Research the foundations that are located in your city. Many foundations only fund local initiatives, which can be to your advantage. Get the foundation's giving guidelines and pursue those that have a focus on community development, child welfare and children's health.
Write a letter of introduction to a program officer for a local foundation. Ask the program officer to lend their expertise to your effort and attend one fundraising meeting, where he or she would give your team pointers on how to map out a fundraising strategy, develop proposals, and approach foundations and corporations. Be sure to let the program officer know that you understand that he or she would not be representing the foundation, but would strictly be lending guidance as a community member.
Ask a foundation if it can donate or loan back issues of fundraising publications to your effort. Reading industry magazines and newsletters may help you learn about trends in local giving, the who's who of local giving, and tips on how to ask for money.
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