Finding an organization to fund your project can be challenging. Corporate and Foundation Relations (CFR) can help you with all stages of proposal development and submission.
Your first step will be to develop a proposal:
- Determine project priority: Figure out where your project lives. Talk to your director of development to determine whether your project is one of your dean’s or vice president’s core priorities and whether groups that already give to your unit might be interested.
- Schedule a meeting: Start within your unit by contacting your director of development; if your unit doesn't have a director of development, Contact CFR. We'll ask you to describe your ideas in depth using this form, and we'll provide guidance on questions that foundations and organizations are most likely to ask as well as help develop your search parameters.
When you've established the parameters of your project the next step is research.
- Identify potential funding sources: We'll help you identify corporations and foundations that might be interested in supporting your work. Your director of development and CFR will help you compile a list of likely prospects. Once you have identified one or more solid prospects, complete this form. Some organizations have existing relationships with schools and colleges; others are under consideration by cross-unit initiatives led by the president or provost. Be aware that some organizations limit the number of yearly submissions from Mason that they will consider. Others make awards administered through the Office of Sponsored Programs.
- Prepare and submit a letter of inquiry (LOI) or proposal: CFR can help you learn more about organizations' priorities and preferences. Many organizations only accept proposals they invite, often after receiving a project overview in the form of an LOI. At that point, CFR will work with the George Mason University Foundation to help you finalize and submit your proposal.