Excerpted from the Executive Report: Business Writing: A Guide to Clear, Concise and Effective Writing.
Among other things, writing an award-winning proposal takes great writing. However, your “great writing” should also be easily understood by your readers.
Common business phrases may not be the best choice. Remember Orwell’s 5 Rules: #2 Never use a long word where a short one will do.
• Instead of: At this point in time
Use: Now
• Come to the conclusion
Conclude
• Despite the fact that
Although
• Exhibits a tendency to
Tends
• I am of the opinion
I think
• In the amount of
For
• It is indicative of
Indicates
• It is incumbent on me
I must
• Make a decision to
Decide
• On the grounds that
Since
• Perform an analysis of
Analyze
• Pertaining to
About
• Prior to that time
Before
• Provide information about
Inform
• Reached an agreement
Agreed
• Subsequent to
After
• Take under advisement
Consider
• The committee made an agreement
We decided
• The question as to whether
Whether
• The summarize the above
In summary
• Under no circumstances
Never
• We deem it advisable
We suggest
• With a view to
To
• We regard to
About
• With this in mind
Therefore
• You will find attached
Here is
~Cheers!
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Monday, May 11, 2009
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Near the end of last week there was a great deal of chatter about the transparency of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
In an editorial, The Lancet medical journal accuses the Foundation of making too many gifts in “rich nations” and not focusing on their mission to help those with life-threatening health needs.
Transparency is crucial in nonprofit management, fundraising and especially grantmaking. Below is one of many articles written on this recent news. Grant writers need to be “in the know” about this type of information whether you have been awarded funding from the Gates Foundation or not.
Pudget Sound Business Journal: Medical journal scolds Gates Foundation
It is these displays of public attention that ultimately lead to changes in the way the nonprofit world functions and how grantmakers and grantees remain accountable to each other.
Get Savvy: Read the article and the comments for a snapshot of how others in our field are reacting. Then, “Google” your way to finding more articles, blogs and responses to this event. The discussions are enlightening and emotional.
It is also worth checking out the information on the Gates Foundation website and Press Room.
~Cheers!
In an editorial, The Lancet medical journal accuses the Foundation of making too many gifts in “rich nations” and not focusing on their mission to help those with life-threatening health needs.
Transparency is crucial in nonprofit management, fundraising and especially grantmaking. Below is one of many articles written on this recent news. Grant writers need to be “in the know” about this type of information whether you have been awarded funding from the Gates Foundation or not.
Pudget Sound Business Journal: Medical journal scolds Gates Foundation
It is these displays of public attention that ultimately lead to changes in the way the nonprofit world functions and how grantmakers and grantees remain accountable to each other.
Get Savvy: Read the article and the comments for a snapshot of how others in our field are reacting. Then, “Google” your way to finding more articles, blogs and responses to this event. The discussions are enlightening and emotional.
It is also worth checking out the information on the Gates Foundation website and Press Room.
~Cheers!
Grant Savvy Quote: Make it Personal
"We raise money the old fashioned way by building meaningful and thoughtful relationships with our contributors. In this constantly changing, high-tech world we live in today, we are trying to relate on a one-on-one basis as much as possible, including personal calls, handwritten notes and tailored donor relations events."-Leslie W. Brown, CFRE, executive director; Broward Performing Arts Foundation, Inc., Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. (AFP Newswire July 18 2005)
~Cheers!
Friday, May 8, 2009
Writing a Successful Grant Proposal
The Minnesota Council on Foundations is a community of grantmakers within Minnesota. On their website, Minnesota Council on Foundations, you will find a host of incredible grant writing tips, information, forms and links to resources in Minnesota.
While some of the information is specific to the region, most of it can be adapted to your state, city or community.
Below is a link to an article by Barbara Davis. "She is a nonprofit management consultant and has taught extensively on grantwriting and other topics of interest to nonprofit organizations."
The information in her article builds on the tips from the last several posts.
