Shifting From Deficit-Based to Strength-Based Grant Narratives-RECORDING

Webinar recorded on 05.12.25

Description:

Funders are increasingly moving away from deficit-based narratives that focus on problems and scarcity, instead prioritizing initiatives that highlight community strengths, resilience, and empowerment. Nonprofits that embrace a strength-based approach in their grant proposals can better align with this evolving funding landscape and appeal to funders seeking sustainable, community-led solutions.

In this TargetED session, Alice Ruhnke will provide practical guidance on crafting proposals that emphasize community assets and capabilities. You’ll learn how to shift your storytelling to highlight empowerment and resilience while maintaining a compelling case for support.

You’ll learn:

the key differences between deficit-based and strength-based narratives in grantwriting;
how to identify and articulate community assets, capacities, and resilience in proposals; and,
storytelling techniques that celebrate empowerment, strengths, and long-term sustainability.

Who should attend:

TargetEDs are designed with beginners in mind. This session is ideal for nonprofit professionals, grantwriters, and program managers who want to align their proposals with funders prioritizing community-led solutions and sustainable impact.

After the webinar, you’ll receive:

slides and handouts; and,
a link to the webinar recording.

45 Minutes

Alice Ruhnke

Alice Ruhnke is the President of GrantStation. Having raised over $45 million from federal, state, and private grantmakers, she knows what it takes to get funded. As a former nonprofit program coordinator and director, and Founder of The Grant Advantage, Alice has a deep understanding of the challenges that nonprofits face. Over the last 20 years she's worked in the trenches with hundreds of nonprofit organizations to improve their capacity to raise funds. Alice is an author and educator with a passion to share her expertise. Her insightful trainings on grant proposal writing and development, community change models, service projects, and measuring outcomes have helped over 4,000 individuals positively impact their communities. Alice earned the Grant Professional Certified (GPC) credential in 2025, a distinguished certification that recognizes expertise in grantsmanship through a rigorous, experience-based examination.