Write a Compelling Need Section - The Condition

Writing a compelling need section is a critical part of writing a successful proposal. The need section must be well researched, developed, and planned. It sets the stage for other parts of your application. It also demonstrates how important it is for a funder to support your cause. 

The purpose of this section is to clearly identify the community you are serving, the challenges of your target population, and the root causes for those challenges. 

Following the Project Planning Framework, the statement of need is broken down into two sections: Condition or Status of the Community and Population Served and the Reasons Behind the Condition or Status of the Population Served. This section covers the first component and the next section covers the second component.  

One significant piece of information you need to know as you get started is that the need is not about what your organization needs. It is about the needs of your community and the people you serve. Quite often, nonprofits start this section with a description of what they need. For example,  “My organization...