By: Veronica Tamburello
Philanthropy is not just for the elites. Donations and voluntary contributions are intrinsic to the American tradition of charity. Professional Writing Majors who desire to make the world a little bit better can attain this goal through the written word as a grant writer. A writer’s ability to persuade through a convincing argument and developed research can secure the funding that is necessary to support a philanthropic cause.
There are a variety of programs in every community that lack on-going funding, such as teen pregnancy programs and youthful offender programs. There are also countless other nonprofit organizations (NPO) that range from environmental advocacy to gender equality and women’s human rights in a global aspect. The nonprofit hub has more information on NPOs and grant writing tips.
Nonprofits are sustained through the invaluable skills of grant writing. A good grant writer must exhibit all of the skills that the Professional Writing Major gains through the course of completing his or her education. While a grant proposal must persuade the reader to fund the particular program, it is just as important to develop a concise and organized proposal. Additionally, each and every word choice is crucial and there must be a clear and specific message about the ongoing monetary growth of the project as well as the reach of the organization itself. Consequently, for the grant writer’s task in developing the project’s budget, research is yet another essential strength in the process.
After submission of the grant proposal, the decision making process can take a few weeks or a few months. As any professional should know, a thank you letter is a proper follow up if a patron should choose to support. On the other hand, if a rejection occurs, do not give up! At the request of the declined grant writer, a potential funder may be willing to disclose their issues with the proposal, while others may be willing to review the proposal at a future date.
There are countless catalogs of information to give more detailed insight into the process of grant writing. The following link for the Philanthropy News Digest is a great resource for all things philanthropical and current events in the fundraising world.
