Writing for a Good Cause: The Complete Guide to Crafting Proposals and Other Persuasive Pieces for Nonprofits [Paperback]

Joseph Barbato (Author), Danielle Furlich (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 19, 2000

Filled with tips and survival skills from writers and fund-raising officers at nonprofits of all sizes, Writing for a Good Cause is the first book to explain how to use words well to win your cause the money it needs. Whether you work for a storefront social action agency or a leading university, the authors' knowledgeable, practical advice will help you:

• Write the perfect proposal -- from the initial research and interviews to the final product
• Draft, revise, and polish a "beguiling, exciting, can't-put-it-down and surely can't-turn-it-down" request for funds
• Create case statements and other big money materials -- also write, design, and print newsletters, and use the World Wide Web effectively
• Survive last-minute proposals and other crises -- with the Down-and-Dirty Proposal Kit!

Writing for a Good Cause provides everything fund raisers, volunteers, staff writers, freelancers, and program directors need to know to win funds from individual, foundation, and corporate donors.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Writing for nonprofits is a juggling act. One's job might entail writing grant proposals, newsletters, thank-you notes, case statements, and Web-site material--each for a different boss. The most successful development writers take the time to both experience their causes firsthand (sleep in the shelter, go to rehearsals, visit the wilderness) and cultivate personal relationships with their donors ("people give to people"). You'll give yourself an amazing head start when applying for a grant, say Joseph Barbato and Danielle Furlich, just by following an organization's guidelines and getting your math right--it's surprising how many fundraisers do neither. Make your point once, clearly, and don't forget the human element. "You aren't just asking for money," say the authors of Writing for a Good Cause, "you are asking to help people." Barbato and Furlich, both veteran fundraisers, interviewed both grants administrators and development writers for this guide. The result is an inside view of the arcane workings of the world of fundraising that would make any novice feel more proficient immediately. Their "gotta-get-it-out-right-now, how-late-is-FedEx-open? Down-and-dirty proposal kit" is a terrific tool when there isn't time to write the "knockout, beguiling, exciting, can't-put-it-down, and surely can't-turn-it-down fundraising proposal." And keep in mind: when a donor gives your proposal the nod, say thank you. Twice. In fact, say Barbato and Furlich, "It is almost impossible to thank a donor too much." --Jane Steinberg

From Booklist

Surprise! It may be a manual, and it may be aimed at those who write to elicit money, but it is also wise, funny, and useful for anyone who writes anything. In an informal but never sloppy style, the authors define fundraising ("Once, it was called begging") and offer a quick view of the nonprofit universe. They carry the reader through proposal writing, case statements, newsletters, and all of their myriad parts, from executive summaries and cover letters to budgets and appendixes, enlivening an already lively text with model sidebars. Pages are liberally peppered with boxes called "Hot Tip" and "Writer Beware!" The advice on organizing material, interviewing people, and sitting down to write would serve any writer. They even provide a special section, "the down-and-dirty proposal kit," for those times when you have two days in which to cram two weeks of work. Underlying it all is the energy that comes from working for a good cause and using your words to make the world better. GraceAnne A. DeCandido
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 332 pages
• Publisher: Touchstone; Original edition (July 19, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0684857405
• ISBN-13: 978-0684857404
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #43,878 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #40 in Books > Business & Investing > Skills > Business Writing
  • #50 in Books > Business & Investing > Industries & Professions > Nonprofit Organizations & Charities

More About the Author

Joseph Barbato is an author, journalist, and consultant who blogs about books at www.redweatherreview.com.

Barbato grew up in New York City and earned B.A. and M.A. degrees at New York University, where he worked for many years as a writer and editor. He later spent nine years as editorial director at the headquarters of The Nature Conservancy, where he co-edited the literary anthologies "Heart of the Land" and "Off the Beaten Path." Barbato has also served as fiction editor of a little magazine, The Remington Review, and has syndicated features on books and authors to The Los Angeles Times, the Chicago Sun-Times, the San Francisco Chronicle, and many other newspapers.

A former contributing editor of Publishers Weekly, he has also been a contributor to Smithsonian, Kirkus Reviews, the Chronicle of Higher Education, the Washington Post, The New York Times, Newsday, America, The Village Voice, The New Leader, The Chicago Tribune, and The Progressive. He also co-edited the literary anthology "Patchwork of Dreams," which gathers stories, poems, and other work by residents of the multi-cultural community of Queens in New York City.

