25 Jun Send your application to a person, not a foundation
Always treat Foundations as real, live people. Here’s a ti: do not – ever – send an application to Dear Foundation X,
If I was asking you for money, how would you feel about being referred to as Dear Mr. Head of the Board of Foundation X? Spend a bit of time to find out a funder’s name, and/or title.
If you don’t know the name of the Foundation Board Chair, look it up:
- CRA Charities Listing – Look up the Foundation and scroll down until you find the list of the Board of Directors
- Grant Connect with Imagine Canada – If you have an account with Grant Connect you can look of the detailed info about the Foundation, including the list of the Board of Directors
- Ajah Fundtracker – Ajah is another grant research tool that can help you find a name for your letter. Pricing is reasonable for small-sized organizations.
Here are a few ways to address your applications:
- Dear Charlotte Gray, Secretary, of Foundation X,
- Dear David Simms, Board Chair of Foundation X,
- Dear Susan Smith and Members of the Board of Foundation X
Foundations are made up of people. Real people who will be much more receptive if you address them by their real names.