How to access the $60 billion available among Danish foundations
Website design By BotEap.comThe examples and perspective in this article deal with the segment of wealthy charitable foundations in Denmark. The techniques have helped many people raise money for Danish foundations, and can also be useful for other types of fundraising, such as running a crowdfunding campaign.
Website design By BotEap.comThe eight steps to fundraising for Danish foundations involve:
Website design By BotEap.com1. Understand the industry
2. Build your team
3. Clarify your story
4. Put it in writing
5. Find and analyze grants
6. Create a work process
7. Run
8. Evaluate Website design By BotEap.comSTEP 1: UNDERSTAND THE INDUSTRY: Website design By BotEap.comDanes often tend to describe Danish foundations as “closed”, “insiders” and “useless”. It is very difficult to define the typical foundation, however the vast majority of foundations are “small”, “unstaffed” and have one paper application round per year. Website design By BotEap.comWhile there are many special purpose foundations in Denmark, many Danish foundations are general purpose foundations that support a wide variety of causes, including: arts, culture, social aid, emergency aid, entrepreneurship, business, health, children, communities, and international development. Website design By BotEap.comRealdania is one of the richest charitable foundations in the world, donating 818 million Danish kroner in 2014 ($122 million). Website design By BotEap.comSTEP 2: SET UP YOUR EQUIPMENT: Website design By BotEap.comHaving the right qualifications on your team can be the key to a successful fundraiser. It is recommended to have a fluent Danish speaker on board, who can break existing language barriers. Other strong skills include: analytical skills, curiosity, courage, the ability to use available mentors and networks, and having a structured work style. Website design By BotEap.com3. GET YOUR STORY RIGHT: Website design By BotEap.comBefore you even start fundraising, you need to define exactly what it is you’re doing. I recommend people start with the end in mind by defining objective goals. What does success look like? Where is your project in five years? Validate your idea among experts. Communicate with future clients and/or beneficiaries. Website design By BotEap.com4. PUT IT IN WRITING: Website design By BotEap.comYou must believe in your idea and not be afraid to show it to the foundation. Foundations are critical and do not want to fund projects that are not well researched and planned. Be sure to develop a complete application and a detailed description of the project in Danish. Website design By BotEap.com5. FIND AND ANALYZE GRANTS: Website design By BotEap.comThe purposes of each foundation are communicated in a set of criteria (often in Danish). Applying for grants that match your project goals will increase your chances of getting funding. There are useful grant dictionaries and very limited online resources on Danish funds available. The best book is “Vejviser til Legater og Fonde”, which costs around DKK 1,100 ($167). Website design By BotEap.com6. CREATE A WORK PROCESS: Website design By BotEap.comThe typical work process is as follows; Website design By BotEap.com1: Identify the grant
2: Research the grant
3: Write how your project and intentions match the missions of the foundation
4: Prepare documents
5: Apply for the grant
6: Record your activity. Website design By BotEap.comUsing a free cloud service like Google Drive has several benefits, such as document synchronization for team members and working in virtual teams. I recommend using such built-in productivity tools: Google Docs and Google Spreadsheet; to work on your standard application documents and to store important foundation information. Website design By BotEap.com7. RUN: Website design By BotEap.comPowerful execution involves repeating the above work process efficiently for all foundations with available funds. Be sure to prioritize the foundations you expect to fund your project, and always make sure you adhere to the foundation’s application procedures. It is recommended to have a dialogue with foundations during your application process. Website design By BotEap.com8. EVALUATE: Website design By BotEap.comCorrect the course of your fundraising efforts and, more importantly, yourself. All fundraisers make mistakes, and you’ll need to correct those mistakes by honestly adjusting your fundraising appeal and overall strategy. The goal is not to be good at fundraising, the goal is to be good at what you do with the funds raised, so that your project changes the world for a better place.
2. Build your team
3. Clarify your story
4. Put it in writing
5. Find and analyze grants
6. Create a work process
7. Run
8. Evaluate Website design By BotEap.comSTEP 1: UNDERSTAND THE INDUSTRY: Website design By BotEap.comDanes often tend to describe Danish foundations as “closed”, “insiders” and “useless”. It is very difficult to define the typical foundation, however the vast majority of foundations are “small”, “unstaffed” and have one paper application round per year. Website design By BotEap.comWhile there are many special purpose foundations in Denmark, many Danish foundations are general purpose foundations that support a wide variety of causes, including: arts, culture, social aid, emergency aid, entrepreneurship, business, health, children, communities, and international development. Website design By BotEap.comRealdania is one of the richest charitable foundations in the world, donating 818 million Danish kroner in 2014 ($122 million). Website design By BotEap.comSTEP 2: SET UP YOUR EQUIPMENT: Website design By BotEap.comHaving the right qualifications on your team can be the key to a successful fundraiser. It is recommended to have a fluent Danish speaker on board, who can break existing language barriers. Other strong skills include: analytical skills, curiosity, courage, the ability to use available mentors and networks, and having a structured work style. Website design By BotEap.com3. GET YOUR STORY RIGHT: Website design By BotEap.comBefore you even start fundraising, you need to define exactly what it is you’re doing. I recommend people start with the end in mind by defining objective goals. What does success look like? Where is your project in five years? Validate your idea among experts. Communicate with future clients and/or beneficiaries. Website design By BotEap.com4. PUT IT IN WRITING: Website design By BotEap.comYou must believe in your idea and not be afraid to show it to the foundation. Foundations are critical and do not want to fund projects that are not well researched and planned. Be sure to develop a complete application and a detailed description of the project in Danish. Website design By BotEap.com5. FIND AND ANALYZE GRANTS: Website design By BotEap.comThe purposes of each foundation are communicated in a set of criteria (often in Danish). Applying for grants that match your project goals will increase your chances of getting funding. There are useful grant dictionaries and very limited online resources on Danish funds available. The best book is “Vejviser til Legater og Fonde”, which costs around DKK 1,100 ($167). Website design By BotEap.com6. CREATE A WORK PROCESS: Website design By BotEap.comThe typical work process is as follows; Website design By BotEap.com1: Identify the grant
2: Research the grant
3: Write how your project and intentions match the missions of the foundation
4: Prepare documents
5: Apply for the grant
6: Record your activity. Website design By BotEap.comUsing a free cloud service like Google Drive has several benefits, such as document synchronization for team members and working in virtual teams. I recommend using such built-in productivity tools: Google Docs and Google Spreadsheet; to work on your standard application documents and to store important foundation information. Website design By BotEap.com7. RUN: Website design By BotEap.comPowerful execution involves repeating the above work process efficiently for all foundations with available funds. Be sure to prioritize the foundations you expect to fund your project, and always make sure you adhere to the foundation’s application procedures. It is recommended to have a dialogue with foundations during your application process. Website design By BotEap.com8. EVALUATE: Website design By BotEap.comCorrect the course of your fundraising efforts and, more importantly, yourself. All fundraisers make mistakes, and you’ll need to correct those mistakes by honestly adjusting your fundraising appeal and overall strategy. The goal is not to be good at fundraising, the goal is to be good at what you do with the funds raised, so that your project changes the world for a better place.