General Operating Support (Fast-Track)

Unrestricted funding that lets your organization run, grow, and serve — secured faster than you thought possible.

Most grants are restricted — they fund specific programs, specific populations, or specific time periods. That leaves the day-to-day costs of running your organization — staff salaries, rent, utilities, technology, administration — chronically underfunded.

General Operating Support (GOS) is different. It’s unrestricted funding that your organization can use however it needs to. For many nonprofits, securing even one strong GOS grant can be the difference between surviving and thriving.

The challenge is that GOS is also the most competitive category of foundation funding — and most nonprofits don’t know which funders prioritize it, or how to make the case for it compellingly. That’s exactly where RDB Consulting comes in.

With a career spanning four decades and more than $44.5 million raised in direct consulting engagements — and over $75 million raised collaboratively — Randall Dexter Baker brings a depth of fundraising strategy that few consultants can match.

Why GOS Funding Is Hard to Secure on Your Own

Common obstacles nonprofits face

  • Most funders don't publicize their openness to GOS — you have to know who to ask
  • GOS proposals require a different narrative strategy than program grants — many nonprofits default to the wrong approach
  • Without existing funder relationships, cold applications for GOS rarely succeed
  • Smaller nonprofits often don't know how to articulate organizational capacity in a way funders find credible
  • The research alone — identifying the right GOS-friendly funders — takes months without the right tools and network

What makes this Fast-Track

Four decades of funder relationships — already built.

  • The reason RDB Consulting can move faster than a nonprofit trying to navigate GOS funding on its own comes down to one thing: relationships. Randall has spent four decades building trust with foundations and corporate funders in Chicago and Detroit. He knows which funders are genuinely open to GOS, what they need to see, and how to present your organization in the strongest possible light — without the months of cold outreach that most nonprofits face starting from scratch.

How We Secure GOS Funding for Your Organization

GOS Funder Identification

We identify foundations and corporate funders specifically open to general operating support — using Randall's four-decade network and current research, not outdated databases.

Organizational Narrative Development

We craft the organizational story that GOS funders need to hear — leadership strength, financial health, community credibility, and impact track record.

Proposal Writing & Submission

Full GOS proposal development — including letters of inquiry, full applications, budget narratives, and supporting documentation tailored to each funder's requirements.

Funder Relationship Facilitation

Where appropriate, Randall leverages existing relationships with program officers to open doors that cold applications can't — accelerating the timeline from inquiry to award.

This Service Is Built For You If...

Your organization is 100% grant-funded and needs unrestricted operating dollars

You've applied for GOS before and been turned down — and aren't sure why

You're a small or mid-size nonprofit without a dedicated development staff member

You serve underserved populations in Chicago or Detroit and need a consultant with local funder relationships

You're a faith-based or community organization that struggles to articulate organizational capacity to secular funders

You need results faster than a 12-month grant research and writing cycle allows

Your Organization Deserves to Keep Its Lights On.

Unrestricted funding gives your organization the freedom to do its best work. Let’s talk about where GOS funding fits in your strategy — and how fast we can get you there.

Request a Free Consultation