What criteria do foundations giving programs use when deciding what projects and institutions to fund?

All funders want their donations to make a significant impact on society, a geographic region, or a discipline. Be sure to read the foundation giving guidelines on the funder's webpage or in its annual report; often the guidelines will be very specific about what they're looking for in a proposal. When framing your presentation to the funder, keep the following questions in mind:

• What is the issue to be addressed? Put it in a larger context (global, regional, national, societal) than just the project itself; will it will move the field forward, address a particular problem, is the timing propitious, etc.?
• Why is Dartmouth the ideal place to address it?
• What will have changed by the end of the project?
• How will you accomplish those changes?
• What do you need (time, money, facilities, people) to do it?
• How will you gauge your success?
• Why are you sending this particular proposal to this particular funder? Can you make any special appeal to this particular source?