I've been fascinated by word choice for quite some time (nothing like writing grants to make you consider the impact of each and every word!).  So when I read this post on Nonprofit Hub one sentence in particular really struck a nerve: "If someone complains about higher overhead (or as Le calls it “critical infrastructure”), a nonprofit can counter with the difference they make in the community."  I'm not familiar with Vu Le, the speaker being quoted, but I love that he has reframed an issue to convey true importance/value and that he's taken control over how his organization's expenses are perceived by others.  

Overhead has become a four letter word in the nonprofit and funding communities and is attached to all sorts of negative connotations.  Overhead’s status as the ugly stepchild of doing good may be deserved in some instances, but it is also critical to the survival of an organization and dismissing it out-of-hand as something that should always be minimized is too simplistic an approach.  Maybe “critical infrastructure” isn’t the word choice your organization would gravitate towards, but it pays to take the time to consider the words you use and whether they convey the proper meaning and value.

I can think of other words I’ve seen used in annual reports and similar documents that are frequently left unexplained to the reader.  It’s vital to remember that a reader likely brings his/her own preconceived notions into the reading of your organization’s documents.  For example, “fundraising related expenses” is commonly one of the budget items found in a pie graph illustrating yearly expenses.  Left unexplained that broad, indeterminate choice of words lets the reader come to their own conclusions, which could leave them thinking that piece of the pie paid only for wining and dining corporate sponsors.  That’s probably not the conclusion you want them to come to; however, you haven’t left them much alternative other than to make up their own story, because the words are so unclear and there’s no accompanying explanation.  This could be a great chance to introduce the people who do your organization’s fundraising tasks and even tell a story about how that piece of the pie gets used.  Similar to “overhead” perhaps “fundraising related expenses” is a phrase in need of a makeover.  Maybe incorporating words like sustainability, support, or outreach would do a better job of explaining this budget area.  

You can probably think of other words/phrases your organization uses that could use some deeper thought and consideration.  Take some time with board members, staff, volunteers, and those being served by your nonprofit to brainstorm and discuss.  This is the sort of project that, once you put the idea in people's heads, they will keep thinking about and come back with new ideas over time.  Whatever you do—new words, explanations, or both—take control of your organization’s narrative and help the reader, who is hopefully a potential donor, volunteer, or advocate, understand how your organization responsibly stewards its funds to maximize its impact. 

When I ask nonprofits whether they invest in training related to fund development the answer is frequently "Well..." followed by an explanation about how they look to their general operating fund for money to pay for conferences, webinars, etc. when the opportunities present themselves.  I would argue that the truthful answer in these situations is "No, we don't invest."  This might sound harsh, but what isn't acknowledged can't be changed and I'm a big advocate of facing up to reality in order to make the future better. 

If a staff person has to go begging to the general fund anytime a training opportunity arises this sends a clear message to them: you are taking away money from this organization's mission.  Furthermore it implies a lack of interest in the continued professional development of the staff, which can be demoralizing, and a lack of understanding about the often difficult and complicated nature of fund development, which necessitates ongoing learning.  

By no means do I believe a lot of money has to be set aside for training and even a modest amount can be quite meaningful if used appropriately.  (By modest I mean truly modest: $100 can buy quite a few books or a webinar on a salient subject or maybe even membership in a local group for fundraising professionals.)  What's most important is the act of setting aside the money--and the necessary time to engage in training--because it shows a level of professional respect for the person(s) who is endeavoring to keep your organization financially afloat.  When this happens then an organization can say they invest in fundraising training.

Final thought: investment in training isn't just for paid staff or only for staff who have the words "development", "fund", or "grant" in their titles.  This investment is as important (or even more important) for volunteer staff and board members.  Volunteers staff deserve the utmost courtesy and respect for their devotion to an organization and one way to show this is by helping them gain new skills, connect to professionals, etc.  The topic of board member involvement in fundraising is complicated and often fraught with unspoken expectations by both the organization and board members and perhaps I'll touch on this more in a future post, but suffice it to say that boards should also set aside time and money for their own fund development education.  There is nothing to be lost by having more people connected with a nonprofit who understand the value, strategies, and peculiar nature of fund development.    

Applying for funding is a lot about how a nonprofit positions itself and creative thinking is key to making it possible for you to position your organization as relevant to as many funders as you can find.  This doesn't mean lying or even stretching the truth, but rather realizing the full potential of your organization and its projects by thinking deeply and honestly about what you do, how you do it, who is involved, and what problems are solved along the way.

Very few charities (and their projects) are purely one dimensional.  Realizing all the various dimensions to every project means that more foundations, corporations, and individuals will be able to appreciate your good work and see it as important to their funding priorities.  I recommend the following steps to help get yourself and your fundraising colleagues thinking about these many dimensions: 

1. List out every person (or type of person) who will be involved with the project and be as detailed as possible (ex: "volunteers" is a type, but if you know you'll need volunteers with social media experience then that's even better).  The people involved can range from staff to those being aided by a project to single-day volunteers.
2. Write down every item you will need to be successful and, again, be as detailed as possible.  This could include physical office space for an intern, food to feed people, new database, etc.  
3. Think about where your organization is located and, if applying for program specific funding, where the program will take place.  Don't just say what city you're located in, but go beyond to thinking about the regional definitions.  
4. Similarly to #3, think about who will benefit from the program or your organization and where they are located.
5. Write down the project's goal then think about all its direct and indirect benefits.  For example, if your goal were to protect a forest from development then a direct benefit might be the preservation of open space for people in the community, but an indirect benefit might be that the community is a more desirable place to live and do business because of its open space.
6. List out what problems will be solved if the organization is successful and break down each problem into its components.  As an example, a workforce education program might solve unemployment, but it might also contribute to solving the problem of improving the self-esteem of participants. 

Sometimes a grant writer is lucky to find one foundation to entirely support a project, but more often than not many foundations, corporations, individuals, and community groups must be called upon to make a project a reality.  The more creatively you think the more possibilities will open up to you and the more likely you'll be to find the funding you need.