Writing Winning Grants
Division of University Advancement and
Office of Sponsored Programs
April 15, 2015
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Challenges of Proposal Writing
• Understanding the donor’s needs and
following their guidelines
• Gathering information
• Writing by committee
• Being succinct
• Too much detail
• Not enough clarification
• Being compelling - persuasive
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It’s not about you or
Rowan
It’s Not about need:
• What does the donor want?
• What do you want?
• Turn “need” into “opportunity” for
partnership to serve a “greater
purpose”
“There is a partnership in
philanthropy. We need grantees. We
are only an enabler of good work.”
- Roxanne Ford,
W.M. Keck Foundation
from The Foundation Center’s
Guide to Proposal Writing,
Fourth Edition
Successful Proposal
Messaging
• It’s not about who you are…
• It’s about what you do
• It’s not about what you need…
• It’s about what need you serve
• It’s not about your background and history…
• It’s about your vision and future
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A Good Versus Fundable Idea
A Good Idea
A Fundable Idea
Helps someone, enables
improvement
Addresses the funder’s target
audience/group
Advances an important
agenda
Advances the funder’s agenda and
builds on the funder’s giving
history or portfolio
A Good Idea
A Fundable Idea
Can have undefined
steps/processes
Has a clear path from A to B to C
and has specific, timed, measurable
steps
Can be of any scale
Is scaled by prior experience,
expertise, and to a defined cost
Serves a wise/substantial
purpose
Services a wise/substantial purpose
while doing something innovative
like answer a question or
addressing a problem in a new and
unique way, proving a concept, or
demonstrating scalability
Can be a unique effort
Should be replicable and
sustainable
Aligns with
personal/professional
interest and experience
Aligns with funder priorities
Creates/maintains
something of value
Builds or expands on something
of value and has potential for
impact beyond as ingle
organization or group of people
Can be an untested
concept
Has substantiated promise to
catalyze positive change
Involves learning,
growing, or progress
Measures/analyzes learning,
growth and movement toward a
goal
Can be a first time
endeavor
Should be in line with the
proposer’s professional credentials
and demonstrated skill-set
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Making Your Case:
•
Funders often have a clear set of goals and
objectives (funding priorities)
•
It is rare that their objectives include making Rowan
better
•
Funders want to know why you are the best person
to do the work
•
They want to hear about your unique capabilities
•
Your proposal should clearly state how you will help
accomplish THEIR Goals
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Two Types of Messaging:
Institution-centric:
• Our institution has a
distinguished reputation
• We are in a campaign
• Our institution speaks to
everyone’s interests
• We need your support
• Your support is important
because it validates Rowan as
a premier institution working
in this field
Donor-centric:
• Our institution impacts
people and society
• We have defined new
opportunities
• Our project speaks to your
interests
• Together we can make a
difference
• Your support is important
because if will allow us to
serve people, find cures,
achieve these goals, etc.
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Two goals for your proposal writing:
1. Find the connection
2. Make it explicit
How to Achieve those goals:
1. Research the funder’s priorities
2. Describe how your program fits their
interests
3. Use their language
4. Follow their guidelines and format
5. Answer their questions
6. Know your strengths and weaknesses
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Show rather than tell…
•
•
•
•
•
Personify the issue with
illustrations, antidotes, quotes, or
examples
Include a global, national, and
local statistic
Paint a literary picture of your
vision
Educate, engage, and involve
A good example reflects the
impact your project has on the
community though the experience
of an individual
Remember your audience/
who is reviewing your
proposal:
– Make complex issues accessible to
everyone
– Avoid institutional/discipline jargon
– Use simple words
– It is your responsibility to make it
understandable
Be Clear and Concise
•
•
•
•
•
Take out unnecessary words
Use active, positive language
Use bullets, tables, and charts
Separate out supporting
information
Edit, edit, edit
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