More than ever, funders want to learn the impact of your work. And they want to hear it through stories of the people you served. At last month's Grants Cafe, I had the privilege of presenting on Storytelling for Grant Reports. Download the presentation here to demystify how to prepare, interview, … [Read more...]
2 Quick Fixes to Make Right Now to Your Fundraising Appeal
You’ve written an appeal that needs to go out the door yesterday. But you’ve been hearing all this news about being “donor-centered,” using “neuroscience,” and all those other buzzwords—and you’re not sure your letter measures up. While it’s always better to study up before writing your appeal, I … [Read more...]
Weaving a mini-story into your grant application
Grant applications are increasingly rigid in format, leaving little room for creativity. Or are they? There are several places where you can inject some storytelling into your application, particularly if you have moving examples of the clients you serve or the impact you make. The statement of … [Read more...]
You CAN tell stories in your grant application
Where did you find a story that touched you in the past week— Were you listening to a heartwarming story on the radio? Did you watch a gregarious friend entertain guests at a party? Were you reading a grant application? Not a lot of takers on the third one, huh? Well, you can change that. … [Read more...]
Where’s the Fire? Social Proof
As I sat down to my desk and stretched my hands over the keyboard to begin tapping out compelling direct marketing messages, a high-pitched alarm sounded and bright white light began flashing—it was the fire alarm. An annoying disruption to the day, what happened next was a vivid illustration of one … [Read more...]