OCTOBER 06, 2017
In the social justice lexicon, inclusion is defined as “authentically bringing traditionally excluded individuals and/or groups into processes, activities, and decision/policy making in a way that shares power” (H. Thomas and A. Hirsch, The Progressive’s Style Guide).
As grant writers and nonprofit professionals, we understand that language is a powerful tool when advocating for positive social change. In pursuit of this goal, it is critical that we understand the role of word choice in conveying a broad range of identities and perspectives. Various terminologies can be packed with assumptions— economic, social, cultural, and educational. It is essential when writing for social justice causes to be aware of these assumptions, which in turn helps us to embrace writing that combats discriminatory language and conveys an authentic sense of inclusivity.
Writing in a style that is inclusive and ethical is a skill. Like any skill, gaining facility and comfort with using inclusive terminology requires thoughtful, consistent practice. Though there are many approaches and schools of thought when it comes to inclusive writing, two core principles include:
1. People-First language
People- first language aims to make personhood the essential characteristic of every person. People- first language views other descriptive social identities that people may hold as secondary and non-essential. Though adhering to people-first language can lead to awkward sentence constructions, it is critical to center people rather than their circumstances as the heart of your storytelling.
Examples:
- “Children from low-income backgrounds” vs. “low-income children”
- “Formerly incarcerated person” vs. “ex-offender”
2, Self-Identification
Inclusive writing, as much as possible, should strive to include language that respects peoples’ choice and style in how they talk about themselves. By using language that reflects how people self-identify, you respect aspects of their culture, agency, and spirit and lend power to their voices. If you are unsure of preferred terminology, research the most current discourse on the topic using such resources as the Disability Style Guide and An Ally’s Guide to Terminology.
Examples:
- “Individual with a physical disability” vs. “handicapped”
- “People of color” vs. “minorities”
- “Transgender person” vs. “transgendered”
Understanding and committing to these principles is the first step in working towards writing in a style that consistently incorporates inclusive language. Of course, language evolves and appropriate terminology is shaped by the continued larger conversation around social justice, intersectionality, and what authentic inclusivity entails in practice. As much as using the “right” terms or words is something we all work towards, it is equally important to foster a climate of open communication and demonstrate a willingness to learn.
As you work towards developing a writing style that features inclusivity, remember to keep an open mind, keep resources close at hand, and – most of all – keep learning!
Suggested Resources
The Progressive’s Style Guide
Racial Equity Resource Guide Glossary
An Ally’s Guide to Terminology
The Disability Style Guide
The Social Justice Phrase Guide
AUGUST 10, 2017
Whether it is called governance, leadership, organizational structure, or qualifications and experience, as a grant writer you are going to be asked to explain who leads your organization and why they are qualified to do so. Your response should describe the role of the board of directors in advancing the mission of the organization.
The argument in any leadership section is that your organization has the right people and processes in place to achieve its mission. As you draft this section, think about ways to differentiate your organization from others:
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Do your board members bring unique benefits, like connections to professional development opportunities for nonprofit staff or to potential organizational partners?
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Is your board giving rate particularly impressive?
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Is your organization particularly thoughtful about who it nominates as new board members?
Information you’LL need to know
Board Committees
How is the board structured? Foundations are looking for information that indicates a well-organized board. Best-practices for nonprofits indicate that all organizations should have some kind of committee structure, but that the number of committees should be limited.
Common committees include:
Finance – This committee supports the development of the annual expense budget, tracks the actual spending vs. budget, watches monthly cash flow, and interprets the overall financial health of the organization on behalf of the board. This committee supports the development of the longer-term strategic plan as well as next year’s annual plan. All of the financial policies of your organization should be reviewed by the finance committee prior to board approval. Some organizations establish a separate Audit Committee.
Governance – ensure that policies are created and periodically reviewed which define: the roles and responsibilities of the board. duties and responsibilities of directors and officers; conflict of interest procedures; procedures for nomination, selection, and removal of directors.
Fundraising – While the Executive Director is responsible for the organization’s fundraising, well-run organizations engage the support of the board in various part of their fundraising plan. This committee oversees the development of the Annual Fundraising Plan – and tracks the planned vs. actual results during the year. They encourage, train, and thank other board members for their involvement in the fundraising activities. They explore potential new fundraising activities as part of the strategic planning process.
