Category Archives: Ask Dalya

“Ask Dalya”: Using Stories in Grant Proposals (Part 2 of 2)

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This “Ask Dalya” series covers 17 of your grantwriting questions. Get lots more Q & A, individual feedback, materials, etc. in the Grantwriter’s FastTrack Coaching Program.

(Note: You can see Part I of this article HERE.)

personally speaking  Q: Where in a grant proposal would you include a story?

A:  You can improve your proposals by using stories whenever possible. A few good places include:

  1. The problem/opportunity description
  2. Definition of your community of clients
  3. The evaluation section (see my upcoming webinar on this topic)
  4.  The history or track record of your organization
  5. The people behind your work (staff, volunteers, etc.)

Q: Can you give suggestions of what to do about telling stories when the project is new?

A: Storytelling can be a bit challenging in this instance. But you will find stories lurking in the problem you are addressing and the clients you are attracting. What is going on in your community that has inspired your project? How can you illustrate the reality of what people are facing and the challenges they are dealing with? Continue reading →

“Ask Dalya”: Using Stories in Grant Proposals (Part 1 of 2)

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This “Ask Dalya” series covers 17 of your grantwriting questions. Get lots more Q & A, individual feedback, materials, etc. in the Grantwriter’s FastTrack Coaching Program.

personally speaking Q: What can you tell me about the key role of storytelling in proposals?

A: By sharing stories with funders, you will render your messages personalized, catchy, and relevant. Feature your various constituents: clients, volunteers, members, donors, staff, board, and strategic partners. Slice-of-life word snapshots will help put a face and voice to your work in a way that goes far beyond mind-numbing statistics. Telling a brief account of someone’s story can crystallize your message in just a few words.

Ask yourself: How can you show that are you playing an important role in a community of particular concern to the grantmaker?

Think about some stories that might illustrate your answers. Every day, your organization improves people’s lives. And every time that happens, a potential story is born.

Often called “case studies,” these before-and-after stories illustrate how people have found the benefits or results they were seeking by working with you.

The last great novel you read or movie or television show you watched no doubt centered around its characters. Your organization also centers around its “characters”: your clients. Show how your characters’ lives improve as they work with you. Continue reading →

“Ask Dalya”: How to Keep Grantwriting Concise

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This “Ask Dalya” series covers 17 of your grantwriting questions. Get lots more Q & A, individual feedback, materials, etc. in the Grantwriter’s FastTrack Coaching Program.

personally speaking Q: I’m frustrated with the brevity that funders often require of us. Can you offer any guidelines?

A: We know that funders are time-pressed and will probably only skim your work the first time around. So we need to write for that reading style. That means we have to Keep It Short, Simple, and Skimmable (the acronym is KISSS).

Concise statements are powerful. Accessible words and phrases get read. Your challenge is to keep your piece as brief as possible, without compromising your meaning. See how tight you can write.

As Mark Twain once said, “I didn’t have time to write a short letter so I wrote a long one instead.” He knew how much work it can be to really hone your words.

A rule of thumb is to keep your sentences to no more than about 20 words. Most newspapers aim for a sentence length of about 14 words. So should you. Also, the more complex your subject, the shorter the sentences need to be to attain clarity.

Remember that short, simple words and paragraphs are better than longer, more complicated ones. Avoid run-on sentences. Try using words with three syllables or fewer.

Q: What key information should be conveyed in a Letter of Inquiry?

A: A great example of the need for conciseness is the 1-3-page Letter of Inquiry/Letter of Intent (a.k.a. LOI) that many funders request before a full proposal. They may tell you what to include in your LOI; if they do, please make sure you follow their advice. If you don’t find any specific guidelines, include the basics of what they will want to know: Continue reading →

“Ask Dalya”: Advice on using verbs in the active (not passive) voice in proposals and beyond

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This “Ask Dalya” series covers 17 of your grantwriting questions. Get lots more Q & A, individual feedback, materials, etc. in the Grantwriter’s FastTrack Coaching Program.

personally speaking   Q: Do you have any thoughts on increasing the use of verbs in the active voice vs. passive voice in our grant proposals? That is one of our biggest struggles.

A: So many nonprofiteers struggle with this. And grant proposal writers are no exception! We may have heard that the active voice is the most effective verb choice, but our schooling or attempts to sound “official” may encourage the opposite.

Active verbs pack a serious punch. They can:

  • Clarify your meaning
  • Engage your readers in your work
  • Pinpoint causes of problems and hold appropriate parties responsible for their actions
  • Maintain the identity, activity, and efficacy of your characters
  • Bring a human face to the issue
  • Allow you to convey well-chosen details
  • Eliminate excess words, especially prepositions and “to be” verbs

Yes, verbs really can do all that.

Verbs in the passive voice are, well, passive. They connote an unresponsive state of affairs, with not much action or movement. They leave out the subject (who or what is performing the action) and focus on the object (the recipient of the action). In essence, the supposed actor or character is simply lying there passively—like a wet rag—receiving action but not doing a thing.

One easy way to spot passive constructions is to check for verbs that come after a helping form of “to be,” and/or before the word “by.” These sentences leave a lot of questions unanswered with their vague, lifeless descriptions. Continue reading →

“Ask Dalya”: Developing and maintaining relationships with foundation officers

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personally speaking  This “Ask Dalya” series covers 17 of your grantwriting questions. Get lots more Q & A, individual feedback, materials, etc. in the Grantwriter’s FastTrack Coaching Program.

Q: Ten years ago developing and maintaining relationships with foundations was important.  Now, I am finding that foundations don’t want to talk to you.  What’s your take on this?

A: As you know, relationships are key to fundraising. Actually, I mean relationships based on trust and open communication. That said, you are right: As more and more foundations use online applications, you may find fewer opportunities to get to know a foundation program officer. But just because they are using more efficient technology does not mean that they don’t want to talk to you.

If, in your research, you find a published phone number or email address consider that an invitation to contact the funder with your questions. As you peruse their guidelines and application form, you may need more information or clarification. You may wonder if your program is a true match with their funding priorities. That’s exactly the time to contact them!

Just know that they are time-pressed. Expect only a few moments of their time. You will need to be prepared to provide information about your organization that is of most interest to them. Study their material so you are ready to address their exact needs using their language. Most program officers are actually friendly people and want to help (hey, that’s why they’re there!). They also want to save themselves from wading through oceans of inappropriate applications.

Once you initiate a relationship with a foundation representative, strive to maintain it. Keep in touch and offer information that will be of use to them. Ask if they would like to receive your newsletter of if they would like you to keep them posted on big developments that may bring your organization closer to their world.

For example, Continue reading →