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.)
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:
- The problem/opportunity description
- Definition of your community of clients
- The evaluation section (see my upcoming webinar on this topic)
- The history or track record of your organization
- 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?
When new projects start, there is always a compelling problem that people have come together to solve. The story of why and how they do that is an important piece. Each individual in your new organization also has a story that has brought them to the work; those are also gems to explore. Finally, new projects often emerge after an initial trial period to see what works best in your community. That trial-and-error process is worthy of discussion and has probably led you to see some solutions: all sources of good stories that your organization can build on.
For instance, you might write about how your small but amazing staff and dedicated volunteers have overcome hardships of their own and now are set to make an impact well beyond the expected. You can also tell the story of how a donor or volunteer initially got interested in your organization and has supported it ever since.
Q: How do you keep stories short, given that grant proposals often have strict space limitations?
A: I recently shared some tips on how to keep your grantwriting concise. Remember: your stories need not be long to convey your point. A few paragraphs, even a few lines, will do. Just make sure you pull out the juiciest scenes or quotes that sum up the situation.
For example, one of my clients is an organization that prepares low-income students for college. In our proposals, we excerpt a few relevant lines of the students’ update letters from campus. We also quote their initial program applications and final evaluations where they tell us the types of issues they must deal with at home, and how the program helps them move toward a brighter future.
