Who WOULDN’T want an inside glimpse into how a foundation thinks and works?

Here, as simply and clearly as we can offer them, are three things that make a huge difference on whether or not a project receives an investment from our foundation:

1. Can we agree on what children need?    All of our grants are aimed at helping children and young people have the developmental experiences that they need.  We think these things are important because they lay a foundation for adult independence.  Of course there are different opinions on what types of experiences and support children and youth need.  Read here to see if you agree with our beliefs.
2. Does this project solve a problem?  Our frequent grantseekers see our program officers and they know it’s coming…IT being this question…”What problem are you trying to solve?”   Grantseekers often cite national statistics, but they have no idea how large (or if) that problem exists in the community they serve.  Close-to-home research pays off nicely in our eyes.
3. If you receive the grant that you’ve proposed, what positive change will you bring about?   This question helps our grant committee and board understand clearly what they’re buying if they make the investment that’s being proposed.  Grantseekers often find this topic to be super-difficult…but our program officers are prepared to help you succeed!

Get to know our program officers and their best advice for grantseekers in a set of brief video clips.

Want more inside information?  Please feel free to call us anytime (260-347-1278). We think that talking to grantseekers before they take the time to apply is a huge positive for everyone involved.  Talk to you soon!

 

 

We’re trying something new at the Dekko Foundation and, so far, WE LOVE IT!

What are we doing?  Spending a little time with some of our grantees AFTER they’ve sent their final grant report.

Why?  It’s a great way to learn from your experiences and plug that knowledge back into our work.

Like most foundations, we used to spend nearly all of our time talking with grantseekers BEFORE our grants were made.  We met with you, learned about your mission, worked to understand the ins and outs of your project…then, once our grant was made, we moved on to work with a whole new group of grantseekers.

Now, we’re learning that there’s real benefit in talking with you after your grant money is spent, and your final grant report has been sent.

Just today we met with leaders from the Girl Scouts of Northern Indiana-Michiana.  They talked about their experience of working with a national consultant.  They told us how impactful it was to have professional, non-emotional, unbiased guidance.  We recorded their thoughts.  Now the next time one of our grantseekers questions whether or not to bring in professional support, we’ll have some great experience (and someone they can call) in the hopper!

Here’s something that a smart consultant shared with us:

SUCCESS = What you were able to accomplish + What you learned along the way.

Continuing to get better is what it’s all about!!!