Executive Committee – includes the chairs of the other board committees and the board chair. This committee is often empowered to make decisions between board meetings and works closely with the Executive Director.
Alternatively, Blue Avocado recommends that organizations limit themselves to the following three committees:
Internal Affairs Committee – All internal and operational issues-including those related to finance, human resources, and facilities-are handled by this committee which is staffed by the CFO and the Director of HR (or the ED where these positions do not exist).
External Affairs Committee – All external issues-including fundraising, public relations, and marketing — are the responsibility of this committee, which is staffed by the Development Director (or by the ED).
Governance Committee – This committee is responsible for the health and functioning of the board. It recruits new members, conducts orientation, produces board materials, and evaluates the performance of the board itself. This committee, staffed by the ED, is arguably the most important of the three. It is responsible for ensuring the effectiveness of the current board and for recruiting tomorrow’s leaders.
Board Expertise
Who serves on your board and why? Funders are looking for evidence that your board has expertise in nonprofit governance, finance, and fundraising. They will also want to see that you have members with expertise in your sector. Common board officers include:
President – Heads up the board and supervises all of the business and affairs of the board. While the President can also serve as the CEO of the organization, keep in mind that these two roles are separate; an individual cannot be compensated to hold an officer position.
Secretary – Keeps the minutes of the board of directors. Additionally, the Secretary is responsible for keeping track of the organization’s activities to make sure the actions of the organization are in accordance to the organization’s Bylaws. The Secretary usually keeps track of the board members’ contact information in order to inform the board about meetings and updates on the organization.
Treasurer – Keeps account of the receipts and disbursements in the organization’s books. Additionally, the Treasurer is responsible for keeping track of the organization’s financial condition. This is an important role because it keeps the other officers and board members informed about the financials. This person should have a financial background!
Best-practices suggest that there is no right size for a nonprofit board. The average board size is 16 members. Funders may start to question your organization’s governance if it has a large, multi-million dollar budget and a board with less than 5-10 members.
Frequency of Board Meetings
Funders will want to know how often the entire board meets as well as how often individual board committees meet. According to the IRS, boards must meet at least once a year. Beyond that, there is a lot of debate about the best-practices around frequency of board meetings.
Typically, organizations will have monthly, bi-monthly, or quarterly board meetings. The longer the time between full board meetings, the more likely that the organization relies on an executive committee to make decisions between meetings.
TIP: If your organization’s board meets infrequently, be sure to note if board members are attending committee meetings between full board meetings.
Board Term Limits and Contributions
Small, emerging organizations tend not to have board term limits because they lack capacity to continually add new members. However, it is a best-practice to establish term limits for all members, so be sure to mention them if your organization has them.
It is also a best-practice to have a “give or get” policy for board members that requires all members to directly contribute or solicit a minimum donation to the organization. Always include your organization’s give or get policy in the leadership section, but use your best judgement about including the actual minimum donation. A $500 give or get is fine because it ensures 100% board giving, but it’s not nearly as impressive as a $2,500 minimum.
Even if your organization doesn’t have a formal “give or get” policy, you can communicate how committed your board members are by including what percentage contributed to the organization in the previous year. Most funders are looking for 100% board giving. Include the total amount contributed by the board if it is an impressive number!
In short, your objective for the leadership section of a grant application should be to clearly illustrate that your organization’s board of directors is thoughtfully-structured, and comprised of qualified leaders committed to advancing the mission of your organization.
Did you enjoy this post? We have even more to share!
The content in this blog post is a great introduction to what we cover in our workshops, all of which are designed specifically for nonprofit professionals. We design our trainings to be hands-on, interactive, and efficient — all to make sure you get the most out of your time and walk away with practical skills you can put into use immediately.
See the full schedule of our upcoming trainings to learn more and register today. We hope to see you at a workshop soon!
JULY 7, 2017
What is the difference between the world as it is today and the world as your organization works for it to be? The gap between the two is the problem you’re solving, or the underlying issue your organization seeks to address – and clearly articulating this problem is the best way to garner support for your cause.
