A development director recently asked us a simple but incredibly important question:
“What does it actually look like to build a relationship with a foundation?”
Not in theory. Not in a textbook. But in real life.
Do you call them? Email them? Invite them for a tour? Wait until the application opens?
It’s a fair question, and one we hear often. For many organizations, foundation funding can feel transactional at best and mysterious at worst. You submit a proposal, hope it aligns, and wait for a decision.