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Storytelling for donors

Executive summary, language of the application, common mistakes.

4 quiz questions

Why style and delivery matter

The reviewer of a typical competition reads 20-50 applications. They are tired, time-pressed, and often decide about your application in 15-20 minutes. Your job is to help them say "yes" as quickly as possible, removing cognitive load.

Executive summary

The executive summary is a 1-2 page condensed version of the application. In 80% of cases it is what the reviewer reads first. Often it decides whether the rest is read carefully.

What the executive summary must contain

•Problem: 2-3 sentences with key numbers.
•Solution: your approach, what is special about it.
•Target audience: who and how many.
•Expected results: 2-3 key outcomes with numbers.
•Budget and timeframe: total amount, period.
•Why you: 1 sentence on relevant organizational experience.

If your executive summary contains no numbers — rewrite it.

Language of the application

What to avoid

•Vague adjectives: "significantly", "effectively", "comprehensively", "innovatively" — without explaining what they mean.
•Filler words: "to the maximum", "in general", "completely", "etc.".
•General slogans: "youth is our future", "investment in human capital".
•Unexplained jargon: donor-community acronyms without definition.

What works

•Specifics and numbers: "200 IDPs from Chernihiv Oblast, 18-30 years old".
•Action verbs: "increase", "achieve", "engage", "raise".
•Short sentences, clear structure: subheaders, bullets, highlights.
•Concrete examples and cases that back abstract claims.

Addressing evaluation criteria

If the CfP says "innovation — 20 points", your application must have a dedicated paragraph (or subheader) clearly answering "in what way is it innovative?". Don't make the reviewer hunt — hand it over.

Final pre-submission checklist

•Submit 24 hours before deadline — not in the last hours.
•Verify every budget formula (especially Excel SUM).
•Let a "cold reader" — someone not involved in the project — read the application.
•Confirm you answered every template item, in the correct order.
•Make sure all annexes are attached, files named correctly, versions current.

Submitting in the last hours = submitting with errors. The professional standard respects both your time and the reviewer's.

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