Focus on the Funder

To best get your message across, you often need to focus on what the recipient wants to hear instead of what you want to hear. This concept doesn't mean overhauling program goals to fit the expectations of the funder. It means changing the language—the way you talk about your program or project—to fit what the funder expects to hear.

The first task is to pay keen attention to the funder's guidelines. Many funders will instantly reject any correspondence that doesn't fit their published expectations.

Once you've made sure you are closely following the guidelines, you can then begin to adapt your program description to use the funder's language. Scour any information you have from the funder for key words and terminology that they seem to prefer using. For instance, if a funder mentions that they support programs addressing “child nutrition,” you want to use that phrase instead of saying “kids' dietary habits.”

While much of the language used in the nonprofit sector is standardized, some differences remain. Some writers may use the phrases “civil rights” and “human rights” interchangeably, but these phrases may have slightly different...