In a society that is flooded with email, text messaging and tweets, forming strong relationships with grant makers can be the difference between funding your initiative or cutting it due to your continuously decreasing budget. Relationship currency can be the most vital strength for a grant proposal.
Cultivating relationships with funding agencies can lead to having an advocate during the grant review process, opportunities to learn about shifting funding priorities and funding focus. EMS and fire departments are critical to community infrastructure and need to grow roots with local community foundations to continue to expand our services to the community.
As your grant funding needs increase, so must your investments in relationships. Here are five ways to build relationships: