Category Archives: needs section

Grant Writing Tip – Put Needs Data in Context

I was working on a school library grant recently and I had all sorts of great data about collection size, age of the school library collection, access to the collection, and qualifications of staff.  Sounds great, right?  The problem is that knowing all that really didn’t tell me anything.  Without the context of state and national averages, I didn’t know if this school was doing great or really in need of help. So, I started doing some research and I got the information I needed to put the data into context and describe the need.

This experience reminded me again that data in isolation means nothing.

As a grant writer, you use data to help you tell a story and build a case for why you need a grant. Using only local statistics without using regional, state, and/or national data to put the local data into context is just as innefective as only providing national data without any local data to show your local situation.  Both scenarios will have the same effect – you won’t get funded.

————————

Want more grant writing tips? Visit GrantGoddess.com or buy 101 Tips for Aspiring Grant Writers.

Grant Writing Tip – Put Needs Data in Context

I was working on a school library grant recently and I had all sorts of great data about collection size, age of the school library collection, access to the collection, and qualifications of staff.  Sounds great, right?  The problem is that knowing all that really didn’t tell me anything.  Without the context of state and national averages, I didn’t know if this school was doing great or really in need of help. So, I started doing some research and I got the information I needed to put the data into context and describe the need.

This experience reminded me again that data in isolation means nothing.

As a grant writer, you use data to help you tell a story and build a case for why you need a grant. Using only local statistics without using regional, state, and/or national data to put the local data into context is just as innefective as only providing national data without any local data to show your local situation.  Both scenarios will have the same effect – you won’t get funded.

————————

Want more grant writing tips? Visit GrantGoddess.com or buy 101 Tips for Aspiring Grant Writers.

Published by Creative Resources & Research http://grantgoddess.com

Finding the Balance Between Need and Showing Competence

When writing a grant, you usually need to devote a section to making the case for your need for the grant. Most people really go overboard with this. They write about all the things they need to serve their clients well. They write about how needy their clients are. They produce all sorts of statistics to document just how much they need help.

The problem with going overboard in documenting your need for the grant is that you run the risk of looking incompetent. Your readers might start asking questions like this: If the situation is really that pathetic, how did you let it get this way? If you haven’t solved it by now (in your organization’s 30 years of business), why should anyone think you’ll solve it with the addition of a three-year grant?

The trick is to accurately demonstrate your need for the grant while also demonstrating your capacity to manage the funds well and use the funds to make a real difference and improve the situation. It also helps to highlight some strengths on which you can build. Ideally, you’ll be able to show how the funds you are requesting will enable you to leverage other resources to really make a difference.

It’s a balancing act. Don’t go too far in the direction of showing too much need, or you may end up without the funds to help you work toward a solution.

Finding the Balance Between Need and Showing Competence

When writing a grant, you usually need to devote a section to making the case for your need for the grant. Most people really go overboard with this. They write about all the things they need to serve their clients well. They write about how needy their clients are. They produce all sorts of statistics to document just how much they need help.

The problem with going overboard in documenting your need for the grant is that you run the risk of looking incompetent. Your readers might start asking questions like this: If the situation is really that pathetic, how did you let it get this way? If you haven’t solved it by now (in your organization’s 30 years of business), why should anyone think you’ll solve it with the addition of a three-year grant?

The trick is to accurately demonstrate your need for the grant while also demonstrating your capacity to manage the funds well and use the funds to make a real difference and improve the situation. It also helps to highlight some strengths on which you can build. Ideally, you’ll be able to show how the funds you are requesting will enable you to leverage other resources to really make a difference.

It’s a balancing act. Don’t go too far in the direction of showing too much need, or you may end up without the funds to help you work toward a solution.

Published by Creative Resources & Research http://grantgoddess.com