Municipalities provide support to their communities when they need it most. And in times like these, when people are ill or struggling financially, local governments must act fast. However, community tax dollars aren’t always enough to foot the bill.
Fortunately, municipalities can get the support they need by requesting funding from the state or federal government. But to do so, cities and other local entities must present their arguments with a sound proposal.
Getting the point across
Both Texas and the federal government provide various grants. Whether it’s for education or public works expansions, countless Texas communities rely on government donations to fund vital projects. Here are a few tips government proposal writers should consider:
- Making sure interests align: Proposal writers must get their message to the right people. For instance, if a municipality wants funding for improving the quality of its homeless shelters, they should target the Texas Department of Housing and Urban Development.
- Identify a problem and find a solution: Explaining an issue through storytelling can help grant writers state their point clearly and concisely. Their story should have a clear beginning (need/opportunity statement), middle (solution to the problem) and end (results a solution could bring). It’s often easy to get lost when writing proposals. But telling the reader what the city plans to do, how they’re going to do it and why the reader should care, it can help establish a compelling and logical argument.
- Make sure the budget lines up with the narrative: While an attention-grabbing narrative is crucial, it’s vital to display an accurate budget to back up the writer’s credibility. If the writer makes a point in the narrative, that same point should also get reflected in the budget. If proposal writers don’t link them together, the reader may see view their request as unrealistic.
Government funders are people too
Sometimes, it’s hard to imagine that state government agencies have a human side; however, many of them do. When a proposal pulls heartstrings and simultaneously demonstrates a balanced budget, local communities have a better chance of getting the funding they need.
