Writing for Your Audience

This week my little brother emailed me a one-page write-up for a small funding application and asked me to give him some feedback. I opened the document and started reading. It all looked pretty good. He was making a case for himself as to why he should be funded. But, as I started to think about my feedback, I was reminded of the cardinal rules of grant-writing that really must be followed any time you're asking for money (including in my brother's application).

Below are the rules:

Know the funding agency
First thing's first. You must know who your overarching audience is. Why is this agency in existence? What are they trying to do? What's their mission? What elements are prioritized in their strategic plan? Certainly, a program announcement will give you specific details on what the particular program is about, but how does this program fit into the agency's larger vision?

Understand what they want
Along with understanding what an agency is about is understanding what they want. Are they trying to cure cancer or invest in cultural activities? If so, how? What have they funded previously that can give you additional insight into what they want after you've read the program announcement?

Know their criteria and reviewers
Certainly, it is important to know what criteria they are judging your application on and for you to spell out how you meet that criteria explicitly, including using the same language that the agency uses in its program announcement and its other communications. Be crystal clear about where in your application you are responding to what.  Remember that tired reviewers want your project served to them on a silver platter - that means it's clear, succinct, and easy to read. Also, in addition to understanding your agency, it's important to also understand your reviewers. Are they all researchers like you? Are there lay people? Family members of the founder? Consumers of whatever research you're producing? The better a sense you have of who you're writing for, the better you can write for them.

Describe why they should fund you
Once you're clear on who you're trying to convince to fund you, you then need to craft your case in terms of why you and your project are the best possible fit for their funding. Of course it's important to showcase the impact and ingenuity of your project, but you also have to impress upon the agency and the reviewers why you/your team are the best possible people to carry out the amazing project.

All of this discussion boils down to the most important element in grant-writing - writing for your audience. You cannot do this unless you first understand who your audience is and what they want. This seems like a basic principle, but it's amazing how often it is ignored or set aside until the last minute when it is really the very foundation of good grant-writing.

Resources:
Know Your Audience - NIAID
Know Your Audience - InsideHigherEd


Apologies to my brother, who unbeknownst to him inspired this week's blog. :)