Is the phrase “approachable foundation” an oxymoron?
Teitel: There’s no doubt that the unaccountable power of foundations causes some of them to lose sight of the basics of courtesy. But in the last decade or so I’ve noticed some concerted effort on the part of foundations to treat the people who approach them better. I think this is because foundations became zealous in the 1980’s and ‘90’s about hiring more staff with real experience in nonprofits. And also some foundation board members began realizing that staff are their public face. One board member of a family foundation once told me, “You’re us more than we are!” QUESTION: Will a person who reads “Thank You for Submitting Your Proposal” stand a much better chance of landing a grant? Teitel: If someone reads this book and does a great job of telling their story, organizing their material, and sending it to the right funder, then yes, you bet, that person’s proposal is much more likely to rise to the top of the funder’s pile – assuming the project is worthwhile in the first place. I
