moves. Start by ranking your list using three anchors: alignment, funding amounts, and deadlines.

Ask of each funder:

• How aligned are their stated priorities with your programs and community?

• What is the typical grant size, and does the potential return justify the staff time?

• What are the hard deadlines, LOI windows, or rolling cycles you have to hit?

Grant strategy practitioners consistently recommend building a calendar that starts with the most promising funders …