The thank you letter, discussed in Chapter 20, represents the first step in cultivating the funder into a friend. If you send two or more thank you letters, you’ve established multiple lines of communication and possibilities for a relationship.

In working to develop a relationship with a funder, you’re not just manipulating them to your own ends. In many cases, the funder will want to establish a relationship with your agency. By furthering your work, they accomplish their goals as well. So don’t be shy or hesitant about contacting funders after you’ve received the grant. True, some will want to remain distant and uninvolved, and they’ll let you know that pretty soon, but you owe it to your charity to try to establish a lasting relationship.

When the funder believes they can work with you on any project related to your common mission, you’ll find that they will contact you about new initiatives they plan to fund before the RFP ever goes out. They’ll also work closely with you to craft future proposals that get funded. This chapter is devoted to the various ways to cultivate and communicate with funders to give you the best possible chance at developing this kind of relationship.