Deal Maker | Deal Breaker

Single-Player Version
A lively game to explore grantmaking and foundation openness.

 
 
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Setup

  • Play individually or with a group of individual players.

  • Separate the green cards (Deal Makers) from the blue cards (Deal Breakers) and place them in stacks on the table where all players can reach them.

  • Shuffle each color separately.

FIND THE DEAL BREAKERS

Deal Breakers represent characteristics that make you worry about funding a grantseeker.

Draw 3 Deal Breaker Cards.  Read all three cards.   Choose the card that is the biggest Deal Breaker for you/your foundation.  Keep that card.  Put the other three cards on the table to use if you run our of cards in your stack.

Repeat the process by drawing three cards again. Play 7 - 10 rounds (3 - 5 minutes).

FIND THE DEAL MAKERS

Complete the same process with the green Deal Maker cards until you've selected 7 - 10 cards.  Deal Makers represent characteristics of grantseekers that would excite you to fund.  

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Deal Maker.png

SORTING

SUITS:  Look through your piles for "suits" (S, M, E, D).  These suits relate to grant seeker personas discovered in our research.  The first letter of each persona’s name relates to the letter on your card.  Review the persona research information.  Do you have more of one type of each persona in your piles?

UNDERSTANDING

Green cards/Deal Makers:  If you had a big pile of one "suit" (S, M, E, D) in the stack of cards you kept, that is likely the persona that you are most open to, most often. Ask yourself: Why does this persona cause me excitement/intrigue more frequently than the others?  Is it style or substance?  

Blue cards/Deal Breakers: If you had a big pile of one "suit" (S, M, E, D) in the stack of blue cards you kept, that is likely the persona that you may struggle with. Ask yourself: Why does this persona cause me challenge or worry more frequently than the others?  Is it style or substance?  How could I help close the openness gap for this persona?

DISCUSSION

How do these personas show up in my calendar? In my request list? In our grants?  Why does this persona cause me excitement/intrigue more frequently than the others?  Why do certain personas seem to frustrate? Is it style or substance?  How could I help close the openness gap for each Deal Breaker persona?