Grassroots Grants: An Activist’s Guide to Proposal
Writing belies its title by first listing all the reasons why
nonprofits should not chase grants. That’s because only 12 percent
of nonprofit funding comes from foundation or corporate grants,
compared to 88 percent from individuals, writes Andy Robinson, who
lives in Tucson, Ariz. To make matters worse, he adds, grants often
come with strings attached and are seldom renewable. Why bother?
Because the money is there and it forces an organization to get
organized, says Robinson, a community activist for the last 16
years. He includes advice on understanding foundations, researching
grant-makers, writing proposals and administering the money once
it’s granted. He also offers plenty of advice for battle-weary
activists: “I’ve learned that real social change takes generations,
and unless we’re in for the long run, we just skim the surface and
nothing really changes ‘ You need both balance and humor to
survive, but mostly you need faith – faith in the power of change
and your ability to create change.”
For a copy
of the 194-page book, send $25 plus $4 for shipping to Chardon
Press, P.O. Box 11607, Berkeley, CA 94712 (510/704-8714); e-mail:
Chardn@aol.com.
This article appeared in the print edition of the magazine with the headline Mostly you need faith.
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