Strategies for Connecting with Invite-Only Funders

I’m thrilled to hear that so many of you found the spreadsheet of 40+ social impact funders committed to upholding justice helpful. I hope you can continue to use this information to keep pushing forward as you serve your communities in this incredibly difficult time. I see you and I hear you.

However, I found something troubling in the spreadsheet, and you probably did too—I’m sure you noticed that that the application process for a large number of these funding institutions was some variation of “invitation-only.”

This is problematic for many reasons— starting with if the FUNDER does not “discover” you, and THEY do not choose to connect with you, even if you’re work is a 100% aligned, your pathway to connecting with them is as clear as mud.

To me, this is an issue of equity and access.

If you find yourself in that situation, here are a few strategies and resources to try to crack that door open.

1.      Find a Way to Connect

If the funder has published their email and phone number or provides a ‘connect with us link’ your first step is done.

If there’s no visible way to get in touch (or even if you’ve got that covered), time to do some detective work:

• Check out their social media: Can you find their social media profiles on LinkedIn, Face Book, and Instagram etc.? Can you identify a staff or board member to potentially connect with?

• Look for recent press releases and news articles.

• Sign-up to receive the organization’s updates and newsletters—these can be give you valuable insights into the institution.

•  No luck? Check out their 990 and find their listed contacts.

2.      Find your Synergies

      Assuming you’ve been able to find a personal contact and have some intel.,  take some time to write up a short synergy report on areas of alignment;

• Which of your programs/activities are a great fit based on the funder’s stated priorities and recent giving history?

• Take time to create a short pitch-intro that represents your authentic work and voice:

  Version 1: A few talking points for a phone call

  Version 2: A 1-2 paragraph written introduction.

  Remember, you will need to tweak and customize this for each funder.

• Be clear on your ask to connect. Be ready to answer questions.

 3.      Reach Out

Barring any requests for **privacy, try to connect directly with a program contact or decision maker. Depending on your individual situation, plan out your outreach approach:

• Telephone call or email intro? Follow-up plan? No pushy messages. Respectful request to connect.

• Consider having a mutual contact or affiliated colleague make an introduction on your behalf.

• Evaluate whether a short direct messaging via the organization’s public social media with request to connect would further your case.

** ONLY use publicly and officially listed contact information. Do not contact people via their personal emails or phone numbers found on the internet. Also, if the entity specifically requests not to be contacted at all, or requests not to be contacted via a specific method i.e. no phone calls, respecting that request is key.

 If you’d like to dive deeper into this topic, check out these resources:

1. How to Engage with Invitation-Only Funders: from https://fundingforgood.org/how-to-engage-with-invitation-only-funding-foundations/

2. How To Have Conversations with Foundation Program Officers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0YmTZkbkTE&list=PL7KMjiEftADzyVpEkrucjWNLYIrDquGlj&index=5

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Are you a social-justice focused or community-serving nonprofit looking for grant support? Let’s Connect! Schedule your free grant consultation.

Meet the Justice-Focused Funders

This is a spreadsheet of 40+ funders who are actively committed to advancing justice in 2026. In fundraising terms, think of this as your prospect research list—funders who have publicly stated their support for justice in the U.S. and are backing up those commitments by funding economic, social, racial, gender, environmental, and other justice- and DEI-focused work.

• Create your own copy of this spreadsheet in Google Sheets.

• View & download the spreadsheet in a new tab.

*One Community Grant Consulting, LLC kindly requests written acknowledgment of Sharmila Sitther as the original author of this document, in the event it is repurposed, adapted, or shared.

How to Use This Research for Your Organization

Follow the steps below to make the most of this research and tailor it to your organization’s grant-seeking needs.

1. Create a Working Copy

Create a “save-as” copy of the read-only file. This will allow you to modify the sheet as needed without altering the original.

2. Screen and Narrow Down Potential Funders

Review the list and identify funders that may be a strong match for your organization by considering:

• Geographic focus

• Issue areas

• Funder eligibility criteria

Next step: Delete funders who are clearly not a good fit. For those that remain, add funder contact information for easy reference.

