Funders want to hear your story–the narrative of what your organization does and how that work improves lives and strengthens the community. The story may be the hook, but unless you can back-up feel-good anecdotes with cold hard numbers your case for support won’t result in a grant.
Really, you’re not. It’s an old notion that was never right in the first place. To continue to move the field forward, let’s make sure our professional language evolves along with our skills and understanding.
When hammering out the budget for a grant request, remember the Goldilocks Rule: If it’s too large or too small, it won’t do. It’s got to be just the right size to get the work done. The job of the budget is to support program implementation at a reasonable, professional level.
The strain of inadequate, insecure funding is exhausting and often sends nonprofits tilting at every windmill that might throw out a grant dollar. Every organization has its own pressure points and problems, but there are some commonalities throughout the sector.
