What is a “Needs Statement” and do I need one?
We all know that our projects are valuable and serve the needs of our communities - be they local, provincial, national or international. However, when writing grant applications, we need to think very specifically about why we are proposing our projects. We need to be able to relay, in very few sentences, what the need in our community is that we are trying to address. We should also be able to identify who has raised the need for a project like ours. Was it our clients? Staff? Researchers? And what are our partners or others saying about the issue?
A needs statement identifies the reason a project is required at this point in time, in our particular geographic location. It points to a particular service/research/support gap that will be addressed by our project and that makes a strong argument to a funder for support. Here are some tips to creating an impactful needs statement:
Describe the need:
What is the need in your community? Identify why funders should care about this particular issue in your community.
What research do you have to back up the statement of need? In order to substantiate that gap to funders, you will need to do your homework and find the relevant data. Strengthen the need for your project by including statistics, expert views and research that clearly show the gap you are seeking to fill.
Pinpoint who will benefit:
Who will be the beneficiaries of your work? Women? Children? Members of a specific community? Make sure to focus on the people your project will serve, rather than your organization’s needs. Unless otherwise specified, funders are not usually interested in supporting your organization’s operating needs.
The impact of your project:
What will change because of your project? What will be greater or smaller? Who will learn new skills or change their behaviour? This is your chance to show how, by addressing the need in your community, your project will create positive social change.
The needs in your community may be obvious to you, but the funder is most likely unaware of the needs and the solutions for the community that you serve. A strong needs statement can illuminate pressing issues and demonstrate how your organization is best positioned to implement solutions with their funding.