3. Personalize and Organize the Sheet

Add columns or apply filters to customize the sheet for your internal use. For example:

• Identify whether opportunities support general operating funding or project-specific funding

• Filter by a minimum grant threshold

4. Find Deeper Synergies

Review funders’ public-facing materials such as annual reports, impact pages, and social media to learn more about their priorities. Look at past grantees to identify areas of alignment and potential synergies between the funder and your organization.

5. Add Notes

Edit or add notes in the “special notes” section to capture insights, questions, or follow-up actions.

6. Manage Long Lists Effectively

Large funder lists can become overwhelming. Consider funneling this information into a full-cycle grant management software or creating a custom workflow using a tool like Asana.

 And for folks who are curious about how this list came together, keep reading.

The Back Story: How I Created This List

1. I crowdsourced funder recommendations on LinkedIn
I gathered ideas for funders that met the following criteria:

·         Organizations with a publicly accessible website that clearly retains language about their commitment to justice and DEI

·         Funders that are actively supporting economic, social, racial, gender, environmental, and other forms of justice and DEI

·         Funders that support work in the United States

·         Funders with non-functioning websites or without clear descriptions of grant support for U.S.-based organizations were excluded

2. I excluded information that varies widely
To keep the list usable and manageable, I did not include funder deadlines, detailed eligibility criteria, or types of support. These details often vary by program—for example, deadlines and funding types can differ across a single funder’s portfolio.

3. I used ChatGPT to build the spreadsheet template and populate the initial data.

4. I fact-checked everything
Every cell was reviewed, corrected, and edited by me to ensure accuracy.

Important Notes

·         Unless specifically noted, the “giving history” column does not refer exclusively to grantmaking. Grant dollar amounts do not necessarily reflect total charitable disbursements; some funders include other forms of giving, such as investments.

·         Every effort was made to verify accuracy at the time of research. That said, this information is not static. Funder priorities change. Giving methods change.

** If you choose to use this information, please note that you are solely responsible for verifying its accuracy at the time of use. Sources are included as comments in each cell, please check the data for yourself.

Friends, this is truly a labor of love, born out of my distress at the injustices that keep piling up. It’s my give-back. Share it, use it, and pass it along so it can help as many people as possible. Make it work for you, add it to your research, or modify the document in whatever way best supports your work.

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One Community Grant Consulting, LLC kindly requests written acknowledgment as the original author if this document is repurposed, adapted, or shared.

If you are looking for grant support, send me a message or schedule a time to chat.

The Art of Pithy Storytelling—Advice from Petey the Cat

Grant writing is about telling your stories effectively — showing the heart and impact of your work. And sometimes, you’ve got just a tiny bit of space to convey something deep and meaningful. Sometimes it’s just a 100 words. That’s when your writing needs to be pithy.

Do you recognize this gem?

“Ya gotta avoid repetition… shun redundancy… eschew reiteration… resist recapitulation… And also stop telling the same joke over and over!”

Sound familiar? Then I’m guessing you have a 7–10-year-old in your life who’s obsessed with Dav Pilkey’s Dog Man series. This particular moment is from Lord of the Fleas.

Petey’s advice isn’t just funny. It’s actually really good guidance for writers. Whether you’re trying to land a joke, write a grant proposal, or craft a social media post, clarity and conciseness are your best friends.

Pithy Writing Takes Practice

Combining brevity with depth is a skill that takes time and practice. But since we’re talking about keeping things short and sharp, I’ll keep this list of tips brief too:

• Know your stuff. The more familiar you are with your subject, the easier it is to write clearly.

• Frame it fast. Sum up the issue in a few sentences, then dive right in.

• Don’t muzzle your first draft. Write long if you need to, then edit later.

• Cut the clutter. Ditch clichés and extra adjectives.

• Don’t overuse punctuation. It helps keep sentences crisp.

