Is it possible to get grants in a recession?
Absolutely! But you have to recognize that the strategy changes some. There is little doubt that foundations have been hit hard by the stock market declines. The private foundations are invested in stock portfolios. When the market declines, so do their assets. Nonetheless, private foundations are required by law to give 5% each year. In short, private foundations will still be making grants.
However, they will be making fewer grants. The key to getting on the radar screen of these foundations is to look carefully for who is on their board. See, if by networking or otherwise, you can meet with board members to discuss your ministry. It's also important to get on the agenda of these foundations early. Many may well complete their giving early in the year because they will be giving fewer grants this year. So start now.
It is also important that you look in the right places. That's why we emphasize using the proper database, i.e., www.christianfoundationgrants.com. Selection of the right foundation to submit is the first step in getting a grant.
Keep in mind that hiring a grantwriter can speed the research and the process of actually writing the grant. Look at the Christian grantwriters network upon subscription to www.christianfoundationgrants.com.
Finally, keep in mind that private foundations are not the only source of grants. Consider Christian community foundations. They set up donor advised funds, which are similar to private foundations but unlike private foundations they cannot be found on the internet. A donor advised fund is a great tool for donors to maintain their privacy but still get the benefits of a private foundation. Visit www.servantchristian.com as one example of a Christian community foundation.
At the Servant Christian website, ministries should register with the Treasurehouse database. The Treasurehouse allows ministries to be exposed to the donor advised fund community but also is a prerequisite for receiving grant applications from Servant Christian.
Don't despair--getting grants is like so many things: hard work and patience will yield results. There is a learning curve but once you get over the learning curve, you'll see the great possibilities.
--William High is the President of the Servant Christian Community Foundation (www.servantchristian.com). He may be contacted at whigh@servantchristian.com.