Conclusion

The funding document is an odd mixture of documentation and inspiration. It must support its assertions as completely as any doctoral dissertation, and it must stir its readers to action as effectively as the most eloquent polemic. Combining the two styles into a single document can be done, but it makes for a merger as challenging as any ever consummated on Wall Street. No formula can be absolutely guaranteed to turn out the perfect document every time. Perhaps the best way to approach the goal is to study exemplary funding documents written by others to learn how they managed the trick, and then consciously seek to glean the best elements of their styles.

Still, no one should expect to hit the mark every time. Some proposals lend themselves better to the factual approach, whereas others are more attuned to the emotional and spiritual appeal. Striking the best balance between the two approaches in writing the funding document is one of the most essential skills any program officer can develop. Those who learn to do it well deserve praise for mastering this most challenging task of the grantmaking calling.