Network Resources: Innovative Strategies

Peer Mentoring Network

Innovative Strategies

Regional Resource Centers

Quality Assurance/ Credentialing

Training

State Systems

Funding

Events

Developing and Nurturing Relationships with Foundations

• Remember that all relationships take time, care and feeding!
• Reach out to your loyal and long-term funders and don’t take them for granted. Try:
  • Calling them once a quarter;
  • Dropping them a note to offer an exciting finding from your program or describe an anecdote or accomplishment about one of the families you serve;
  • Forwarding any media references you see about the foundation or other topic you think they would be interested in.
• Honesty works best - particularly when you have to deliver bad news.
• When you’re struggling with a problem, don’t forget to seek out the counsel of your grant manager who is likely to have some great suggestions and valuable contacts. Send a thank you note afterwards.
• Know your grant manager as a whole person.
• Be a partner with the foundation.
  • Volunteer to serve on a conference planning committee if the foundation hosts a grantee workshop;
  • Offer to host a meeting at your office to save a small foundation money; or
  • Invite your grant managers to speak at your conferences or community meetings to give them visibility and opportunities to interact more directly with staff and families.