• Experiment with phrasing. Try a few different versions of tricky sentences.

• Stick with the active voice. It’s more direct and engaging.

• Swap in synonyms. It keeps your writing colorful.

And above all — avoid repetition, shun redundancy, eschew reiteration, resist recapitulation. 😄

It Matters in Grant Writing

Funders read a lot. The clearer and tighter your writing, the more likely they’ll truly hear your story. Pithy writing doesn’t necessarily mean cutting emotion — it means focusing on what matters most.

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P.S. Dav Pilkey might be all about goofy, gross-out humor, but there’s a lot of heart there along with the silliness. Petey and Li’l Petey’s conversations often sneak in reflections on pain, forgiveness, and love — remember, even the lightest stories can hold deep truths.

Your Turn

What strategies or tricks help you write sharper, pithier prose — whether in grants, emails, or everyday writing? I’d love to hear what works for you.

The Secret Sauce to Keep Winning Grants

Photo Credit:
RAJAT KUMAR SINGH . Unsplash Images

One of my nonprofit clients consistently wins funding on approximately 80% of the grant proposals we work on together.

 This is not a ‘humble brag’ about my skill as a grant writer—it takes more than solid writing skills to keep up this level of success.

 I’m going to lay it out clearly why I believe this organization sees such strong results:

  #1: Reputation:

Most of their institutional funders are repeat funders who give year after year. There is no shortcut to getting here—it takes years to build a reputation of trust with your constituents, partners and funders, so everyone know that you are in it for the long-haul.

 #2: Accountability:

Their reports are 100% on time. They put in as much strategic thought into the report as they do into the grant application, sharing data and stories that are relevant to the individual funder.

 #3: Clear Grant Strategy:

Each application is assigned to the annual grant calendar. Each month’s work is scheduled ahead of time.

 #4: Sufficient Time:

Each month we plan out our work for the next and map out our funder deadlines and internal deadlines. The team knows whether or not there is capacity to pursue new/unexpected opportunities when they pop up.  I for one, do not thrive on the thrill of last-minute submissions, and always build in a buffer of time to allow for the unexpected.

 #5: Clear Process & Roles:

Know how too many cooks can spoil the soup? Here, the cooks know how to line up in order. We have a strong drafting and editing process in place, and each person knows their role. It minimizes back-and-forth inefficiencies.

 #6: Collaboration:

As an consultant, I need to be up to speed on any new changes in strategy, programs and significant staffing changes. This might sound obvious, but there are often new events and unexpected challenges to catch up on. Each month, before I start the drafting process, a development staff person and I meet virtually to outline every single application and report together—so we are literally on the same page.

 #7: Communication and Trust:

We do our best to keep to our internal deadlines, and share drafts, edits, and research on time. But we’re human. Twice (in five years), I had to hand off work unexpectedly due to a health issue. Both times, we’d built in enough time for someone else to take over. Both times, I was met with understanding and support.

 #8: Strong In-House Writing Capacity:

While I provide extra grant writing and reporting support, they have excellent in-house writers who know their programs intimately. This is really an ideal situation, where the consultant is brought on for extra capacity and not lack of internal expertise.

 #9: Shared Understanding of Decision-Making:

There is space for critique and idea sharing by all, and there is space for pushback by all parties. There is also a shared understanding that final decisions around content and direction are made by the client.

 Not every grants team needs to be structured the same way. Sometimes one person manages the entire effort, and sometimes there are 3–4 staff actively involved; which might sound like a recipe for disaster (and sometimes is). Grant writing is deadline-driven and can be very stressful, but taking the time to build a process that works for you and your team can make it a much more rewarding experience

Does Your Grant Strategy Need a Boost? Let’s Talk. Sign Up for a Free Consultation.

Working Smarter: Getting the Best ROI from Your Grant Consultant

Image Credits: Alex Azabache

Unawatuna Beach, Sri Lanka

Nonprofit Leaders—are you thinking about handing over those pesky grant applications to a consultant while clapping your hands together with a, “done and dusted... now I can move on to other things” sigh of relief?

