More Than Money: Building Authentic Partnerships with Funders

DESCRIPTION:

Securing grant funding is about more than writing a compelling proposal—it’s about building and sustaining strong relationships with funders. This interactive workshop will explore practical strategies for moving beyond transactional interactions to cultivate authentic, long-term partnerships.

Participants will learn how to approach funders with confidence, communicate organizational impact effectively, and foster trust throughout the grantmaking cycle. We will cover key practices such as preparing for introductory conversations, engaging funders outside of application deadlines, and aligning your organization’s mission with a funder’s priorities.

Participants will also gain insight into common mistakes to avoid, ways to follow up without feeling pushy, and how to transform a “no” into an opportunity for future support. Through real-world examples, role-play exercises, and peer discussion, participants will leave with tools to strengthen their funder engagement strategy and practical language they can apply immediately in your work.

Whether you are new to fundraising or looking to deepen existing funder connections, this workshop will help you shift from chasing grants to building meaningful relationships that open doors, increase chances of funding, and position your organization as a trusted partner in creating lasting impact.

ABOUT YOUR FACILITATOR:

Melody Hernandez, award-winning grant writer and founder of Root Reach Rise Inc., who has helped nonprofits and artists secure nearly $40 million in grant funding — much of it first-time support for small and mid-sized organizations. Melody brings decades of real-world experience and will share what actually works to get funding flowing where it’s needed most.

ABOUT INDEPENDENT ARTS & MEDIA:

IAM's mission is to steward and empower independent art and media projects that foster community and civic participation, and facilitate cultural engagement and free expression.

Media, journalism, the arts and culture are all arenas of social interaction and civic engagement. Yet even in the Internet era, these arenas are closed to public participation due to commercial or institutional barriers. We champion media producers and culture makers doing significant work to advance civic engagement and cultural participation in our communities and our democracy.

Additional requests? Questions? Email Traka: Traka(at)artsandmedia.net

Workshop presented via Zoom.