Jono Marcus is not only a skilled grant writer, he is also a valuable thought partner. He has provided thoughtful research and feedback in regards to our grant strategy and has helped us to navigate the various sources of funding from government, corporations, and private foundations. He is organized, timely, and delivers a thorough product. I also appreciate his sense of humor and passion for getting the job done.– Jaime Kemmer Woods
Director of Fund Development & Strategic Engagement
Teen Success, Inc.
Our Services Include :
Grant Writing | Prospect Research | Fundraising | Program Development | Communications
GRANT WRITING
There are funders who are interested in supporting your work, yet placing your work in front of them can be daunting. How do you express your programs as succinctly as possible without losing your core message? How do you process the massive amount of internal and external communications needed to efficiently manage the process? Grant writing requires a high level and microscopic view; your message needs to be in line with your vision and it also must satisfy funder criteria. We understand the nuance of grant writing, the level of detail needed, and the synchronicity that will reveal your programs as integrated and compelling.
Our assistance includes:
- Assessment and analysis of current copy, messaging, synergy among grant elements, program deliverables, attachments, budgets, and record keeping;
- Preparing grant applications and proposals from start to finish ~ program design, prospect research, needs assessment and data collection, staff interviews, budget development, attachments management, and final submission process.
- Writing federal, state, county, and city grant applications and proposals
- Writing foundation and corporate grant applications and proposals
- Forecast projections of all grant activities, including assessment of how many grants and of what size might best reach your budget goals.
- Establishment of grant copy and messaging through a grant template, a stand alone document that acts as the source for all of your grant writing needs.
- Management and coordination of grant partner engagement, including MOU, and the strategic synchronization of needs statements with collaboration activities, outputs, outcomes, and evaluation mechanisms.
PROSPECT RESEARCH
Often, the hardest part of securing funds and support is figuring out where to start. Do you seek funds from just a few local grantors or do you cast the net wide to include grantors near and far? And once you identify a prospective funder, then what? How will you reach out to them? Perhaps you already have a connection through your network? How might you leverage the networks you already have?
For us, prospect research is not just about finding a potential funder. We will help you strategically identify, cultivate, and solicit funders from start to funding.
Our assistance includes:
- Assessment of prospecting mechanisms, analysis of active and untapped networks
- Researching and identifying government, foundation and corporate funding opportunities
- Strategic cultivation and relationship building with potential funders and partners
- Education around best practices in prospect research
- Development of an ongoing annual grants and development calendar
FUNDRAISING
Every agency has different DNA and as such requires different approaches to fundraising. Your potential may lie in your major donors or an extensive mailing list; or perhaps you rely on one major grant each year. So how do you determine the best way to activate that potential? How do you assess which gaps will have the most bang for the buck? How do you then express to your donors your true value to the community that you serve?
Our assistance includes:
- Strategic review and assessment of fund development processes and activities, current case statements, fundraising collateral; including interviews with key stakeholders (staff, board members, clients, volunteers, other constituency)
- Fund development planning, including establishment of budgets, timelines, revenue plans, and deliverables
- Individual, major donor, foundation and corporate identification, solicitation, and cultivation
- Budgeting and forecasting
- The development of fundraising case statements
PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT
Your programs are like your agency’s hands – they reach your constituency and help them overcome sometimes very challenging obstacles. But how do you know that your program contains all the elements that most funders are seeking? What elements will reveal your programs as the integrated, efficient plans you want them to be. With our collective experience of more than 50 years, our team understands the program pieces that funders are looking for. We can help you build out or troubleshoot your program’s design – its goals, objectives, activities, outputs, outcomes, and evaluation methods – so that all of the necessary pieces are synergized, synchronized, and in tune.
Our assistance includes:
- The development and integration of impactful data and research on the needs your program addresses
- Critical analyses and assessment of your program design and implementation
- Advice on how to best align your program according to best practices
- Program development that enhances its impact in your community
- Strategic discussion around evaluation methodology
COMMUNICATIONS
Your external communications across all of your marketing and development activities should be streamlined and consistent. How do you increase visibility through your development and communications program effectively? What collateral might best be used for your different constituencies? How might you best capture and express your core competencies and competitive advantages to the people the can best support your cause?
Our assistance includes:
- Assessment of all fundraising and communications collateral
- Development, implementation and calendaring of communications strategies
- Targeted messaging and brand identity
- Social and interactive media