On finding and building a relationship with a funder
Little Big Tips with Pavel Reppo
One of the things that we’re very proud of at Little Big Fund is the growing community of social impact leaders that are continuously iterating their model and efforts to sustain and grow their ventures. While we offer a ton of advice and mentorship on fundraising to our community, we find it very helpful to hear from members of our community who have insightful tips -- we call these the Little Big Tips!
Kicking off the Little Big Tips, we have Pavel Reppo, the Founder and Executive Director at FineMind. In just a few short years, Pavel has built a flourishing nonprofit organization in Uganda, and collaborated with partners across the board - from foundations to governments - to build an impactful organization. Earlier this year, we asked Pavel for some advice on finding and building a relationship with a funder as an early stage organization. In this piece, we cover a few of our favorite tips from Pavel.
The first piece of advice that Pavel shared is regarding the initial contact with a donor. How do you approach one? Pavel says, “I always call, and I always leave a voicemail; I then immediately send an email as well.”
Although it may seem old school, phone calls can do wonders in making a personal connection. Imagine receiving a call from a different country requesting information on your organization? That would make you feel special, right? It is the same for a potential funder who might not expect a call from Nepal, but might be very happy to speak with you.
A few tips that Pavel shared on who and how to reach out:
“I reach out to a programs officer, grants officer, or ED/CEO. But, if no one picks up, I'll speak with anyone. Larger grantors and foundations sometimes have a general line; I then introduce myself and ask to be connected to the right person.”
However, as Pavel later says, the most crucial element is not the initial connection but the follow up. Pavel says, “The key is to follow-up - oftentimes two, three, four times. Silence doesn't mean you've hit a dead-end; a 'no' indicates that, and oftentimes this is even temporary. And always ask if there is someone else who they may know who may be willing to hear you out.” This is such crucial information because we often get discouraged by an initial no, and then avoid contacting the person. However, as you make progress at your organization, the donors are likely to be interested in keeping in touch or hearing from you occasionally. Can you send your annual report, or maybe even a personal note sharing updates from your most recent project? All of these can be excellent ways for you to maintain communication with a donor.
Another key tip shared by Pavel is the power of a warm introduction. Pavel says, “A warmer introduction works wonders - see if you know anyone in your network who may be willing to make the connection.” Now, we recognize that achieving such warm introductions can be tricky especially if you are just starting out in the space -- it is like asking a recent college graduate for 5 years of work experience. However, you never know who might be connected to whom, and it is definitely worth researching the person that you want to connect with on your LinkedIn, and asking the person if they might be open to make a warm introduction. Remember to always give a way out for the person if they do not feel comfortable making the introduction!
Finally, once you have made the contact, comes the piece around submission. This is where Pavel shares another wonderful piece of advice, “Make sure to submit [your application] in the time window the grant is open. If it's closed, don't waste your time, unless it's a rolling submission. And again, I try to make initial contact with the funder before submitting anything (application, LOI, etc) to not waste my time. Your time is precious.” It is very common to get excited about the possibility of a funding opportunity and oftentimes we’re in need of more funds. You may think that a funder might just change their minds when they see your grant application, and yet as Pavel says, it is important to protect your energy and not send an application just yet. Wait till the application window is open, and use the time to get feedback on your application instead.
These are some wonderful tips that Pavel has graciously shared with us, and we hope you find them helpful for your organization. Our gratitude to Pavel for sharing his wisdom, energy, and insights with us, and please take a few minutes to learn more about FineMind here!
