The Need for the Grant

Obviously, you’re writing a grant because a NEED exists. (You’re thinking, “Yeah, I’m doing this because I need money.”) But the main point is that the nonprofit you are working with needs money.

Guess what? This isn’t news. Everyone needs money. The secret to getting your grant writing project started is to be absolutely clear to explain what the money is FOR.

Once you figure out what the money is needed for, you should compose a “need statement” (also called a problem statement or case statement). A need statement is a concise statement (no more than one page!) about the problem your program solves. It should focus on providing clear information about what must be changed, why it’s important to change it now, and how it will be changed.

Avoid overstating the need. You want to look competent, and you want to convince the grantmaker that the grant will make you more competent, not that you are scrambling for money to keep your program alive.

What makes a “need statement” credible?