As we mentioned in this post, your job as a fundraiser is to become a translator. Your supporters – whether they are individual donors, volunteers, Board members, mentors, or funders – have to believe your organization is doing something important if they’re going to continue supporting with your work. Specifically, according to Community Tool Box, your stakeholders need to understand:
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Why your project should be done: how it is significant, meaningful, and relevant.
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The support you have in the community: without having deep buy-in from all your stakeholders, your program will be paternalistic, unwanted, or ineffective.
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The impact that you can have, and its proportionality to the problem; if your organization’s capacity does not match the problem you’re addressing, you lose credibility and it can be harder to garner support.
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The context and timeliness of your response; given the many other organizations needing support – why is it the right time to support your organization?
With this in mind, it becomes your job to gather accurate and convincing evidence and make a case for why your project merits funding; a well-written need statement does exactly that, Writing a persuasive need statement involves thoroughly understanding the problem your organization seeks to solve, gathering the right data, and leveraging it to build your argument. Below, we walk through each of these steps in a bit more detail, as well as how to avoid commonly-made mistakes as you build your case.
1. start WITH A thorough understanding of the problem
We know, gathering data can be expensive in terms of time and focus, and in all likelihood, you already have too much on your plate. So why invest in understanding the problem with such rigor?
First: because for your program to be effective, you must base your program design in reality. You cannot assume that you know the community you are serving without compiling real data from credible sources. Making the wrong assumptions can lead you to design an ineffective intervention; you don’t want to end up 2,000 away from your destination because you started down the wrong path.
Second, because being a credible spokesperson is essential to garnering support. A nuanced understanding of the problem gives you credibility when talking to potential funders, partners, and constituents – and that credibility only strengthens your cultivation efforts.
2. USE the right DATA TO BUILD YOUR CASE
Once you’ve done the research necessary to develop a thorough understanding of the problem you’re working to solve, your next task to is to collect and present the right data to convey the need with urgency and clarity. There are two types of evidence you’ll need to leverage to explain the problem: qualitative and quantitative.
Quantitative information focuses on numerical data and analysis; it helps you define your problem in the language that decision makers typically understand and care about – from demographic statistics to changes in survey data to estimated costs. Qualitative evidence, on the other hand, focuses on the experience of individuals and their stories. They give life to your work.
Some supporters will be particularly moved by stories in a way they are not by numbers, while others assign more value to data and statistics; to cover your bases and present the strongest case possible, use a balance of both to provide the full picture of the importance of your work.
3. BEWARE CIRCULAR REASONING
As you begin crafting your argument using the data you’ve gathered, be aware that using circular reasoning is an easy trap to fall into and one that will weaken your case substantially. Circular reasoning is a logical fallacy in which the writer or speaker begins their argument with the assumption that what they’re trying to prove is already true. Circular reasoning often takes the form: “A is true because of B; B is true because of A.”
For example, the argument “You should let me stay out until 10pm because I deserve to have a later curfew” is circular in nature.
While this type of flawed reasoning can sound convincing and even be difficult to detect, it is unlikely to persuade those who do not already believe in the validity of your argument. For this reason, your need statement cannot be that “the community lacks a park, and therefore it needs a park.” Instead, using a blend of quantitative and qualitative data to illustrate the benefits of community parks, the obstacles in accessing the nearest existing park, and/or the urgency of adding a park in the community you serve would make a much more effective argument,
QuALITY DATA SOURCES
Finally, we know that one of the biggest challenges in gather quality, credible data is knowing where to look. The following are reliable sources for gathering quantitative data to support your case and help you craft your argument:
Also, the Association for Research on Nonprofits and Voluntary Action connects individuals in the sector who are interested in research; and the International Society for Third-Sector Research promotes research and education for the nonprofit sector.
Did you enjoy this post? We have even more to share!
The content in this blog post is a great introduction to what we cover in our workshops, all of which are designed specifically for nonprofit professionals. We design our trainings to be hands-on, interactive, and efficient — all to make sure you get the most out of your time and walk away with practical skills you can put into use immediately.
See the full schedule of our upcoming trainings to learn more and register today. We hope to see you at a workshop soon!
