Guidelines and Procedures for SAA Fundraising and Grant Proposals

SAA members and groups often develop worthy initiatives which deserve, but due to limited financial resources cannot receive, Society funding. As a result, members may periodically wish to approach outside funding sources. On these occasions the Society will work closely and in a collaborative manner with membership to develop strong, well-constructed proposals for submission to granting agencies, foundations or corporate sponsors.

It is important to the success of the Society and the proposal that members, in turn, work closely with SAA leadership to secure appropriate financial and legal review of proposals. On some occasions a formal proposal may not be necessary, but members should always involve the Executive Director before initial approach to funders. To assist members, the SAA has established the following guidelines for formal grant submissions.

1. Please discuss ideas for grant proposals with the Executive Director early in the planning process, then submit a brief written summary to the Executive Director. Opening the dialogue early in the process will enable members to address any initial major concerns and will forestall any surprises. The summary should include but is not limited to the following:
   • how the proposed plan of work addresses and reflects the major goals of the strategic plan;
   • a brief description of the project purpose, scope, duration, expected outcomes;
   • potential funding sources and, if possible, names of contacts. Although the central office is unable to research potential funders, staff will be able to work with proposers and help direct efforts toward appropriate research sources;
   • a draft budget and budget summary, including fiscal duration, staff involvement, direct and indirect costs, post-project commitments, if any. The Executive Director will be happy to assist in developing the budget.
2. The Executive Director will work with proposers to address questions or considerations that may arise from the Executive Committee, Council, funding source, or central office. To insure that the proposal incorporates and reflects the full range of substantive knowledge within the Society, the Executive Director will consult with individuals with expertise in the field. Their review will help shape the proposal into the best form for pre-submission review by funding sources. Pre-submission review is common practice in fundraising and substantially increases the likelihood of the proposal's ultimate success.
3. After concluding the above set of consultations, members should then submit a draft of the full proposal and budget to the SAA office in both paper form and on a floppy disk.
4. Please note that before the grant can be submitted to the agency or corporate sponsor, the proposal will be reviewed by at least two Council members with knowledge of the technical or subject area of the grant. The Executive Committee will additionally review the proposal for its financial implications. Therefore, once the draft proposal is complete and submitted to SAA, members must schedule at least four weeks for internal review and revisions before the proposal can be submitted to the funding source.
5. Once these reviews and revisions are incorporated into the final draft, the Executive Director will submit the proposal on behalf of the Society to the granting agency, corporate sponsor, or foundation.

It is the Executive Director's responsibility to keep Council and officers fully informed about grant proposals in development, and will provide Council with a summary of these activities at the Spring and Fall meeting.

Adopted by SAA Council: June 1991
Revised: June 1994