What got my attention the most in this chapter was the process of making connections and inquiring for meetings or phone calls with funders. First off, I thought it was interesting how they suggested to reach out to prior grantees about their experience. I’m not sure why, but I had the impression that this would be something deemed “not okay” in the realm of funding. That it would seem like an organization was being sneaky in how they are obtaining information about a funder. In reality, it’s good to get as many sources and as much information as possible. In addition to this, I wanted to mention the “reality check” the authors included on page 21 of the chapter. It really sold to me the caution one must take in networking and establishing connected. That having a connection to a funder through your organization can be good, but it can also be detrimental. The way to strike a balance is to show interest but not be too eager that it reads as overbearing. I thought the “soft hand” versus “heavy hand” was a great way to put it. Lastly, I had a question regarding how grant seekers can reach out to funders. It suggests that one can send an email (or make a phone call), but only if permitted. I’m curious as why funders would disallow emails or phone calls from grant seekers because, in my opinion, it only prevents the ability to connect. The chapter doesn’t provide much relief on why a funder would prevent such channels either. This is something we could possibly discuss in Wednesdays meeting.
Journal #6
