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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

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

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

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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

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

Involves learning, growing, or progress

Measures/analyzes learning, growth and movement toward a goal

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 an untested concept

Has substantiated promise to catalyze positive change

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 connection2. Make it explicitHow to Achieve those goals:

1. Research the funder’s priorities2. Describe how your program fits their

interests3. Use their language4. Follow their guidelines and format5. Answer their questions6. Know your strengths and weaknesses

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Be Clear and Concise

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

• Take out unnecessary words• Use active, positive language• Use bullets, tables, and

charts• Separate out supporting

information• Edit, edit, edit

• 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

Show rather than tell…