Why it’s so powerful, and examples of what’s possible.
As some areas of fundraising now feel as competitive as ever, making your proposal stand out is increasingly important. In episode 120 of the Fundraising Bright Spots podcast, David Burgess of Apollo Fundraising shared valuable insights on how to increase the chances that your applications to Trusts and Foundations will succeed.
David has a valuable perspective on this subject, in that as well as many years as a fundraiser, he also has experience of what its like on the other side of the fence, in his occasional role as a grant assessor, making decisions as to which should receive funding. He explains that in one round, he received 250 applications. Just picture that pile on a desk in front of you.
It’s not just about the sheer volume your reader has to sift through. There’s also the problem of same-ness. David explains how this experience has shown him that however much the fundraisers think they are being original in how they bring their funding need to life, when he’s looking at dozens at a time, the reality is that there is very little variation in how they look.
He advises fundraisers that taking deliberate steps to make your proposal STAND OUT, by making it look or feel different, can work in your favour when grant managers are having to make difficult decisions.
Matt’s Unconventional Approach
On the podcast, David shared an example of a fundraiser named Matt Zeqiri, who achieved remarkable results by doing things differently.
As soon as David saw Matt’s proposal, it caught his attention because it looked completely different to the rest.
Writing on behalf of an important but relatively small mental health charity in the northwest of England, Matt had structured his proposal as a conversation. Instead of looking like a typical grant proposal, he designed it as a conversation between two avatar characters, representing himself and the trust representative.
Matt’s conversation-style proposal allowed him to address the funder’s questions in a human and informal manner. He provided the necessary information concisely, making sure the reader could quickly understand the key aspects of the charity’s work. By breaking away from the formal, tone found in many proposals, Matt made it more likely to connect. Obviously, he also needed to include all the information that he thought the funder needed.
To be clear, we’re NOT saying that style is a substitute for substance. You still need a good case for the difference funds would make, and to express that clearly. It’s just that, many proposals have lots of substance, but they fail to capture the readers’ attention and bring those concepts to life.
Did it work?
All three people who independently evaluated the 250 applications selected Matt’s proposal to receive funding. (So it wasn’t just David that liked it.)
You may be thinking, that’s all well and good, but I wouldn’t like it, and its too weird for the funders I know.
To be clear, Matt told David that this approach definitely isn’t always possible or appropriate. But when it is, he has found that whereas usually his success rate for cold applications is one in six… when using this approach, that rate rockets up to one success in every two or three proposals.
How could you make your proposal stand out?
Clearly some Trusts, Foundations and Corporate Partners have very clear processes and forms you need to complete when applying, which will restrict how creative you can be in your approach.
But when the application process leaves more room to do things differently, we believe its riskier for your proposal to look almost identical to the hundreds of other charities, than to take manageable risks, and create a strong first impression.
Admittedly, this can take longer, if you’re going to do it well. Another example of the time and creative effort paying off is when an innovative fundraiser named Beatrice decided to use the ‘wow’ approach when she applied to the Christmas Appeal for a major newspaper for Christmas 2022. She crafted her whole application in the style of a two-page newspaper layout. She told me it did take her a lot longer than if she’d taken a more conventional approach. But it paid off massively when her charity was chosen as a partner for the appeal, which went on to raise £1.3 million in just a few months, which has made a huge difference to their mission. You can find out more about how she did it, and practical tips here.
Use the gimmick test: There is a fine line between a ‘wow’ tactic that stands out from the crowd and lives up to that boldness once they read it…and something which comes across as a gimmick and alienates the reader – ‘why can’t people just follow instructions?’
Although every time you try a wow tactic, as for anyone who innovates, there is an element of risk. So on our Corporate and Major Gifts Mastery Programmes, we’ve found the best way to reduce it is, as you develop your creative idea, is to ask yourself, ‘…once this treatment has got their attention, and then they actually read it, will it makes sense to them why I chose to do it that way?’
We think Matt’s approach passes this test. In fact, he emphasises his rationale for why he did it this way is the final part of the proposal, ie this interchange between the avatars:
‘Just one more question. Isn’t this conversational format just a gimmick to make you stand out?’
‘Of course it makes us stand out, but conversation is very important to (our charity). One to on communication is the backbone of our support, so we thought there was no better way to showcase our work than by having a chat. Thanks very much for listening to us.’
Of course, Matt’s exact avatar conversation style or Beatrice’s newspaper layout approach will clearly not be appropriate most of the time. The reason they’re so effective is that the creative treatment suits these charity and funder situations.
Our key message is how valuable it is for all fundraisers to find ways, even small ones, to stand out from the crowd when they can.
Here are some 3 tips which I hope will help you when you’re applying this philosophy:
- Tailor your proposal to the funder’s needs: This sounds obvious, but many funding applications are generic rather than bespoke. Take the time to understand what they are looking for and tailor your proposal accordingly. Address their questions directly, providing relevant information that aligns with their funding priorities. You are helping them give to solve problems they care about. This is different from asking for money to do the good work your charity wants to do.
- It’s not always possible. But when it is, find a different angle, format or treatment: Explore creative ways to present your proposal that differentiate it from the rest. Consider alternative formats or storytelling techniques that align with your organisations mission and values, and match who you are applying to. For example, one participant who learned these ideas on our Corporate Mastery Programme, applied for the Charity of the Year process for a wine company. She obediently filled in their form as well as she could, then rolled it up and turned it into a message in (wine) bottle, which she hand-delivered. She was invited to pitch and won the partnership.
- Make it sound and feel human. Remember that fundraising is ultimately about people connecting with people. Craft your proposal in a way builds rapport and helps people feel something. The most common pitfall that harms your chances is using technical / charity sector language. Solving it is not as easy as it sounds, as if you’ve worked in your charity for more than a month, these phrases probably don’t sound like ‘jargon’. But we’ve found that formal phrases like, ‘social isolation’, which are useful and appropriate within your charity, often reduce your chances of inspiring the external reader, compared to their plain English equivalent (eg ‘loneliness’). One great tool to check and improve readability is the Hemingway app.
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