Storytelling for Grantseekers E-Book

Cheryl A. Clarke

• Herausgeber: John Wiley & Sons
• Kategorie: Fachliteratur
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 323

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2009

Beschreibung

Grantwriters often have little or no training in the practical task of grantseeking. Many feel intimidated by the act of writing, and some don't enjoy writing. In Storytelling for Grantseekers, Second Edition, Cheryl Clarke presents an organic approach to grantseeking, one that views the process through the lens of the pleasures and rewards of crafting a good story. Grantseekers who approach the process as one in which they are connecting with an audience (grantmakers) and writing a narrative (complete with settings, characters, antagonists and resolutions) find greater success with funders. The writing process becomes a rewarding way to tell the organization's tale, rather than a chore, and their passion and creativity lead to winning proposals. This book walks readers through all the main phases of the proposal, highlighting the creative elements that link components to each other and unify the entire proposal. The book contains resources on crafting an effective synopsis, overcoming grantwriter's block, packaging the story, and the best ways to approach the "short stories" (inquiry and cover letters) that support the larger proposal. Clarke also stresses the need to see proposal-writing as part of a larger grantseeking effort, one that emphasizes preparation, working with the entire development staff, and maintaining good relations with funders. In Storytelling for Grantseekers, new and experienced grantseekers alike will discover how to write and support successful proposals with humor and passion. New edition features: * Overall updates as well as both refreshed and new examples * Workshop exercises for using the storytelling approach * New chapters on the application of the storytelling method to other fundraising communications like appeal letters and case statements, as well as the importance of site visits * Example of a full narrative proposal

Leseprobe

Table of Contents

Praise

Title Page

Copyright Page

Foreword

Dedication

PREFACE

Acknowledgements

First Edition

Second Edition

THE AUTHOR

Introduction

WHAT IS THE STORYTELLING METHOD?

YOU ARE ALREADY A STORYTELLER

chapter ONE - First Steps

GET PREPARED

IS THE PROJECT FUNDABLE?

DON’T LET A BAD PROPOSAL DISGUISE A GOOD IDEA

IS YOUR STORY READY TO BE TOLD?

KNOW WHAT YOU’RE RAISING MONEY FOR

GET READY TO TELL YOUR STORY

“TALK” YOUR STORY

SUMMARY

chapter TWO - Research and Relationships

EFFICIENT RESEARCH: THE FOUR FILTERS PLUS ONE

THE FOUR FILTERS PLUS ONE—UP CLOSE

HOW MUCH MONEY TO REQUEST

HOW LONG YOUR GRANTMAKER LIST SHOULD BE

HOW TO FIND THE GRANTMAKERS

RECRUITING OTHERS TO HELP YOU

WHAT TO DO WITH YOUR “SHORT LIST” OF GRANTMAKERS

BUSTING A POPULAR MYTH

SUMMARY

chapter THREE - The Short Story

PURPOSE OF THE LETTER OF INQUIRY

THE KEY WORD IS FIT

HOW TO CRAFT A LETTER OF INQUIRY

SUMMARY

chapter FOUR - The Proposal Narrative

OPEN WITH A “HOOK”

PRESENT FUNDAMENTAL INFORMATION

INTRODUCE THE OTHER MAIN CHARACTERS

ESTABLISH A SENSE OF TIME AND PLACE

SUMMARY

chapter FIVE - The Need or Problem

UNDERSTANDING THE STORY ARC

WHO IS THE ANTAGONIST?

HOW LONG SHOULD THE NEEDS SECTION BE?

APPLYING THE STORYTELLING METHOD

JOINING FORCES WITH OTHER HEROIC AGENCIES

USING DATA AND STATISTICS EFFECTIVELY

PUTTING A HUMAN FACE ON THE PROBLEM

GIVING THE LEAD CHARACTERS A VOICE

WHOSE NEED IS IT ANYWAY?

PULLING IT ALL TOGETHER

SUMMARY

chapter SIX - Goals, Objectives, and Methods

THE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES SECTION

The Difference Between Goals and Objectives

THE METHODS SECTION

SUMMARY

chapter SEVEN - Evaluation and Future Funding

THE EPILOGUE AND WHY IT’S IMPORTANT

EVALUATION TOOLS, STRATEGIES, AND REPORTS

HOW TO WRITE A COMPELLING EVALUATION SECTION

THE SEQUEL AND WHY IT’S IMPORTANT

WHY YOU NEED A FUTURE FUNDING PLAN

THE FUTURE FUNDING SECTION

SUMMARY

chapter EIGHT - The Budget

WHO TRANSLATES THE NARRATIVE TO NUMBERS?

