Nobody likes being told “No”. Whether it is asking someone on a date, requesting a raise at work or seeking approval for a business loan, hearing a negative reply is always a bitter pill to swallow. An emotional cocktail of anger, sadness, frustration, fatigue, disappointment and even hostility engulfs us. We don’t want to speak with anyone or do anything. We simply wish to be alone to stew.
Similar feelings overtake us whenever we are informed that a grant proposal that we invested so much time and energy preparing has been rejected. “How dare they refuse us?!?” “Do they not realize how much work this took?!?” “Can’t they see how important this project is?!?” are a few of the questions that we instantly think during these episodes.
Our inclination is to erase the message or shred the letter, remove the funding prospect from our list since our firm belief is zero support will ever be forthcoming from them. In reality we must do the opposite.
Instead of pouting and severing all ties with the funding source, send your most sincere and heartfelt thanks to them.
Most foundations, corporations, service clubs and other funding prospects rarely take the time to reply to unsuccessful applicants. The fact that they are taking time to inform you of their decision is deserving of your gratitude. At minimum, drafting a letter or email message that expresses your appreciation for their courteous gesture and your acknowledgement that there is only so much money available. Funders are much more accustommed to being on the receiving end of grief and negativity. Any form of friendly contact from applicants after their submissions have been declined would be a surprising, though highly welcomed change.
A rejection letter is not a restraining order. That is, the funder is not saying they never wish to hear from us again. They merely are stating that they are unable to invest in our project right now. Thus, a rejection letter should be viewed as a milestone and not a conclusion in our relationship with a funding prospect. Consequently, our focus should be determining the next milestone in the relationship.
Once we have assured the funding source that we graciously understand their decision and there are no hard feelings, our goal is to generate constructive feedback from them by posing questions such as the following:
“Were the results that this project aimed to achieve not the same as the ones to which your Trustees aspire?”
“Is this type of project no longer regarded as a priority by your Trustees? If so, what projects are now your top priority? We may have another activity we are implementing that might align nicely with your new criteria.”
“Are there any parts of this proposal you feel can be strengthened?”
“Is further information needed in certain sections of the proposal?”
“Should we have submitted the proposal earlier?”
“Were there any issues with our project budget? Are you concerned about our sustainability plans for the project?”
“Were you satisfied with the methods we planned to use to track and measure the effectiveness of this project?”
“Was the proposal too long or too short?”
Regardless of what questions we pose and how we choose to communicate, thanking funders immediately and genuinely following a grant proposal rejection can powerfully energize our relationship with them. It attests to how much we value our funders as partners and our willingness to work with them to create positive change in our community.
By thanking our prospective grant-makers for turning us down, we are capitalizing on an opportunity to ingratiate ourselves with them. No longer would the granting source see us as another organization seeking short-term funding to stay afloat. Rather we would be respected as peers who are striving to address issues of mutual concern and aspiring to accomplish similar outcomes.
You can learn a wealth of great tips on grant proposal writing like this by enrolling in one of our upcoming Virtual Grant Writing Workshops by clicking here.
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In the meantime, the best of luck with your grant-seeking pursuits and be safe.
