Fundraising Guide (English) June 2014 | Page 42

Metrics: similar to indicators, specific measures used to evaluate the success of a project or activity Prospect pipeline: a list of potential financial supporters Pitch: a short, informative and enthusiastic summary of organization’s work that can be delivered verbally or in writing Mission statement: a short written statement that describes the purpose of an organization No-cost extension: permission from a funder to continue a grant beyond the original grant period (usually for a defined time period) because the project has not been completed and/or all the grant funds have not been spent Request for proposals (RFP): an invitation to submit a proposal for a specific program area or type of project; sometimes funders invite only pre-selected organizations to apply, other times funders post RFPs publicly so any organization that matches its terms can apply; also referred to as a call for proposals Objective: specific actions designed or taken to reach a bigger goal Rolling submission: applications are accepted throughout the year and not on specific deadlines Organizational budget: the general operating budget for an organization as a whole, including both expected revenue and expenses (usually shown by calendar or fiscal year) Social networking: a community of people who interact through the internet, often through platforms like Facebook or Twitter Overhead: the regular costs of doing business for an organization, such as rent and utilities; also referred to as general operating expenses Substantial variances: significant changes in spending from an original budget (funders have different guidelines for what constitutes “substantial”) Program Officer: person at foundation responsible for 1) reviewing whether grant applications meet the foundation’s requirements and fit the foundation’s mission, 2) recommending grant applications for the foundation to accept or reject, and 3) evaluating approved grants; program officers typically have some expertise in a field related to the foundation’s mission Tax-exempt: taxes do not apply, subject to specific tax laws and regulations (in the U.S., registered foundations and nonprofit organizations do not pay tax on their revenues and have to meet specific criteria to be eligible for tax exemption) Theory of Change: short description of why you think your project/program will achieve your goals. In other words, why do you believe the activities you identified will lead to the outcome(s) you seek? Project-specific or program budget or grant: a budget or grant that shows the expenses for a specific area of work detailed in a proposal; these are a sub-set of an organization’s general operating budget or overall work Unsolicited proposal/application: a proposal or application submitted without prior contact or approval from a funder Prospect: a person or organization likely to make a financial contribution to your organization 39