Mission Statements For Grant Writing

Mission Statements Are Strategic

In grant writing it is important to be familiar with issues and concepts that are part of strategic planning. There are three things that organizations must state candidly and up front: Vision, values and mission.

A Way To Indicate Your Alignment

All nonprofits need to be sure they clearly express their purpose. Funders will use it to determine whether or not your program is aligned to their missions. Likewise, you should have the ability to determine if there is alignment of a potential funder and your needs.

There is no value in wasting time consulting them if their mission statement clashes with your own. Of course this is just a basic indicator and further research will show their funding history. But an obvious misalignment can save you the trouble of looking.

What A Mission Statement Looks Like

Mission statements generally just communicate what the organization is doing, in the present tense. An outstanding example is the Ford Foundation, which states:

"The Ford Foundation supports visionary leaders and organizations on the frontlines of social change worldwide"

This is a simple, to-the-point statement of what the foundation is currently doing. What I really like is that it's smart and pithy, without becoming cute. It also manages to tie into the broader concept of vision.

Another terrific example is Edutopia, The George Lucas Education Foundation:

"... dedicated to improving the K-12 learning process by documenting, disseminating, and advocating for innovative, replicable, and evidence-based strategies that prepare students to thrive in their future education, careers, and adult lives."

It follows up with a vision statement that widens the mission to where they wish to be in the future. That's a knockout combination.

The Breakdown The following points summarize ways to construct a mission statement:

State what your organization accomplishes Get to the point in a couple of sentences Create motion with your words Use the present tense Make it a statement by which alignment to your cause can be judged

Final Review

Mission statements are basic tools to communicate your goals to all of your stakeholders, not just prospective grant funders. They uphold all fundraising vehicles, they provide leadership to your staff and volunteers, and they build hope to the recipients of your actions that you can provide the sources for change.

In grant proposals mission statements relate alignment and create confidence that your cause must be funded. As an expert grant writer a clear concise mission statement will make your job just a little easier.