January 24, 2002 | Read Time: 2 minutes
Storytelling for Grantseekers
by Cheryl A. Clarke
In Storytelling for Grantseekers, Cheryl A. Clarke proposes a technique aimed at those who approach writing grant proposals with the same enthusiasm they bring to having root-canal work.
The book, designed for those with little or no proposal-writing experience, intends to make the process less daunting by encouraging people to write the proposal the same way they would tell a story. With a compelling and persuasive narrative, Ms. Clarke says, a proposal is more likely to prompt a reaction from grant makers. Since appeal letters, telethons, and major-donor campaigns employ this method, she adds, so should grant proposals. “Storytelling is an effective way to communicate a need, offer a solution, and present an opportunity for someone to help by making a financial contribution,” she writes.
Instead of emphasizing the mechanics of writing grant proposals — the summary, goals, and needs statement — this book suggests a more creative technique.
For example, since the storyteller’s goal is to engage readers within the first few sentences, it’s critical for proposals to also include an effective “hook,” Ms. Clarke writes. She follows with examples from actual grant proposals — a method used throughout the book.
Five chapters describe the development of a proposal narrative, complete with instructions for crafting characters, settings, a plot, a climactic moment, and a resolution.
Ms. Clarke notes that every nonprofit organization essentially draws on the same basic plot line: “a certain segment of the population living in a given community has an unmet need, and the nonprofit agency responds to that need.” Nevertheless, she adds, “each agency ‘owns’ the rest of the story — the way it fills in the details.”
Ms. Clarke is a fund-raising consultant and trainer for CompassPoint Nonprofit Services in San Francisco and a short-story author.
Publisher: Jossey-Bass, 1 Wiley Drive, Somerset, N.J. 08875; (800) 225-5945; fax (800) 597-3299; http://www.wiley.com; 121 pages; $26; I.S.B.N. 0-7879-5630-9.