A veteran of capital campaigns at NYU and The Nature Conservancy, Barbato has written several books on nonprofit fundraising and communications: "How to Write Knockout Proposals," "Writing for a Good Cause," and "Attracting the Attention Your Cause Deserves." He has been a consultant to many nonprofit institutions, including M.I.T., the Smithsonian Institution, the American Academy in Berlin, the Brookings Institution, the Westport Playhouse, the American Diabetes Association, the National Wildlife Federation, the U.S. Fund for UNICEF, and Oxford University (U.K.).

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

50 of 50 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Not just a guide to writing proposals - a guide to life, August 11, 2002

By 

noname (Ann Arbor, MI) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Writing for a Good Cause: The Complete Guide to Crafting Proposals and Other Persuasive Pieces for Nonprofits (Paperback)

Not surprisingly, this book provides advice that -- if applied literally -- will assist you in writing excellent proposals to fund your non-profit organization's ventures.

Surprisingly, the advice contained herein -- if made more generic in your mind -- is excellent advice for entire areas of your life. Sounds hokey, true. But honestly, boiled down the advice can be listed as:

1. Identify what the problem is. Do your research until you really understand the causes of the problems and their many effects.

2. Identify how you will know when you have made the problem better. How will you know when the problem has been alleviated? What intermediate steps need to be taken? How will you measure your progress along the way?

3.Identify what tools are available, and which are still needed, to move towards a resolution, or diminution, of the problem. Be specific here. Vague generalities are useless, but the brass tacks of a solution are absolutely priceless. Who has access to these tools? Who can make difficult things easy?

4. If you are asking for someone to help you with this problem, present the whole equation to them in a light that makes the most sense to *them*. This doesn't mean to lie, or exaggerate. It only means to focus your proposal in a way that makes them see it most personally.

5. Proofread what you have written, to be sure it says what you want it to say. Then proofread it again. And again. Get it right, because it is a hard and fast representative of you. This should be true in everything concrete you put out in the world with your name on it.

Now, all of this can be applied to writing a grant proposal. And much of it can be applied to the other things in life. Filling a job position, finding a home, working out a deteriorating relationship, educating yourself or your children ... you name it.

It's so rare that a book directed at an audience of specialists resonates with so much broadly applicable truth ... and it was such a delight to find it. I plowed through this book last night, reading every word, applying its advice mentally to all sorts of issues in my own life. I am pleased to report that it opened my eyes to solutions that had eluded me until now.

Wonderfully written, amusingly told, full of great advice to writers of all persuasive materials, this book is a gem.

33 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining and Informative, October 9, 2000

By 

Patrick J. Heryford (San Francisco, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Writing for a Good Cause: The Complete Guide to Crafting Proposals and Other Persuasive Pieces for Nonprofits (Paperback)

I almost didn't purchase this book because I already have several books on grantwriting. However, I have the feeling that this book will be "dog-eared" in no time while the others will simply gather dust. For the beginning grantwriter, you will find tons of great practical advice. For us seasoned veterans, you will discover much which you may have forgotten...a great "refresher course." I especially like the section that discusses "moonlighting" and how to make some extra money on the side. I've never seen that topic discussed before in a typical grantwriting book. This is a fun and entertaining read, and is a welcome addition to my professional library.

30 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Puts the Fun in Fundraising, July 10, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Writing for a Good Cause: The Complete Guide to Crafting Proposals and Other Persuasive Pieces for Nonprofits (Paperback)

When I am on deadline and desperately in need of help, "Writing for a Good Cause" is where I turn first for guidance, solace, or inspiration (seeing as how our office manager objects to open containers of alcohol at one's desk). Not only is this book full of incredibly practical writing tips in handy list form, it is also very funny and a page turner.

The heart of the book is a clear guide to how to write a great proposal, but other valuable topics are covered, including newsletters, case statements, interviews, and the like.

In one section, the authors mix genuine examples of great fundraising writing with an imaginary proposal to fund the construction of the Brooklyn Bridge. They not only convince you to help build the Brooklyn Bridge, you're ready to buy it.

The bridge is not for sale, but this book is. It is well worth its price of two fast food lunches. Buy it, read it, and be happy.