Comments on: [SpecialtyBuzz] Holly Patrick, Nonprofit & Philanthropic Organization Writer http://blog.jennescalona.com/2009/06/11/specialtybuzz-holly-patrick-nonprofit-philanthropic-organization-writer/ Jennifer Escalona tells it like it is Tue, 03 Jan 2012 01:03:46 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Holly Patrick http://blog.jennescalona.com/2009/06/11/specialtybuzz-holly-patrick-nonprofit-philanthropic-organization-writer/comment-page-1/#comment-177 Holly Patrick Thu, 11 Jun 2009 14:30:10 +0000 http://blog.jennescalona.com/?p=520#comment-177 I really like to write grant proposals because I know that what I write can lead directly to an important project getting funded. For CARE, for example, I recently wrote a proposal for a project that would bring income-generating activities to a rural, indigenous community in Guatemala. I've spent a lot of time in Guatemala (and my niece was adopted from there!) so it was great to be able to do something that will help to improve lives in that country. I agree about the difficulty of writing grant proposals for organizations you don't work for full time (the same is true for marketing materials, speeches, etc). The only thing I can say is to read, read, read any content you can from that organization. I have gone so far as to make vocabulary lists of words that make up the "language" of an organization. The ideal situation is, of course, that one is able to write quite often for the same agency, so it is almost as good as being there every day. I really like to write grant proposals because I know that what I write can lead directly to an important project getting funded. For CARE, for example, I recently wrote a proposal for a project that would bring income-generating activities to a rural, indigenous community in Guatemala. I’ve spent a lot of time in Guatemala (and my niece was adopted from there!) so it was great to be able to do something that will help to improve lives in that country.

I agree about the difficulty of writing grant proposals for organizations you don’t work for full time (the same is true for marketing materials, speeches, etc). The only thing I can say is to read, read, read any content you can from that organization. I have gone so far as to make vocabulary lists of words that make up the “language” of an organization. The ideal situation is, of course, that one is able to write quite often for the same agency, so it is almost as good as being there every day.

]]> By: Jenn Escalona http://blog.jennescalona.com/2009/06/11/specialtybuzz-holly-patrick-nonprofit-philanthropic-organization-writer/comment-page-1/#comment-176 Jenn Escalona Thu, 11 Jun 2009 11:57:02 +0000 http://blog.jennescalona.com/?p=520#comment-176 Holly, it sounds to me like you get to write a lot of pieces that lead to good things for other people. What is your favorite "feel-good" project and why? Also, there was some discussion of freelance grant writing at this blog the other day. (Namely, I said I thought it was tremendously difficult because it's hard to capture the essence of an organization without working there day after day. The blog post I'm referring to is here: http://bit.ly/gIDzB) Do you write grant proposals and, if so, how do you get around that obstacle? Holly, it sounds to me like you get to write a lot of pieces that lead to good things for other people. What is your favorite “feel-good” project and why?

Also, there was some discussion of freelance grant writing at this blog the other day. (Namely, I said I thought it was tremendously difficult because it’s hard to capture the essence of an organization without working there day after day. The blog post I’m referring to is here: http://bit.ly/gIDzB) Do you write grant proposals and, if so, how do you get around that obstacle?

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