Essential Information.

It is essential to get organized before you get funded. There are some key documents that you will need as you ready your organization to seek grant funding. We advise grantwriters to gather this information (or update it) even as you are researching and exploring potential grant opportunities. If there's something you don't have, now is the time to gather the data or develop the verbiage:

✔ General organizational information
- Mission Statement.
- History of organization. I like to have a 1/2 page version and a full page version. Cover content that includes why the organization got started, milestones or significant seasons over time and what the organization is doing currently.
- Demographics of current beneficiaries of programs and services, your organization's impact on the community and the numbers served.
- Capacity statement that demonstrates the organization's ability to undertake the proposed project/program.

✔ Financial information
- Most recent completed year's Statement of Financial Position and Statement of Financial Activities (i.e., balance sheet and profit/loss).
- Most recent month's completed financial reports (as provided to Board).
- Copy of audit if available.
- Organizational budget and program budgets.
- Resource development plan or narrative of plan for resourcing proposed project beyond grant funding being sought.

✔ Attachments
- Board roster with professional affiliation and contact information (email, phone, address).
- 501c(3) letter of tax exemption determination.

Remember that grantors are investors. It's your job to ensure the funder that your organization will steward their funds well and do what you say you are going to do. These key documents help provide that assurance to a prospective funder.

-Mindy Muller, CFRE, President/CEO of CDP

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