Putting together requests for funds and grants that will benefit nonprofit organizations sounds simple enough on the surface. You write a proposal, mail it to a potential benefactor, and wait for a response. This strategy, however, often results in denied requests as it focuses on only one aspect of a successful fund-raising effort: the writing.

Veteran fund-raiser Jane Simpson explores the three vital components nonprofits must consider when embarking on any fund-raising effort: relationships, resolutions, and-finally-the writing itself. When employed together, these three tools greatly increase your chance of successfully securing funding.

In this short, information-packed manual, Simpson explores the necessity of creating a strong relationship with potential funders, either directly or through intermediaries, explaining the need to express a firm commitment on how the funding will be used. Finally, she offers a practical writing guide that nonprofits can follow-from their initial funding concept to ultimate completion of the request.

Ideal for introducing new members of your development team to the intricacies of written fund-raising, Relationships, Resolutions, and Writing is also a handy resource for experienced writers looking for an edge in the competitive world of fund-raising proposals and grant applications.