January 26, 2017
While most of Elevate’s work and blog posts focus on how to win grants, it’s also important to understand how grants are lost.
Losing a grant is not uncommon, and in fact, there are times when it even makes sense to pursue a grant that you are likely to lose. For example, if you hope to win a large public grant next year, you might apply just to get reviewer feedback on your program. Or, you might submit to a foundation that will be cultivated over time, in order to begin a relationship with them.
The reasons organizations lose grants are typically specific to the organization and proposal, so a generalized list can only be so helpful. (But we’re going to try!) This list is adapted from a comprehensive version by the United Way, which is available here. We’ve boiled it down to this.
So, here’s HOW TO LOSE A GRANT IN 10 WAYS:
1. YOU Gloss over the details
Strong requests are built around specifics. Funders are unlikely to approve requests with unclear implementation plans. You need to clearly articulate: what specifically is being done, the day-to-day, month-to-month, and annual timeline by which its being done, and the specific person(s) responsible for executing.
2. YOU ARE an unknown entity
Funders are much, much more likely to invest in organizations they know and trust. But the good news is that there are a lot of ways to become known—build your brand in the community, reach out well in advance of submitting the proposal, or have someone else do the same on your behalf.
3. YOU Forget to include an expense in your budget that’s in your narrative
Oops! You developed a new program, or made adjustments to your existing program, but you forgot to adjust your budget to reflect that change. Whether you left out a new position, cut a workshop, or mentioned supplies without a line item, these mistakes can immediately kill your legitimacy to a funder. It is essential that your budget and budget narrative align precisely.
4. Write or format your request in a way that does not inspire confidence
You must write with confidence and expertise. This is actually one of Elevate’s biggest secrets for small nonprofits just starting out. Sometimes, simply by sounding professional and presenting your materials in an organized way, you can inspire outsized confidence in your organization—especially when you do not have a long track record of results.
5. YOU Use jargon unnecessarily
At Elevate, we actually believe there is a place for some forms of jargon; not using the technical term when it is expected might indicate that you are out of your depth. At the same time, jargon can prevent a reader from easily understanding what and why you do the work that you do. Instead, we recommend that you tailor your writing to your audience: sophisticated foundations with subject-matter experts are going to expect a more technical proposal than a giving circle or family foundation without paid staff.
6. YOU ARE good but not great
Funders are looking for impact. If your organization has unfocused programs, or does something pretty well, but not exceptionally well, you have to be prepared to lose funding to more specialized or higher-impact organizations. Unfortunately, this is one of the hardest areas to improve—and nearly impossible if you do not have the support of your executive leadership. Organizations can improve their programs and results over time—but it is not frequently a quick process.
7. YOU Ignore the elephant in the room
Do not avoid what needs to be said; frame it, yes, but do not avoid it. If you have had a major staff transition on your leadership team, if you lost a key partnership, or if your program outcomes just are not promising—you have to address the issue directly. If you’re struggling with what to include or not, review our post on transparency.
8. YOU Ask for too much money…or not enough
Your request amount has to be right—not only because you do not want to leave money on the table by asking for too little, but because you do not want to appear uninformed (at best) or offensive (at worse) to your funder. The best way to ensure your request amount is in line with the funder’s expectations is to do your research on other grants they have given or to ask them directly.
9 .YOU ARE TOO similar to other organizations in your space
You must put in the hard work to know your peers, know their programs, and know your points of divergence. Differentiation can be tricky and is always nuanced. For example, Elevate works with multiple theatre organizations in Washington, DC that are within blocks of each other and have similar budget sizes. But no one would think their artistic or community engagement work is similar. On the other hand, DC has dozens of youth development or mentoring programs that have to work hard to clarify how their program design is more effective than others with similar models.
10 YOU DON’T Stick to your values
There are funders who will not support your commitment to providing options counseling to pregnant youth. And there are millions of dollars to be won from corporate funders, if you do not care where or how they made their money. And for some organizations, these revenue sources are perfectly valid and welcome. For others, they are not. Remember: it is always better to lose a grant then to concede your values.