Writing a Sucessful Grant Proposal
Check out this great site!
~Cheers!
While some of the information is specific to the region, most of it can be adapted to your state, city or community.
Below is a link to an article by Barbara Davis. "She is a nonprofit management consultant and has taught extensively on grantwriting and other topics of interest to nonprofit organizations."
The information in her article builds on the tips from the last several posts.
Writing a Sucessful Grant Proposal
Check out this great site!
~Cheers!
Being Grant Savvy: Dos and Don'ts
Impressions go a long way when seeking funding.
Relationships and making the right impression can hold as much weight as the viability and sustainability of your project. You want funders to get to know you better. You want them to read your entire proposal. You want them to like you and see a good match.
Just like you apply for college or a job, your proposal is the project's application to reality. Make your first impression count!
DO
• Take the time to plan.
• Find the right funder and research their guidelines and giving.
• Contact the foundation personally.
• Remember you need to show how you are a good fit for the funder’s mission and goals.
• Follow guidelines exactly!
• Answer all of the questions thoroughly.
• Make sure you answer the who, what, when, where, why and how.
• Provide updated and timely information; data from two years ago isn’t current.
• Check for typos, grammatical errors, punctuation and spelling before sending.
• Have a plan for future funding and program development.
• Make sure your attachments are in order.
• Send your request on time; early if possible.
• Send a thank you letter.
• Seek feedback.
• Celebrate your hard work!
DON'T
• Skip any part of the process or skim over the details.
• Expect funders to be compelled by your “urgent” need for funding; everyone can say that!
• Overwhelm the funder with an emotional appeal.
• Send the same proposal to 10 funders.
• Send more attachments than necessary or as required.
• Use more words than you need…get to the point.
• Forget a well-written cover letter from your organization’s leadership.
• Confuse the funder about your proposal's purpose.
• Ask for more money than you really need.
• Forget to make a copy for your files!!
• Don’t take it personally if you are denied.
• Forget to plan and schedule for progress reports.
• Forget to celebrate your hard work!
~Cheers!
Relationships and making the right impression can hold as much weight as the viability and sustainability of your project. You want funders to get to know you better. You want them to read your entire proposal. You want them to like you and see a good match.
Just like you apply for college or a job, your proposal is the project's application to reality. Make your first impression count!
DO
• Take the time to plan.
• Find the right funder and research their guidelines and giving.
• Contact the foundation personally.
• Remember you need to show how you are a good fit for the funder’s mission and goals.
• Follow guidelines exactly!
• Answer all of the questions thoroughly.
• Make sure you answer the who, what, when, where, why and how.
• Provide updated and timely information; data from two years ago isn’t current.
• Check for typos, grammatical errors, punctuation and spelling before sending.
• Have a plan for future funding and program development.
• Make sure your attachments are in order.
• Send your request on time; early if possible.
• Send a thank you letter.
• Seek feedback.
• Celebrate your hard work!
DON'T
• Skip any part of the process or skim over the details.
• Expect funders to be compelled by your “urgent” need for funding; everyone can say that!
• Overwhelm the funder with an emotional appeal.
• Send the same proposal to 10 funders.
• Send more attachments than necessary or as required.
• Use more words than you need…get to the point.
• Forget a well-written cover letter from your organization’s leadership.
• Confuse the funder about your proposal's purpose.
• Ask for more money than you really need.
• Forget to make a copy for your files!!
• Don’t take it personally if you are denied.
• Forget to plan and schedule for progress reports.
• Forget to celebrate your hard work!
~Cheers!
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Best Careers 2009: Fundraising
In December 2008, U.S. News and World Report released their Top 30, Best Careers in 2009 list. Check out the article and read the comments by those in our field. I agree that the article does very little justice to the actual hard work of fundraising. It's not all the glitz and glamour they suggest, but we know that the rewards are priceless.
http://www.usnews.com/articles/business/careers/2008/12/11/best-careers-2009-fundraiser.html
~Cheers!
http://www.usnews.com/articles/business/careers/2008/12/11/best-careers-2009-fundraiser.html
~Cheers!
