The Insider's Guide to Grantmaking

Unlike many formal professions, foundation grantmaking is a callingwith no training programs and little definitive literature on thelatest and best practices. Written for program officers and ofconsiderable value to grantseekers, this volume is the first andonly practical guide to making foundation grants and developingessential skills for effective and ethical grantmaking. Author JoelJ. Orosz provides: * The history, structure, and function of foundations insociety. * The complex role that program officers play in their day-to-dayactivities. * Real-world advice on a myriad of tasks--from meeting withapplicants and reviewing their proposals to assisting the fundedproject and managing foundation initiatives. * A useful overview for those new to the field, helps moreexperienced program officers to think more deeply about their work,and shares rich insights for the thousands of nonprofit leaders whopursue foundation grants.

Making Sense of the Grantmaking Universe. Grantmaking: The Human Factor. Building Relationships with Applicants. Reviewing Proposals. Declining Proposals. Responding to Proposals. Site Visits. Writing the Funding Document. Presenting the Funding Document. Managing the Project. Closing the Project. Leveraging Impact. Influencing Policy. Intiative-Based Grantmaking. The Ethics of Grantmaking. Epilogue: The Future of Formal Philanthropy.