Words

I love words, how they sound, ways to put them together, words that get our attention, and how we can use them creatively to make a point. Though I’ve written about words before, the topic seems worthy of renewed attention.

We need words to describe programs, articulate why they need funding, and reinforce how they support your mission. A clever choice of words can get attention, add emphasis, impress a donor, or surprise the reader. When I see a word I’m not expecting, I keep reading.

Words allow us to create an image to illustrate what might otherwise seem vague. Here’s a wonderful example on the website of Shared Cause, a consulting group with demonstrated success in helping communities achieve social impact.

Solving a tough social problem is like working a jigsaw puzzle. At first, all you see are many separate pieces, but they can be formed into a coherent whole. 

Cool words

I encountered the word juddering in The Library Book by Susan Orlean, and found intriguing synonyms in Merriam Webster including quaking, quivering, shivering, and jiggling. It got me thinking. This particular word might not work in a proposal. However, used judiciously, an unexpected word or phrase can add interest and have impact on a proposal reviewer: “I remember this grant. It’s the one with such creative language.”

Why words matter

Carefully selected words get attention, foster appreciation for the clarity of your documents, demonstrate your commitment to important values, and may very well motivate the reader to give your proposal a second look. Attention to language demonstrates competence, which may boost the donor’s confidence in your organization’s ability to implement the proposed program.

Happy New Year!

The new year is a marvelous time to think about words. You may be writing thank you notes, or conveying appreciation to your team. If your communication is handwritten (I encourage this!), you can use lively colors or include a flourish by underlining a perky word or even adding doodles to reinforce your message about the year ahead.