Financial sustainability is vital to an agency’s ability to fulfill its mission in the long term. Even though providers have been awarded funding from Maine DHHS for specific projects and outcomes, providers should leverage other funding opportunities to strengthen their organization’s capacity.
There are numerous ways to obtain resources for your organization including but not limited to holding fundraisers, soliciting in-kind support, and of course, applying for grants. Organizations are urged to diversify their funding to prevent dependency on any single form of support.
Grant Opportunities
Finding Grant Opportunities
Most grants are awarded by foundations, corporations, and government agencies. Grants from government agencies are available at the federal, state, and local levels. Non-governmental funders will include private foundations, community foundations, and corporations. There are several resources available to find funding from governments and private funders. Some resources are government websites, the offices of government officials, state and regional directories, online databases, and your local library!
Start your search for funds with a list of key words and phrases in hand. Key words and phrases can include the problems or issues your agency is addressing, the type of support you’re looking for, and your type of organization (ex. Non-profit, vaccines, health, equity, community Maine, etc.).
Research Tools for Funding
 | Maine State Library | Check this resource for new grants and ongoing opportunities from foundations, trusts and other nonprofits in Maine. |
 | Candid | Gather information on foundations and grants, and gain visibility to attract donors. |
 | GrantStation | This resource provides a regularly updated database of information on private and government Grantmakers. |
 | US Grants | Review a list of grants available in Maine that are offered through partnership with the federal government. |
Applying for Grants
Each grant is different and may require different information and level of detail from applicants. Once providers identify an ideal grant opportunity, review the grant application for required materials and information, and the review criteria.
Based on the grant application, the following components could be featured in an agency’s proposal:
- The mission and objectives of the proposed project
- An agency’s capacity to execute the project
- Which populations will benefit from the project
- Proposed project activities
- A timeline for the project work
- A plan for monitoring and evaluating the project’s impact
- A proposed budget for the work
A strong proposal will enhance the likelihood of a grantmaker awarding an agency with funding. Below are some key features that can strengthen a proposal:
- Following all directions– Does the proposal/application adhere to the submission instructions? Are all requested materials and information included in the proposal?
- Clearly expresses the need for the grant and project– Does the proposal clearly describe the community need that the project will address? Are there qualitative and quantitative data that reinforce the community need?
- Solution-oriented– Does the proposal include creative or innovative strategies for addressing the identified need or problem?
- Proof-read and reviewed– Are there any spelling or grammatical errors in the final proposal? Is the proposal easy to read, concise, and understandable?
Best Practices for Pursuing Grant Opportunities
- Securing one grant may take multiple applications, especially if applying for competitive grants. Thus, continue to apply for a variety of grants as you wait to hear back from previous funding opportunities.
- After the agency receives a decision from the grantmaker, the agency’s grantwriters and key staff should debrief to discuss lessons learned from the application including strengths and opportunities for improvement.
- Continue agency efforts to diversify the types of funding and types of funders that support your agency’s work.
Donor Acquisition
Acquiring donations will involve networking and relationship building, data management and analysis, and marketing and promotional campaigns. Are you ready to find new donors? Get started with these four steps:
Step 1: Review Fundraising Data
- Review tracked information on current donors. Find trends in times donations were made, campaigns donors responded to the most, etc.
- Identify where your donors come from and what inspires them to donate to your organization.
Step 2: Make a Plan
- With your findings from Step 1, develop a plan that addresses how the organization will identify prospective donors, how to engage with prospective donors, and how to track the progress and measure success of the outreach.
Step 3: Targeted Marketing and Outreach
- Outreach could include emails, phone calls, and social media campaigns. Amplify awareness by leveraging popular key words and engaging with your community in spaces most frequented.
Step 4: Streamline the Donation Process
- Make it easy for prospective donors to donate! Consider adding a donate button to your website, creating a donation webpage, and having links ready to share.
Retaining Donors
A consistent group of supporters who regularly donate will provide any agency with a foundation comprised of financial strength and community support. Below are suggestions for retaining donors but providers are encouraged to get creative with different strategies to show gratitude and appreciation for donors.
- Thank each donor for their support.
- Follow up with donors to share how their funding supported the organization, and ultimately the community.
- Offer donors opportunities to get involved with your organization. This could include sharing volunteer opportunities with your donors.