Storytelling for Grantseekers: A Guide to Creative Nonprofit Fundraising

THE FOUR FILTERS PLUS ONE—UP CLOSE

Let’s take a closer look at each of these filters, or screening criteria, to see how they can be used to determine whether or not a potential grantmaker is likely to be a good fit.

Subject Area

It should almost go without saying that one of the most important filters is subject area, which describes the field in which an agency conducts its work. Is your agency working in the arena of health care, the arts, social services, social justice, education, the environment, or something else? Funders frequently prioritize their grantmaking by subject area, which will be noted in their guidelines and then reported in the many available grantmaker directories.

Seek to identify those funders with whom your nonprofit ...