August 10, 2011; Source: PoliceOne.com | NPQ has been following stories about what seems to be an increasing flow of philanthropic dollars into public services. An example is this “how-to” post on PoliceOne.com entitled “How to Put Foundation Grants to Work for your Law Enforcement Agency.” We think it is indicative of a potentially more competitive philanthropic marketplace as cash-starved public agencies look to charities to bridge ever-widening funding gaps. But we liked this optimistic paragraph so much we thought we’d include it:

“Now, here comes the easy part. Once you fund your project, there is little, if any, follow-up required. Hooray! No quarterly or annual reports to mess with. Of course, a thank you letter would certainly be a nice gesture and maybe even some media attention from a press release. But other than that, you’re good to go.”

Probably not what most fundraisers would recommend if you ever want to see another grant!—Ruth McCambridge