Transcript Engaging Funders in the Work-Lessons Learned from Building

Money Matter$:
Building a
Funders
Collaborative
Planning is only as good as its implementation!
Investing in plan
implementation is
critical to success!
 Without the resources
your projects may not
succeed.
 Our goal is to share
some strategies to
help build your
success.
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The LFN is an affinity group of COF
Our mission is to promote improved literacy
We are a peer learning network of and for
foundations and provide webinars, annual
symposium, coaching and information
dissemination
Our network of funders all
support local and statewide
lifelong learning literacy
coalitions
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2.
Begin to Win strategies
Sustain to Gain strategies
With great demand for scarce resources we must:
 Understand the funding landscape
 Develop a Funding Analysis
 Build a Funders
Collaboration
 Maximize the
existing pie
 All steer in the same
direction
 How to get started
 Funders briefings
 Collaborative structure
 Catalytic funding
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Seek organizational and programmatic
support?
Leverage public and private resources
Infuse collective impact
strategies
Develop relationships that
are broader than just funding
Build a coordinated fund
development plan
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Build your community dashboard with funders
Develop return on investment strategies
Create public/private partnerships
Coordinate with local government
Encourage civic engagement
Maintain relationships/partnerships
Practice the rule of the seven thank you’s
Give away ownership and credit as often as
possible
Columbus, OH
 Dallas, TX
 New Haven, CT
Practice the nine month rule!
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“Looking back we found we were most
successful when we were fearless – when
we explored and experimented – and the
least successful when fear or caution
became a dominant driver of decisionmaking.”
(The Case Foundation)
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…setting audacious goals, acting urgently
and boldly, being unafraid of risk, being
willing to strike unlikely alliances, and
accepting the possibility of failure while
pressing forward.
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Reckless abandon, foolhardiness or
arrogance, or presuming we have all the
answers!
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Development of the collaborative
Structure
Resources
Engagement
Follow up
Sustainability activities
Long term funding
Matagorda County
Palacios, Texas (pop. 5,000)
Gail Purvis, Executive Director
Colorado, Wharton
& Matagorda
Counties
Average
70% Children on
Free and Reduced
Lunch
25% Children are
Below Poverty
Level
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The George Foundation – Richmond
Gulf Coast Medical Foundation – Wharton
M.G. & Lillie A. Johnson Foundation –
Victoria
Mary Louise Dobson Foundation – Wharton
Matagorda Co. Community Fdn. – Bay City
Stanzel Family Foundation – Schulenburg
The Trull Foundation – Palacios
Conference of Southwest Foundations
Support Individual 501c3 Organizations in
Coalition
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 Foundation Membership on Coalition Board
 Convening Meetings for Updates on Coalition‘s
Progress/Needs
 Coalition Executive Director Salary Support
i3 Innovations Federal Education Grant Matching
Funds
Partnerships
Are Essential!
Foundations
School Districts
United Way
County/City
Non Profits
More…….
Thank You
For
Your
Hard Work
and
Caring!