What does advanced grant writing look like? It looks like connecting.

Introduction to Proposal Writing is one of the most popular classes we teach at Candid, and many have taken it multiple times. And truly, it’s essential to understand the core components of a grant proposal: the need statement, project narrative, and budget.

But “advanced” grant writing—crafting proposals that are more compelling and immediately rise to the top of the pile—is a bit more complex. There are subtleties experienced grant writers know to include: personalized, targeted elements that show a funder that a program is a perfect fit for them. It’s like telling any compelling story—and the key to all of it is connecting.

Here are three elements to think about when creating your next proposal and how you can use your writing to connect with the funder.

Connecting immediately: The hook

The best grant proposals immediately grab the reader’s attention with a hook—a quote, statistic, or example that’s impossible to ignore. Here are three examples of the types of statements that draw the reader in:

• “Because I came here, I have been transformed—socially, emotionally and academically.”
• 68% of nonprofits anticipate an increase in the need for their services in the next 12 months.
• For the first time in her 42 years, she accepted free boxes of meat, dairy products, cheese, fresh fruit, and veggies in a drive-through food-assistance program offered through her church….

Each of these statements connects the reader to the thoughts of someone experiencing immense change—or a statistic that points to a looming crisis. They’re effective ways to give the reader a jolt that makes them want to read on.

But be careful: Too many jolts and a reader can become numb—the very opposite of the effect you want to have. And never use a quote, statistic, or example that mischaracterizes or stereotypes people.

Connecting to your organization: Share your story

In the nightmare scenario where AI writes all the grant proposals (and reads them all, I assume), one key element of compelling grant proposals will be missing: the truly personal story. As much as AI can suggest and generalize and share ideas based on things that have been written before, it cannot intuit what you’re currently thinking, use examples that you just gathered, and say things only you know. That’s what advanced grant writing does.

When I talk to people who want to start nonprofits, I ask them why their new nonprofit is indispensable: What makes it unique? Your nonprofit communicates that uniqueness when you tell its story, based on your own on-the-ground experience.

That means using examples and quotes that only you can gather from the people you know and serve. Maybe it’s showing how you see the work of your nonprofit in that community—the people it’s helped, the connections you’ve made, and what you’ve learned. Maybe it’s getting down to the details of what’s going on right now in your city, in your neighborhood, among your clients. That’s a story only you can tell.

Two more points about AI: I’m not saying never to use it. But first, the more you use it, the more you’re allowing it to tell the story about your nonprofit’s work. Sometimes AI can change the intended meaning of a piece of writing. You don’t want it to misrepresent you.

And second, the more you use AI, the more your writing will resemble that of others using AI to describe their work. That means your potential funder is reading the same story over and over. AI is quick and easy, but it isn’t you, and it won’t set your grant proposal apart from the rest.

Connecting personally to the funder: As a partner, not a cash machine

When potential funders read your proposal, they’re often reading between the lines to see the personal connections between your organization and theirs, including past conversations. Reminding the funder of what you discussed in a phone call or meeting can help you strengthen that personal connection.

We often say the funder’s decision whether to award a grant is “not personal.” But it is based on personal relationships. For example, if you’ve received funding from a foundation every year for 10 years, a funder is going to expect you to acknowledge that, to reflect it in your proposal, and to appreciate this partnership—not just make another ask.

A compelling proposal goes beyond answering questions to make immediate, human connections with the funder. Meaningful quotes and examples, deeply felt stories about the nonprofit’s work and the people it serves, and a recognition of the personal relationships involved in the funder-grantee partnership make a proposal stand out.

We’ve been discussing these advanced grant writing elements in our intensive Proposal Writing Boot Camp series, which will be offered again this fall. If you’re interested, keep an eye on our Candid learning page for the next series.

Photo credit: Marco VDM/Getty Images