BC Council for Families

If there's a grantwriter on your holiday gift giving list who's struggling to craft compelling proposals for your organization, consider a gift that keeps on giving. For grantwriters who dread the writing process, Storytelling for Grantseekers: The Guide to Creative Nonprofit Fundraising is a resource that promises not only to make grantwriting more enjoyable, but also more successful.

Author Cheryl Clarke shows readers how to turn a proposal into an opportunity to tell your organization’s story, allowing the passion to show through the proposal prose. And to avoid investing time and work on unsuccessful proposals, she offers the following advice to determine if your proposed project is fundable:

• Is the project compatible with your agency's mission or purpose?
• Does your agency have the expertise and staff resources to carry out the program?
• Can your agency manage the proposed expansion of services?
• Is the proposed program distinguishable from other similar programs in the community? If so, what specific niche will the project fill?
• If other agencies are doing similar work, has your agency explored opportunities for collaboration?
• Is there internal support from the board of directors and senior staff for the proposed program?

If your agency can answer yes to each of these questions, then it is well on its way to developing a fundable program. If any answer is no, then perhaps your agency is heading down the wrong path – a road not likely to lead to funding.