Are you surprised that “typos” didn’t make the list? Well, proofreading does make most of the Internet’s top ten lists for how to win a grant and of course you should proofread. But one small mistake is NOT going to lose your grant. (Twenty maybe, but not one.) This is because funders care about substance first. Substance! If your programs, leadership, and financials are not in place—a perfect grant will not win funding.
Good businesses and nonprofits are both designed to create value for their customers and constituents.
In business, we create value and then we capture it directly in the form of fees. For example, at Elevate, our clients pay us to provide a good grant writing service. If we stop delivering that value, or if there is some other company who provides a better value, our clients would end their work with us. There is a direct relationship between a business and its customers – the business creates value and then captures it directly.
However, for a nonprofit, there is an indirect relationship. The beneficiaries of the organization are typically not the same as those who pay for the costs of the services they receive. That is the whole point of a lot of nonprofits: people who need their support are not in a position to pay for it. That benefit requires a subsidy in the form of philanthropy.
Becoming a Translator
Nonprofits do not capture the value from their constituents – instead, they turn to their supporters and ask for it. This is why YOU play a really important role as a translator. You translate the impact and importance of your organization to funders, donors, partners, volunteers, and other stakeholders. To be a successful fundraiser, you must translate how your organization’s work and impact relates to their priorities and interests and values.
Unfortunately, this structure essentially creates an inefficiency, in that sometimes your organization is delivering a great value to your constituents, but not able to capture it from funders and donors. Other times, organizations can be excellent at fundraising and messaging to their donors, but not necessarily have the programs and impact to back it up.
So how can you ensure you succeed?
START WITH WHY
Have you ever had to explain what your organization does to someone you just met? Whether it is the classic elevator pitch or a quick intro at a crowded conference, capturing the essentials of your organization quickly is a key part of your role as a translator and spokesperson.
If you start with something along the lines of “We’re a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, with multiple programs that…”, then you’re starting with the what of your organization: what you are.
That’s not going to quickly grab the attention of your potential volunteers and donors: there are lots of nonprofits with good programs starting their elevator pitch with that same line. Instead, you have to focus on the why of your organization: “We bring joyful experiences to children with cancer. We do this through…”
This is not Elevate’s theory. It’s based on the research by Simon Sinek and this TED talk:
We spend most of our time explaining the ‘what’ and the ‘how’ of our ideas, while most ideas get spread because of the ‘why’.
-Simon Sinek
Creating a Compelling Why
While you might think that your WHY is your organization mission, it is not just that. For nonprofits, we believe there are three pieces to a compelling WHY statement: an important problem, a clear gap in services, and an appropriate response to that gap.
The Problem
You need to tackle an important, significant, relevant problem.
The response
You need to understand the other nonprofits and interventions already in your space.
The Gap
You need to address the problem in a way others do not.
The best way to understand what is compelling is to contrast it with what is not compelling.
The Problem
First, sometimes people will not resonate with the problem you are working on: not everyone is moved by the same issues. Moreover, some issues have less public support than others. For example, you might want to improve the services or quality of life in prisons, which is undoubtedly needed and important, but many people might care more about programs reaching ‘innocent’ youth than incarcerated adults.
In general, in the United States, programs that we view as competing directly with the ‘role of the government’ are less supported by philanthropy than issues that do not have a direct government response. For example: teacher training programs are harder to fund than after-school activities.
Other times you might have to do a great deal of public education in order to convince your community that the issue truly is of importance. For example, you might want to tackle public and street harassment. However, the understanding of this issue, how it impacts people who are harassed, and the complexities regarding behavior standards in the public sphere make it a much harder issue to explain to someone who has not thought about these topics before or not experienced street harassment.
As your organization’s voice, you must be an effective translator. You will need to bring real facts and effective stories to compel a wide audience.
The Response
The second way you can fail to compel others is by being the same or similar to an existing organization. People will ask: Why should I support you instead of the other organization already in this space?
A more nuanced question might be: why doesn’t your nonprofit join forces with the other organizations in your community, and save resources by merging with them, rather than being your own organization? You’ll need a response to both of these questions.
The Gap
Finally, you can fail to compel people with a vague mission or imprecise goals that do not clearly and concisely communicate exactly what you do and how the world will be better as a result of your work.
