Frontline nonprofits may significantly benefit from the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act. Are you ready to apply for grant funding? With the passage of the American Rescue Plan Act, the federal government has committed $1.9 trillion to alleviate the pain of the covid pandemic. A … [Read more...]
Storytelling for grant reports
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...]
Use your (five) senses
Vivid language that strikes at a donor’s senses goes a lot further than run-of-the-mill cliches. You may have read an earlier blog entry about the power of storytelling to light up listener’s brains. However, there was one aspect that I didn’t delve into—the language of storytelling. To be truly … [Read more...]
Take them on a journey
A story without twists and turns is boring. If there were no obstacles, every romantic comedy, adventure film, mystery, or drama would be about ten minutes long. Your story should have some twists, turns, and obstacles, too. I’m not talking about manufacturing drama, but giving some insight into … [Read more...]
Why tell stories?
Stories are one of the best ways to make your organization part of a donor’s life. Neuroscience has shown that when people hear or read stories told in evocative terms, those stories activate corresponding parts of a listener’s brain. When you read about a juicy plum, a crunchy carrot, or gooey … [Read more...]
Amy Scanlon Consulting Is Now Story Smart, LLC
For years, I’ve operated under my own name as Amy Scanlon Consulting. It’s been nice to see my name gain recognition over the years. However, Amy Scanlon Consulting didn’t really communicate the essence of my work. As a nonprofit professional, I’ve developed a focus on and expertise in storytelling … [Read more...]