Good article on budgets and LOIs for grant proposals

About.com has a clear and easy-to-follow article on how to prepare a budget for a grant proposal to a foundation.

The article has a link to another piece on how to write a winning letter of inquiry (sometimes called a letter of interest or letter of intent -- always an "LOI"). I especially like the point it makes that the heading and the first sentence must be very well written, compelling, and make clear what it is you're proposing to do.

Older vs. Younger Donors: Which Ball to Keep Your Eye On?

The answer, of course, is both. Older donors go away because they die, but have deeper pockets and are more in tune with humanitarian realities. But younger people are getting in tune with giving at earlier ages than ever before, and a lifetime giving habit can be formed and become a strong base of support.

Here are a couple of interesting and CURRENT articles on these topics (beware articles on younger donors dated 2006 or something similarly dates):

Serious fun - how to reach young donors

Not-for-profits Reach Out to Younger Donors and Volunteers

The bottom line: as the IBJ article quotes Patrick Rooney, executive director of the Indiana University Center on Philanthropy: “They [nonprofits] are looking for ways to have a multi-prong approach to different cohorts and generations in ways that speak to each generation without affecting the others."

In other words, don't neglect your direct mail campaign to pump up your social media presence, or vice versa. It's an excellent argument (says this author, somewhat self-servingly) for hiring outside help with your donor communications. The work has just doubled. No one development executive can cover all the new territory with the same old number of hours in a week.