WHAT THE BUDGET IS

HOW TO BUDGET FOR CONTINUING PROGRAMS

HOW TO BUDGET FOR NEW PROGRAMS

A NOTE ABOUT BUDGET NOTES

EXPECTED REVENUES: MORE DETAIL

EXPECTED EXPENSES: MORE DETAIL

OTHER COSTS THAT CAN BE ALLOCATED IN A PROGRAM BUDGET

TAKE ONLY ONE BITE OF THE APPLE

INCLUDING IN-KIND CONTRIBUTIONS

CASH FLOW ANALYSIS

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

SUMMARY

chapter NINE - The Summary, Titles, and Headings

WHY THE SUMMARY IS LIKE A BOOK JACKET

WRITE THE SUMMARY AFTER THE PROPOSAL

THE SUMMARY’S SIGNIFICANCE

WHAT THE SUMMARY MEANS TO GRANTMAKERS: AN INSIDER’S VIEW

PERSUASIVE TITLES AND HEADINGS: A FEW CAREFULLY CHOSEN WORDS

SUMMARY

chapter TEN - Packaging

NO BOILERPLATE PROPOSALS

APPLYING ONLINE

ALL DRESSED UP AND SOMEPLACE TO GO: THE PACKAGING OF A PAPER SUBMISSION

AN ESCORT FOR THE PROPOSAL: THE COVER LETTER

ACCOMPANYING DOCUMENTS

DELIVERY OF THE PROPOSAL

REPACKAGING YOUR PROPOSAL: THE LETTER FORMAT

SUMMARY

chapter ELEVEN - Site Visits and Beyond

HOW TO STAGE A SITE VISIT

COMMUNICATING WITH FUNDERS

WHAT TO DO WHEN THE FUNDER SAYS NO

WHAT TO DO WHEN THE FUNDER SAYS YES

BEYOND THE GRANT AWARD

SUMMARY

chapter TWELVE - Beyond Grants

ELEVATOR SPEECH

MISSION STATEMENT

CASE STATEMENT

APPEAL LETTERS

BROCHURES

WEB SITE CONTENT

ANNUAL REPORTS

GOVERNMENT GRANTS AND STORYTELLING?

BEYOND NONPROFITS

AFTERWORD

appendix - The Final Manuscript: Two Letter Proposal Samples

INDEX

Praise forStorytelling for Grantseekers

“Cheryl’s unique approach, using storytelling to develop highly effective and competitive grants, is why I recommend her book to all my students.”

—Vivienne French, part time faculty, Truckee Meadows Community College, Reno, Nevada

“Cheryl Clarke breaks down the steps of writing a successful grant proposal and makes the entire process as natural as that of sharing the story of all the good work that our organizations do in the world. A must for both new and seasoned grantseekers.”

—Dorotea Reyna, director of development, California Institute of Integral Studies

“I eagerly await the new edition of Storytelling for Grantseekers. My first edition is worn out from good use.”

—Jean Therrien, executive director, Neighborhood Family Practice, Cleveland, Ohio

“Grantwriters looking for simple rules for writing a winning grant proposal should read Cheryl Clarke’s book Storytelling for Grantseekers. Clarke’s book is easy to read and follow, and her contention that grantmakers will be persuaded by a compelling story that demonstrates both knowledge of program and need for funding is spot-on.”

—Catherine Fisher, trustee, The Thomas J. Long Foundation

Copyright © 2009 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

eISBN : 978-0-470-48286-5

FOREWORD

In the early twentieth century, foundations set out to apply the rigors of science to solve society’s problems. That is why I have long told grantwriting students that they would find the structure of a grant proposal familiar—similar to a basic scientific paper. It proposes a hypothesis (in its problem statement and objectives) and then outlines the methods that might be tested to achieve a result.

For nearly twenty years, I have been teaching grantwriting at San Francisco State University, and for years my students have looked muddled and sad upon hearing the science paper analogy. I remember finding evidence of their dismay in an e-mail from a talented student who was dropping the class because “the material was inherently dry.” I found grantwriting fascinating, but I needed a new way to pass on my excitement.

Enter Storytelling for Grantseekers. In 2002 I was having lunch with a friend whose career had taken her back and forth “across the desk”—from working as a grantwriting consultant to working for a foundation and then back again to grantwriting. She told me about the first edition of Storytelling for Grantseekers. “It has revolutionized my grantwriting,” she said. “I didn’t think I could slog through another proposal, but I’ve really enjoyed the last two I wrote.” On that recommendation, I hurried out and bought a copy, which I now use in my teaching.

