What MTV, Dale Carnegie and Winning Grants Have in Common
This month is the 30th anniversary of that iconic music channel MTV as they played their first video, "Video Killed the Radio Star.
"This anniversary is nostalgic for me in a big way because I grew up on 80's music.
In my small Alabama hometown, the music videos of MTV transported me to far-away places I had only read about in text books.
I watched as Simon Le Bon and the gang on the boat in Antigua sang about "Rio," as Cyndi Lauper danced down the streets of New York to "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" and as David Lee Roth crooned from the beach about "California Girls.
"I was glued (to put it mildly) to this new music sensation.
And it must not have been just me it excited because thirty years later the music lives on.
It's just a classic.
So what in the world does MTV have to do with Dale Carnegie and winning grants?First, I had to find some way to honor MTV's anniversary and, second, I consider both MTV and Dale Carnegie's How to Win Friends and Influence People to be enduring classics.
Let me explain.
Grant writing is both an art and a science.
There are important steps to take in writing an effective and persuasive grant application including grant maker research, finding good matches, gathering and attaching requested documentation, following instructions and convincing funders of your organization's need.
To ensure chances of even greater success, meaningful relationships with grant funder's decision makers should also be cultivated and part of your grant writing process.
Here is where the genius work of Dale Carnegie comes in.
So many nonprofits feel that their applications don't stand a chance because they don't know anyone on the "inside.
"To put it bluntly, I find this to just be an excuse for not making the effort.
If your organization's mission is a match for the grant funder, write your application according to the correct steps you've been taught (this is important!) and couple that with a warm, friendly approach to the grant maker.
Your chances of success are much, much greater then.
In his book, Mr.
Carnegie advises three principles in dealing with people: Principle One - Don't condemn, criticize or complain Principle Two - Give honest and sincere appreciation Principle Three - Arouse in the other person an eager want Use these principles when you're cultivating relationships with the grant funder's decision makers.
Don't be fake - genuinely show an appreciation for their work and be pleasant in any situation - even if they don't fund you.
MTV has been around for thirty years now so they must be doing something right.
Do you think when their ratings have dipped that they just sit around complaining?No, they simply changed their format to satisfy viewer's wants.
They are also excellent at making us want them around.
(Although I have to be honest here and admit that I find their programming not to my taste these days but of course it's still appealing to a "less mature" audience.
) Don't give up - continue to grow your relationships with grant makers, be persistent in finding out what exactly they're looking for from a programming standpoint and make them want to fund you.
If you don't have a passion for your organization and stand firm in the face of adversity no one else will.
And, I just have to throw this in here - I WANT MY MTV! (Remember?)
"This anniversary is nostalgic for me in a big way because I grew up on 80's music.
In my small Alabama hometown, the music videos of MTV transported me to far-away places I had only read about in text books.
I watched as Simon Le Bon and the gang on the boat in Antigua sang about "Rio," as Cyndi Lauper danced down the streets of New York to "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" and as David Lee Roth crooned from the beach about "California Girls.
"I was glued (to put it mildly) to this new music sensation.
And it must not have been just me it excited because thirty years later the music lives on.
It's just a classic.
So what in the world does MTV have to do with Dale Carnegie and winning grants?First, I had to find some way to honor MTV's anniversary and, second, I consider both MTV and Dale Carnegie's How to Win Friends and Influence People to be enduring classics.
Let me explain.
Grant writing is both an art and a science.
There are important steps to take in writing an effective and persuasive grant application including grant maker research, finding good matches, gathering and attaching requested documentation, following instructions and convincing funders of your organization's need.
To ensure chances of even greater success, meaningful relationships with grant funder's decision makers should also be cultivated and part of your grant writing process.
Here is where the genius work of Dale Carnegie comes in.
So many nonprofits feel that their applications don't stand a chance because they don't know anyone on the "inside.
"To put it bluntly, I find this to just be an excuse for not making the effort.
If your organization's mission is a match for the grant funder, write your application according to the correct steps you've been taught (this is important!) and couple that with a warm, friendly approach to the grant maker.
Your chances of success are much, much greater then.
In his book, Mr.
Carnegie advises three principles in dealing with people: Principle One - Don't condemn, criticize or complain Principle Two - Give honest and sincere appreciation Principle Three - Arouse in the other person an eager want Use these principles when you're cultivating relationships with the grant funder's decision makers.
Don't be fake - genuinely show an appreciation for their work and be pleasant in any situation - even if they don't fund you.
MTV has been around for thirty years now so they must be doing something right.
Do you think when their ratings have dipped that they just sit around complaining?No, they simply changed their format to satisfy viewer's wants.
They are also excellent at making us want them around.
(Although I have to be honest here and admit that I find their programming not to my taste these days but of course it's still appealing to a "less mature" audience.
) Don't give up - continue to grow your relationships with grant makers, be persistent in finding out what exactly they're looking for from a programming standpoint and make them want to fund you.
If you don't have a passion for your organization and stand firm in the face of adversity no one else will.
And, I just have to throw this in here - I WANT MY MTV! (Remember?)
