Non-Profit Development Directors and Grantor Networks

This survey is completely anonymous. At echo communications, we will never see any information that links your survey responses back to you.

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* 1. What kinds of activities do you now undertake to keep your grantors, and the grantors in your field, aware of your work?

Reports and proposals

Site visits of our facilities

Donor education events

Policy briefings

Awards and Banquets

Funding guides for grantors

Other (please specify)

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* 2. Have you ever heard of grantor affinity groups and/or regional grantmaker alliances?

Yes

Not sure

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* 3. Have you ever sat down with one or more of your major donors and talked with them about their memberships within these kinds of grantor networks and how they might leverage them to your organization's benefit?

Yes

Cannot recall

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* 4. If no, why have you never made an approach on this topic?

Do not know anything about grantor networks in my field - they're new to me!

Afraid I will put my foot in my mouth with my grantors.

Think they will bring it up with me if they feel we are the right candidate to speak at a grantor network - it doesn't feel appropriate to ask first.

Want to know more before doing anything on this topic.

We do not have close relationships with our donors.

We do not believe we would benefit sufficiently from the experience.

Wondering whether this would be held against me by my donor(s) when my grant is reconsidered next year.

We don’t have the staff to implement this kind of long-term donor relations approach.

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* 5. If yes, was the donor(s) receptive to you?

1 - Not at all receptive

10 - Very receptive

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* 6. In what way(s) has your organization worked with grantor affinity groups and grantmaker regional alliances in the past, if at all?

We were invited to speak about our issues at an all-donor event held by a grantor alliance.

We were the subject of an educational site visit that was orchestrated by a grantor network to educate funders about the issues we all champion.

We were highlighted in a newsletter or other communication channel (blog, webinar, etc.) that was distributed to grantor members of a grantmaker network.

We were invited to participate in an advisory role in some grantor alliance activities (e.g., working group to develop responses to particular problems, or a pre-conference advisory committee)

A film we helped produce was shown to grantor network members to illustrate the issues we share in common with them.

We haven't ever, to my knowledge.

Other (please specify)

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* 7. How would you say your organization has benefited from working with grantor networks in the past, if you have done so?

Have developed relationships with new grantors in our field whom we did not know before.

New money has come in to our organization from funders we met by participating within grantor network.

The sense that some of the ideas and policy remedies we believe are so effective were heard and understood by grantors in a position to implement them with resources over time.

The chance to understand better what grantor strategies are for our issues in the future.

We were able to influence the way funding came down for field organizations other than our own as a result of suggestions made during our presentation.

Had an opportunity to introduce grantors to leading experts in our issue area whom they might not otherwise know, whom we suggested as co-presenters for this purpose.

Terrific face time with our current grantors at grantor network meeting(s).

Great staff development opportunity for the person who attended the grantor network meeting.

The chance to help influence the way resources are committed to our field in the next few years.

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* 8. How did you gain access to the grantor affinity group(s) and/or regional grantmaker alliance(s) you worked with, if you did?

We haven't gained entry into any grantmaker networks.

Our current foundation supporter(s) approached us about it.

We reached out to our current foundation supporter(s) and inquired about the chance.

Our current corporate sponsor(s) involved us in it.

We inquired about the possibility with our current corporate sponsor(s).

Our previous foundation supporter(s) approached us about it.

We approached our previous foundation supporter(s) to discuss the possibility.

Our previous corporate sponsor(s) asked us to participate.

We approached our previous corporate sponsor(s) with a request.

Someone on staff at the grantmaker network(s) invited us in.

Someone on the board of directors of the grantmaker network(s) asked us to participate.

We were referred to the network(s) by someone other than the above, who has ties there.

Our organization approached the grantmaker network(s) directly and appealed to them for a role.

Other (please specify)

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* 9. If you have worked with grantmaker alliances in the past, would you consider the/se collaboration(s) successful?

1 - Not successful at all.

5 - Neither successful nor unsuccessful

10 - Very successful

Other (please specify)

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* 10. If you haven’t done so already, would you consider approaching your current/previous major funders with a request that your organization's work be highlighted in upcoming events within grantmaker networks they belong to?

Yes

Not sure

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* 11. Have you ever worked with one or more of your donors to hold a pre-conference breakfast at the annual conference of a grantor network relevant to your issues?

Yes

Cannot recall

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* 12. Does your organization periodically host banquets, award dinners and/or receptions where speakers are invited to address the audience?

Yes

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* 13. If so, would you consider inviting leadership from a grantor affinity group and/or regional grantmaker alliance representing your area to have a speaking role?

Yes

Maybe

Not sure

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* 14. What publications do you read to keep up with the field of nonprofit development?

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* 15. What forms of continuing education do you engage in?

Classes

Membership in fund development associations

Coaching

Fund development webinars

Mentorships

None

Other (please specify)

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* 16. In your job description, are you specifically instructed to focus any of your time on gaining exposure for your organization within organized grantor networks?

Yes

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* 17. Has your executive director ever asked you to attempt to get him or her into a speaking role at a grantor alliance meeting?

Yes

Not sure

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* 18. Does your current development plan, if you have one, include specific activities your organization will take to seek exposure with donors who are members of grantor networks related to your work?

Yes

We do not have a development plan this year

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* 19. Do you consider it part of your job to work with communications staff on donor communications?

1 - Definitely not part of my job.

10 - Definitely part of my job

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* 20. In what ways do you do this currently, if you do?

Regular meetings

Formal report-back structure

Specific goals I'm accountable for in my job description

Other (please specify)

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* 21. Do you consider it part of your job to work with program staff on donor communications?

1 - Definitely not part of my job.

10 - Definitely part of my job

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* 22. In what ways do you do this currently, if you do?

Regular meetings

Formal report-back structure

Specific goals I'm accountable for in my job description

Other (please specify)

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* 23. How large is your organization?

1 person

2-3 people

4-7 people

8-15 people

16-30 people

31-55 people

56-100 people

101-500 people

501-1000 people

More than 1000 people

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* 24. How large is your annual budget?

Less than $100,000

$100,000 - $499,999

$500,000 - $999,999

$1 million - $2.9 million

$3 million - $9.9 million

$10 million - $19.9 million

$20 million - $49.9 million

$50 million and more

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* 25. Does your organization engage in any re-granting activities to other organizations?

Yes

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* 26. What types of issues does your organization address in its core mission?

Environment

Human rights

Children's services

Violence prevention

Development

Animal rights

Military

Youth leadership

Education

Health

Disaster

Arts

Other (please specify)

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* 27. Is the focus of your programming:

International

National

Statewide

Local

Other (please specify)

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* 28. Have you ever heard of any companies other than echo communications that are helping to promote cutting-edge non-profit organizations into grantor networks?

Yes

Not sure

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* 29. If so, what is the name of this company?

We appreciate your taking the time to respond to this survey!

Visit www.echocommunications.net to learn more about how we can help promote your organization into grantor networks. We offer coaching programs, training video and a recommendations service that will show you step-by-step what opportunities exist for you to become visible within grantor networks valuable to your organization.

We can't wait to show you what is possible for you in grantmaker network spaces!

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