Description
Writing for nonprofits is a juggling act. One’s job might entail writing grant proposals, newsletters, thank-you notes, case statements, and Web-site material–each for a different boss. The most successful development writers take the time to both experience their causes firsthand (sleep in the shelter, go to rehearsals, visit the wilderness) and cultivate personal relationships with their donors (“people give to people”). You’ll give yourself an amazing head start when applying for a grant, say Joseph Barbato and Danielle Furlich, just by following an organization’s guidelines and getting your math right–it’s surprising how many fundraisers do neither. Make your point once, clearly, and don’t forget the human element. “You aren’t just asking for money,” say the authors of Writing for a Good Cause, “you are asking to help people.” Barbato and Furlich, both veteran fundraisers, interviewed both grants administrators and development writers for this guide. The result is an inside view of the arcane workings of the world of fundraising that would make any novice feel more proficient immediately. Their “gotta-get-it-out-right-now, how-late-is-FedEx-open? Down-and-dirty proposal kit” is a terrific tool when there isn’t time to write the “knockout, beguiling, exciting, can’t-put-it-down, and surely can’t-turn-it-down fundraising proposal.” And keep in mind: when a donor gives your proposal the nod, say thank you. Twice. In fact, say Barbato and Furlich, “It is almost impossible to thank a donor too much.” –Jane Steinberg Surprise! It may be a manual, and it may be aimed at those who write to elicit money, but it is also wise, funny, and useful for anyone who writes anything. In an informal but never sloppy style, the authors define fundraising (“Once, it was called begging”) and offer a quick view of the nonprofit universe. They carry the reader through proposal writing, case statements, newsletters, and all of their myriad parts, from executive summaries and cover letters to budgets and appendixes, enlivening an already lively text with model sidebars. Pages are liberally peppered with boxes called “Hot Tip” and “Writer Beware!” The advice on organizing material, interviewing people, and sitting down to write would serve any writer. They even provide a special section, “the down-and-dirty proposal kit,” for those times when you have two days in which to cram two weeks of work. Underlying it all is the energy that comes from working for a good cause and using your words to make the world better. GraceAnne A. DeCandidoCopyright American Library Association. All rights reserved