Since reading that book, and now this second edition, I’ve come to appreciate that among the many fine books on grantwriting available, Storytelling for Grantseekers is distinctive in its goal to change our approach to the writing. While other texts may linger over the nuanced differences between objectives and outcomes or decode elaborate evaluation techniques, Clarke cheers her readers along as writers. I find her approach valuable—both for reluctant writers who need warm-up exercises and structured lessons to shove us beyond procrastination, and for seasoned grantwriters who get caught up in florid jargon of our fields and end up burying the main point. She asserts that a good proposal will convey a story—even if it is a proposal seeking support for a sophisticated bit of scientific research—and a good story is highly readable.

Though I worked for years in small nonprofits, I now spend the greater part of my work day as a senior program officer at a foundation. Some of the traits I value most in communicating with grantseekers are candor and honest self-reflection—nonprofits that tell the truth. One critical point to remember in heeding Clarke’s advice to grantwriters is that we can enliven our writing by using the same techniques we would use in writing a good piece of fiction, but we should not fictionalize. An organization’s truthfulness is essential to earning the trust of donors and foundations. Nevertheless, Clarke points out that a good proposal will feature heroes (and many, many nonprofits and their leaders are truly heroic), conflicts (the challenges of addressing society’s most pressing problems), and inspiration (the visions those organizations maintain in their work).

If I were to sum up Storytelling for Grantseekers, I would say it is about the importance of readability. As a grantmaker, nearly every week I face stacks of proposals with varying degrees of readability. The good proposals make a clear point and substantiate it by putting their organization and ideas in context. They bring their characters to life—both leaders and constituents—and they enable me to recognize the value and meaning of their efforts. At the end of a good proposal, I am inspired. When I go to visit the organization and observe its work, I hope to find a clear correlation between the story they have told and the project I am observing.

My work is filled with good proposals and many that are less readable. Size and sophistication of a development department do not necessarily correlate with readability: some of the best ones have been written by volunteers. And while a project is not judged solely by the quality of the proposal writing, it is much easier for a program officer to work with and argue for a well-written document. As Clarke acknowledges, program officers’ work often involves not only reviewing proposals, but also presenting arguments to other staff members and board members on behalf of the organizations submitting those proposals. The best thing a grantwriter can do is to arm foundation staff members with clear, honest, readable information so that they too can tell the organization’s story—usually in a highly condensed form.

Storytelling for Grantseekers also walks its talk. Clarke’s narrative is itself lively and highly readable. She provides examples illustrating her points and exercises to prime her readers’ proposal writing. She also summarizes each chapter with a list of its key points, making it easy to follow the thread of the story she is telling us. And she answers the practical questions students and grantwriters always ask, such as, How long should this section be?

An air of mystery hovers around grantseeking—especially in the myth that only a handful of people have the inside track and know the tricks of the trade. It is true that decoding the preferences of foundations and striking up professional relationships with program officers and trustees comes with experience, but a good grant proposal in itself is not one bit mysterious. That’s why I applaud the book you are about to read: it’s not about the mystery or the science of grantwriting, but about the essence of good communications. Clarke has shaped a sophisticated yet highly readable volume, rich with examples, good humor, and stories.

September 2008

Frances N. Phillips Instructor, Technical and Professional Writing, San Francisco State University and Senior Program Officer, The Walter and Elise Haas Fund

I dedicate this book to Richard, who steadied the helm at home so I could focus on my writing; to Hannah, who rocked the boat just enough to remind me of what’s really important in life; and to the memory of John and Lee for their dedication to community service, which inspires me every day.

PREFACE

Storytelling is a powerful art form. Stories entertain, educate, and enlighten. They have the ability to transport an audience to another location and teach them about issues and people they may know nothing about. The same is true of grantwriting.

Yet many nonprofit and development professionals, both newcomers to the field and those with years of experience, contemplate the task of writing a grant proposal with as much enthusiasm as they would taking a trip to the dentist for a root canal. Those who are new to the field are likely to approach grantwriting with a “deer in the headlights” stare. The process seems daunting, intimidating, frightening. Those who have been in the nonprofit sector for a long time too often grudgingly accept grantwriting as a necessary chore, a boring task to complete in order to get to perhaps more enjoyable fundraising activities like soliciting major donors, drafting appeal letters, and organizing special events. For these folks, there is no joy in preparing a proposal; it is just something to get done, like making your bed and washing the dishes.