FAQ

General Information:

What is the process for contracting with Lu & Associates?

1. Read about our services on the website. Complete and submit the e-mail form.
2. If there appears to be a fit between our skills and your needs, we will arrange a telephone meeting.
3. We will carefully evaluate your expressed needs in light of our services. If we can project that in working together, we will be able to help you successfully reach your goals, then we will set up an appointment for an in-person consultation.
4. During the consultation we will match specific needs and services.
5. If both parties desire to go forward, we will design and proffer a contract for you to sign.
6. Work begins!

How much do the services cost?

Our fees are calculated in one of two ways, depending upon your situation:

1. If your service needs are project-defined, we will create a work plan contract indicating the estimated cost to complete the task based upon our hourly rate.
2. If your service needs are defined by a specific funding amount - we will define the project and create a work plan contract limiting hours to those funded.

Grant seeking:

How long does it take?

With organizations who have never received a grant in the past, the process may take as long as a year. The key to grant seeking success is building relationships, a time-consuming task, but one which is essential to reaching your goals.

Be aware that many grantors follow a protocol that in itself may take up to nine months: You may be asked write and submit a letter of intent (LOI). The grantor reviews the LOI, and, if deemed satisfactory, invites you to write and submit a full proposal. This proposal must then be approved before a grant is awarded. The red tape may seem tedious at times, but the ability to follow your potential donor's procedures patiently helps to develop the trust which is the basis of your new grantor-recipient relationship.

What is your grant seeking success rate?

Frequently, the grant seeking success rate is based upon a factor neither you nor Lu & Associates can influence: the economy. A charitable foundation's ability to fund non-profit organizations is often tied to their investment earnings. For example, in 2002 - 2003, with the downturn of the economy, grantors were giving away less money, so the competition was fierce, and the grant success rate was low overall. Faced with these negative conditions which were not within our control, Lu & Associates worked to optimize the areas which we were able to influence, such as coaching our clients to establish strong relationships. As a result, our success rate is 20% higher than average over the last 5 years.

Why was I turned down for a grant?

We cannot say it enough - building relationships is the key to winning grants. You may have written a great proposal but did not underwrite it with preliminary contacts. Other reasons non-profit organizations may be turned down are: a weak resource development program, a well-meaning but unorganized board, or a poorly written budget. A program may provide wonderful services - but that does not guarantee success in grant seeking. Lu & Associates is here to help non-profit organizations build the relationships they need with grantors, and avoid the pitfalls mentioned, so that together we may achieve the best outcomes possible in grant seeking.

What should I bring to our grant seeking consultation?

Please bring the following documents:

• Proof of 501(c)(3) status
• A list of the current board of directors with contact information
• Your organizational budget
• Your current financial statement
• The written report of your most recent financial audit
• A copy of your IRS form 990

Do I pay the same fee whether you win the grant or not?

A contract with Lu & Associates is our promise to expend the hours needed to complete your project using the best of our abilities. However, as we stated above, even the skilled efforts of all concerned cannot eliminate all negative factors, such as a downturn in the economy. Our fees therefore are not based upon whether or not you win a grant, but upon the hours we worked in good faith toward that end.

Resource Development Planning:

Why is establishing a resource development plan important for my organization?

One of the major struggles of non-profit organizations is acquiring and maintaining revenue sources. A resource development plan provides a solid guide for staff, board members, and volunteers as the organization assesses its resource development strengths and weaknesses and uncovers its revenue potential.

Program Evaluation:

Why do I need program evaluation?

Program evaluation allows organizations to document their successes and establish accountability. Grantors want to know if their partnerships with non-profit organizations are effecting real change in the lives of the individuals, families, and communities they serve. Moreover, since the early 2000's grantors are requiring organizations to provide evidence of this efficacy. Similarly, individual donors are becoming more sophisticated and are asking non-profit organizations how their donations are impacting those served. For example, the new generation of donors, venture philanthropists, who are often entrepreneurs, assess the potential of partnerships with non-profit organizations in a manner very similar to the way they evaluate their business ventures. Before they contribute, they ask, "Does this organization truly have the potential to produce the changes they project?"

Program evaluation and reporting informs donors, grantors, the community, board members, and staff of the organization's effectiveness in meeting their mission, goals, and objectives. Research and evaluation provides quantifiable and objective support for the services of an organization.

What information do you need from us to conduct a program evaluation project?

We need to have access to the following information:

• Any existing evaluation tools (intake forms, surveys, etc).
• A description of tools you have used in program evaluation in the past
• Your database, if compiled digitally or available in hard-copy
• Copies of grants for any grant-funded projects

Program Development:

How does program development help my program?

Systemic program development helps a non-profit organization determine the resources, marketing, staffing, materials, curricula, and facilities necessary to create productive programs. Such development must be evidence-based, founded upon the results of research in the field. It must also conform to best practices, following models in the field that are considered most effective and have already been proven to work.

Procedural Development:

What is the difference between program development and procedural development?

Program development helps non-profit organizations create programs to serve their clients and communities targeting specific needs, such as designing a course of parental education to lower the instance of childhood obesity in a community. Procedural development, in contrast, helps a non-profit organization target its own needs, establishing the intra-organizational processes that allow the organization to run smoothly, such as working out the structure and protocols necessary to manage a health clinic.

Curriculum Development:

How do you help people with curriculum development?

Curriculum may be developed from a variety of sources. One valuable resource is the untapped expertise within the existing staff; often new services and curriculum come from the observations and the experiences of the non-profit organization's own personnel. Additionally, those served also have an important role in creating a new curriculum or program, as we inquire what would be important and meaningful to them. Our research also includes a study of the best practices in the field. Finally, together with the staff, we develop a customized curriculum.

Organizational Development:

Why would I need a strategic plan?

A strategic plan is basically a business plan that provides a non-profit organization with a course of action for developing their organization. A strategic plan may include guiding principles such as goals and objectives in the areas of resource, program, and board development, as well as more procedural components, such as projections for facility use and marketing.