Reality Check: Bringing on a grant writer can be a game changer—but it’s not a "set-it-and-forget-it” situation.

Let’s talk about what it really takes to make working with a grant consultant successful and worth the investment.

Consider these Two Scenarios:

NON-PROFIT A: You are an established mid-sized nonprofit and your in-house grant writer is taking a leave of absence for three months. You want a grant writing consultant to step in and take over.

NON-PROFIT B: You are the executive director and the only full-time staff person at a nonprofit. You wear all the hats. You have no time to be writing grants, and you want a grant writing consultant to take this job off your plate.

In both scenarios, as an in-house leader, you have strong understanding of how your organization and programs function. Some of it is written down, but the ins-and-outs of how things work might be carried in your head.

When you are working with a grant consultant, here are some practical realities to consider:

1.      The Consultant Needs to Learn A Lot About Your Work—and Fast:

If the consultant is new, this person needs to develop a fairly in-depth understanding of the organization quickly. The consultant needs to understand your value-add and the uniqueness of your approach in order to represent you effectively in your grant applications.   

Sharing past applications, communication materials, and program plans can definitely help a consultant get up to speed. But the real aha moments happen when nonprofit leaders are available to answer questions and offer context.

 2.      Provide an In-House Point Person for Ongoing Questions:

There are always a myriad of large and small decisions that need to be made while writing a grant; which program is best aligned for this pitch? How will the program be staffed next year? How do we spread out overhead costs in the budget? A consultant can advise you on making these decisions but cannot make these decisions alone; leaving a consultant without access to a decision maker leads to frustration for all parties.

 3.      Clarify your Expectations on the Process:

Make sure that the consultant has a clear process for drafting and review; is the consultant responsible for all components of the proposal from start to finish? Decide together who needs to review the narrative, budget and attachments, and who will submit.  Ask questions so that there are no surprises about the level of effort you and your staff need to set aside to provide feedback and review.

 4.      Clarify the Deliverables:

Ensure your expectations are outlined in a scope of work in terms of number of hours, specific grants to be written, or if this is an as-needed and as-available arrangement between you and the consultant.

 5.      Plan out Your Submissions:

Plan out your grants calendar for your period of engagement.  Consultants often work with multiple clients. Unlike an internal staff member, consultants cannot drop other priorities and clients when a new opportunity arises for you. While some consultants can and do accommodate last minute requests, many consultants have their schedule planned out at least a month or two in advance and cannot take on ad-hoc requests. If you need help planning, ask your consultant to help you create a grants calendar and a system for researching and tracking opportunities.

 6.      Funding Success is Largely Contingent on the Relationships You Build:

Grants are very competitive. You will increase your organization’s probability of funding success exponentially if your funders know and trust you.  Your grant consultant can help you brainstorm and navigate these relationships and conversations which need to take place before you apply. A well-written and well-aligned proposal is the icing on the cake – but icing cannot stand by itself.

In the Real World:

Clients who treat the “getting-to-know-you” phase as essential—not a nuisance—tend to see the best results. They make time for regular check-ins, share updates and pivots, and help shape the strategy along the way. On the flip side, when a client expects to drop off a folder of documents and walk away, it usually doesn’t bode well—for the relationship or the final work product.

Let me be clear: grant consultants work independently. We don’t need to be in every meeting or cc’d on every email. But a collaborative partnership gives your grant writing investment the best chance to succeed. (And that’s assuming, of course, you’ve done your due diligence in hiring a grant writer who’s a good fit for your organization.)

Hiring a grant writer can absolutely lighten your load—but it’s not a hands-off arrangement. Consultants can advise, guide, and even do the bulk of the work. But a strong proposal still needs your input: your voice, your uniqueness, your direction. Collaboration is the secret sauce. Don’t check out—lean in.

Got Any Tips or Lessons Learned to Add? Join the Conversation. Comment Below.