Funding Applications

Here are a few things to keep in mind when applying to a corporation or foundation for funding:

Reach out to us first to see how we can help. For example, we may have existing relationships with prospective funders that you could use to your advantage.
Start your funding application 6-12 months before you actually need the funding. Once funding is received, the university takes time to process it before it becomes available.
The University of Alberta follows a board-approved Prospect Management Policy along with other important policies. The policy governs the management of all aspects of relationships with current and potential donors. A key aspect of the policy is to preserve institutional history and knowledge through contact reports, documentation of proposals and up-to-date contact information.

No two funding applications will be the same. For a successful funding application:

Understand your prospective donor's strategic objectives and tailor your funding request to support these objectives.
Learn and respect your prospective donor's preferred process. Work with the donor's timelines, application forms and communication channels.
Follow-up after your application submission if you do not hear back within an agreed timeframe. You can learn valuable information from follow-up conversations.