Anyone who knows me well knows that I L.O.V.E. Elvis Presley. I’m not just a fan. I’m a fanatic. Yes, I’m that kind of fanatic. The infatuated kind who collects memorabilia, reads books about his life, silently celebrates his birthday and knows the words to nearly all of his songs. I totally get this level of dedication. I’m also an old soul and hopeless romantic. No musical artist will ever replace my love for the big E-P. No one has even come close. The upside is that I’m pretty confident that I can win any game of Elvis trivia.
So, in a lighthearted “dog days of summer" post and in honor of the 34th anniversary of his passing, I’m sharing a few tips about grant writing from The King himself. Uh, huh. Enjoy!
Follow that Dream: Create a Road Map for Your Vision!
Elvis was born in a small two-room home in Tupelo, Mississippi. His father had an eighth-grade education and struggled to support his family. Life wasn’t always easy. Fast forward….when Elvis was 25, he had a Rolls Royce and was paid $125,000 for a six-minute appearance on a Frank Sinatra TV special! Six minutes. His success didn’t happen overnight and he worked hard. He also had a plan, a team of people to support him and a vision.
Grant writing forces you to put your big dreams and visions down on paper, to map them out and to have a plan for success. It’s okay to start small. Funders want to know how you’ll get to the Rolls Royce, whether that’s today, tomorrow or next year. Spend the time to clearly identify your goals, your objectives and your measurements of success. Then, hold yourself accountable.
Partnerships are Like Yummy Sandwiches: Clearly Describe Your Collaborations.
Peanut butter, bananas and mayonnaise are good on their own and even better together. Right? Elvis thought so and the culinary trend caught on. (I don’t personally enjoy this delicacy. Bacon would be a better choice than mayo.) This sandwich is a genius combination and a great metaphor for collaboration.
When you are trying to fund a project, think about ways you can highlight your collaborative partnerships. Let your funders know that you have strong and qualified team of people to see the project through from start to finish. If your peanut butter is even better with mayo, tell them how. Prove it. Fry it up and let them try it. Share letters of support and testimonials that demonstrate the value of your partnerships. How do the strengths of your organization work with the strengths of your partners? Make your project tempting to fund because of your ability to collaborate.
Shake Your Hips: Don't Be Afraid to Blaze a Trail!
When Elvis first hit the scene, conservatives balked, girls fainted and jaws dropped. He looked like a well-groomed southern boy and sang with a deep blues soul (we'll save the hips for another post)! Who would have thought this was possible? There was no Elvis before Elvis, but that didn’t stop him from following his dreams. He blazed his own trail. He doled out hip-shakin’, heart-racin’, rockabilly blues that the world never knew existed.
When a nonprofit creates new programs in order to respond to the needs of the community, there might not be a model to follow. You’ll need to create one. If homeless children need back to school supplies and no one else has a program to help, you might be the first—go for it. If there is a gap in service it usually means no one else is filling it. Step up to the plate. Make a commitment as an organization to dedicate yourself to serving your mission. Foundations primarily exist to make change happen. Innovation, creativity and thoughtfulness are generally appreciated if they have goals attached to them.
If the heat of the summer is slowing you down or you are discouraged by recent grant denials, take a minute to shake up your approach to funders—Elvis style. Think outside the box, give your funders something delicious to sink their teeth into and show how you are innovative. The King did all of this and definitely set himself apart from the competition!
Thank you. Thank you very much.
~Cheers!
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