But an excellent, written proposal is the best calling card. You may still encounter resistance to a meeting. Many donors are busy and it may be difficult to schedule a meeting in a timely way. In these cases, be persistent, but always polite and flexible, of course. If someone on your board or a colleague in another organization knows one of the foundation ' s staff, ask them to call or write a note on your behalf.
Most large foundations have three or more program officers in each funding area.
If you are traveling in to see them, keep open as many dates as possible and call well in advance. What to say. This is your main chance. Make it work for you. Many people who wrote listless proposals have come to my office and so impressed me that they won a grant as a result.