There is a fierce ecosystem of organizations out there – all doing good work on behalf of meaningful causes – and they are vying for our time, attention, and resources. A clear, appropriately defined mission, vision, and goals will ensure you address a real need and fill a real gap in services. They will also help you cut through the noise of other organizations to effectively communicate the impact you are making and attract funding and supporters.
December 1, 2016
Elevate routinely writes grant proposals and reports for clients, and increasingly often, we encounter questions that ask organizations about their weaknesses or challenges. Our clients often ask us: how transparent should we be about our challenges? Unfortunately, there are no easy answers.
We cannot say that you should always be fully open with your funders at all times. What is too much information for one person or funder might be expected information for another. Sometimes funders do not want the messy details, they simply prefer to know their money is making a difference. Knowing your funders well and having a strong cultivation and stewardship program can help you understand their interests and expectations better.
Nevertheless, there are some general guidelines and some universal red flags, which we’ve detailed below.
General Guidelines
First, establish real relationships with your funders, and classify them into three basic categories:
All the Details:
These funders want all the details, good and bad. They approach their relationship with you as a partner. They will support you during the hard times and might even be concerned if they do not know what is going on inside your nonprofit.
Enough Details:
These funders want enough details to feel invested and ‘in the loop’ but they might get antsy if you shared all your ongoing problems. Remember: not all funders have been fully exposed to the ups-and-downs of running a nonprofit. Sometimes, these funders simply trust you, and know that you will handle the inevitable challenges you face. They do not think it is the best use of their time to know everything you are working on, even the challenges.
Stick to the Successes:
Some funders really enjoy reading about your successes and your stories of transformation. These funders do not value reading about all the problems you face. Alternatively, they might not be used to reading about nonprofits’ challenges. Sharing your problems when they are not welcome or when the funders are not getting the same transparency from their other grantees is unnecessarily risky.
Elevate does not have a preference or opinion on which of the above is better. Everyone gives for their own reasons, and wants to run their giving programs in the way that makes sense to them. We have noticed trends, however.
Trends & GuidePosts
In general, smaller, unstaffed private family foundations prefer to hear your successes, with a light touch, at most, about your challenges. Stick to your successes with them.
The less close your relationship with your funder, the more you should stay in the second lane – just sharing enough to be credible and framing your challenges well. This is particularly important with funders who have broad, rather than deep, interests and and where a flailing organization or program will raise concerns.
Finally, the more closely you work with a funder or program officer, the more important it is that you be fully transparent about your challenges and response. Relatedly, the more sophisticated your issue area, and the more knowledgeable a program officer is about the issue, the more transparent you are going to have to be to gain their trust and appear credible. Sometimes, program officers will even want regular meetings with you if they have fully invested in your work.
A final note: the relationship you can have with your funder depends a lot on who the ultimate decision maker is, and the role other people have in influencing their opinions. For example, at public agencies, the decision makers might be a selected group of experts and the program officers are helping you to prepare your application for review by those experts. You can be more transparent with them and even ask for advice about what they recommend.
What to Share
Always share:
You should always share the following with your funders:
- Key leadership transitions, like when your executive director is leaving;
- Key program changes, expansions, or contractions, for the programs they are funding; and
- Potentially negative news, that is going to become public anyway – like a lawsuit.
Important Note
It goes without saying, that you must always be 100% honest about the activities you have completed and your achievements or lack thereof. Your job is to frame it honestly and effectively, but never incorrectly.
Sometimes Share:
Depending on your relationship with the funder, discussed above, you should sometimes share the following (and frame them well):
- Disappointing or concerning outcomes;
- Decreased participation or key partnerships that are ending; and
- Major financial challenges. You are not going to hide these anyway, as your finances will be public, so be sure to provide context.
Be Thoughtful About:
- External factors limiting your success, such as challenges with the local government; and
- Partners who did not fulfill their commitments; and
- Any similar negative discussion of other organizations.
not necessary:
- General staff transitions that are not at a high level, like a program director or executive director;
- An office move, unless you need funding for it or it opens new opportunities;
- Small program innovations that did not work well: in general, you are not being more transparent by focusing on your failures rather than successes. And more importantly, you are distracting from big picture. Small details, for good or bad, are usually not worth including.
