Grant Writing For Dummies, 5th Edition

Chapter 14

Building a Strong Statement of Need

In This Chapter

Incorporating the right demographics

Sharing a real client’s case study

Using graphics to break up all the text

Your statement of need (also referred to as a problem statement or needs statement) tells the grant reviewer that you know what you’re talking about. It oozes gloom, doom, drama, and trauma. You use your statement of need to get your point across in the most effective, attention-drawing, memorable way you can. How do you do that? By writing from your heart (where your emotional center lies) and by telling the story of how bad things really are for your target population. Transport the grant reviewer into the setting of the problem so she can make positive decisions about funding your grant proposal or application.

Gather the facts, read them, feel them in your heart, and formulate them in your mind. Then think about how you’d feel if you were reading those compelling or startling statistics, events, life stories, situations, and so forth about yourself, your family, or your close friends. Keep those feelings ...