The application deadline for the 2009 Don Perkins Grant is Tuesday, June 30th. For more than 15 years, such grants have helped Southern California-based nonprofits defray costs related to their PR efforts. The annual $10,000 grant is made possible by an endowment created by the late Don Perkins. Visit PRSA-LA's Web site for more information and a downloadable grant application.

 
Guest Column by
Justin McCarthy, PainePR

• Gatekeepers. These people are your best source for insights about the organization. They have inside knowledge about the company and organization's health, vendor relationships and areas of opportunity and dissatisfaction. They can also connect you with the real decision-makers. Be authentic, and ask for help to find the appropriate internal audiences.
  

• No Interest and No Budget. These people are content to rely upon current (and perhaps insufficient) resources. Be interested, and gently challenge them with questions to gather more information. Why is the organization happy with its current provider?  Does the agency handle all PR areas - social media, events, media relations, etc? Are there functions they can't handle because of team size or budget? If there's no budget, has this always been the case? What will it take to get a budget?  Do senior leaders believe in PR?
  

• Unhelpful Prospect Resources. There are many ways to connect with PR decision-makers, so don't hesitate to try them all. If the receptionist isn't helpful, try marketing, sales, tradeshow teams, procurement, customer relations or any other department. Use your new connection as the referring party. Be resourceful and persistent. Use the Internet, social media, current clients and even reporters as sources for contacts.