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Proposal Development
If you have a strong team when developing a new project or redefining a current one it will help strengthen the success of your endeavor. The grant writer may or may not be part of your organization, but should be part of the team as early as possible. This will aid the brainstorming process and provide expert guidance during the development stage. The grant writer can also move things along by providing a concept paper to keep the team on track.
One of the most helpful ways to look at your proposal or project is to break it down into three manageable stages of development.
1. Ideation
2. Development
3. Writing and Submission
Ideation
Before setting your keys in motion, you need to identify the need for your project and the viability of getting support.
• What is the need? Who will benefit?
• What are your goals for the project? Short-term? Long-term?
• Can the organization support this project?
• Does your project have "mission-fit"; does it fit your organizaton's mission?
• Can you achieve the fundraising goals to support this project in the future?
• Is leadership involved? Can you staff this project?
• Is there a similar program elsewhere in your community?
Development
Once you have established that you want to move forward with your project, it is time to develop the framework that will make it winner.
• What is the cost for this project? Create a projected budget.
• Create a list of prospects who fund your type of project.
• Review current donors to see if there is potential for support.
• Who will manage or lead the project?
• What additonal staffing is required?
• Define the project/program goals, costs, evaluation tools, and measures for success.
Writing and Submission
Now that the idea has a few good legs to stand on, the actual writing can begin. Assuming you have found a funder who you want to submit your proposal to, the following should occur:
• Read and re-read the funders guidelines and follow them!
• Gather required attachments: IRS Determination Letter, Annual Report, Letters of Support, etc.
• Craft a well-written and persuasive cover letter.
• Plan time for drafts and reviews among your team and leadership.
• Coordinate signatures from required staff (i.e. Executive Director)
• Follow-up with funder to make sure they received the proposal. (This is a changing practice, as some foundations do not want to hear from you until they make their decision. In this case, leverage your relationship with the program officer or other leadership to inquire about your request. Email is also becoming a more widely accepted form of follow-up.)
• Document your actions and keep a full copy of the proposal for your organization.
~Cheers!
One of the most helpful ways to look at your proposal or project is to break it down into three manageable stages of development.
1. Ideation
2. Development
3. Writing and Submission
Ideation
Before setting your keys in motion, you need to identify the need for your project and the viability of getting support.
• What is the need? Who will benefit?
• What are your goals for the project? Short-term? Long-term?
• Can the organization support this project?
• Does your project have "mission-fit"; does it fit your organizaton's mission?
• Can you achieve the fundraising goals to support this project in the future?
• Is leadership involved? Can you staff this project?
• Is there a similar program elsewhere in your community?
Development
Once you have established that you want to move forward with your project, it is time to develop the framework that will make it winner.
• What is the cost for this project? Create a projected budget.
• Create a list of prospects who fund your type of project.
• Review current donors to see if there is potential for support.
• Who will manage or lead the project?
• What additonal staffing is required?
• Define the project/program goals, costs, evaluation tools, and measures for success.
Writing and Submission
Now that the idea has a few good legs to stand on, the actual writing can begin. Assuming you have found a funder who you want to submit your proposal to, the following should occur:
• Read and re-read the funders guidelines and follow them!
• Gather required attachments: IRS Determination Letter, Annual Report, Letters of Support, etc.
• Craft a well-written and persuasive cover letter.
• Plan time for drafts and reviews among your team and leadership.
• Coordinate signatures from required staff (i.e. Executive Director)
• Follow-up with funder to make sure they received the proposal. (This is a changing practice, as some foundations do not want to hear from you until they make their decision. In this case, leverage your relationship with the program officer or other leadership to inquire about your request. Email is also becoming a more widely accepted form of follow-up.)
• Document your actions and keep a full copy of the proposal for your organization.
~Cheers!
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