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Metrics: similar to indicators, specific measures used to
evaluate the success of a project or activity
Mission statement: a short written statement that
describes the purpose of an organization
No-cost extension: permission from a funder to continue
a grant beyond the original grant period (usually for a
defined time period) because the project has not been
completed and/or all the grant funds have not been
spent
Objective: specific actions designed or taken to reach a
bigger goal
Organizational budget: the general operating budget for
an organization as a whole, including both expected
revenue and expenses (usually shown by calendar or
fiscal year)
Overhead: the regular costs of doing business for an
organization, such as rent and utilities; also referred to
as general operating expenses
Program Officer: person at foundation responsible for
1) reviewing whether grant applications meet the
foundation’s requirements and fit the foundation’s
mission, 2) recommending grant applications for
the foundation to accept or reject, and 3) evaluating
approved grants; program officers typically have some
expertise in a field related to the foundation’s mission
Project-specific or program budget or grant: a budget
or grant that shows the expenses for a specific area of
work detailed in a proposal; these are a sub-set of an
organization’s general operating budget or overall work
Prospect: a person or organization likely to make a
financial contribution to your organization
Prospect pipeline: a list of potential financial supporters
Pitch: a short, informative and enthusiastic summary of
organization’s work that can be delivered verbally or in
writing
Request for proposals (RFP): an invitation to submit
a proposal for a specific program area or type of
project; sometimes funders invite only pre-selected
organizations to apply, other times funders post RFPs
publicly so any organization that matches its terms
can apply; also referred to as a call for proposals
Rolling submission: applications are accepted throughout
the year and not on specific deadlines
Social networking: a community of people who interact
through the internet, often through platforms like
Facebook or Twitter
Substantial variances: significant changes in spending
from an original budget (funders have different
guidelines for what constitutes “substantial”)
Tax-exempt: taxes do not apply, subject to specific
tax laws and regulations (in the U.S., registered
foundations and nonprofit organizations do not pay
tax on their revenues and have to meet specific criteria
to be eligible for tax exemption)
Theory of Change: short description of why you think
your project/program will achieve your goals. In other
words, why do you believe the activities you identified
will lead to the outcome(s) you seek?
Unsolicited proposal/application: a proposal or
application submitted without prior contact or
approval from a funder
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