Grammar Kerfuffles: Second Installment

(View the other installments here)

Welcome to installment #2 of the grant writing blog series “Grammar Kerfuffles,” presented for you by DH Leonard Consulting & Grant Writing Services! Today we examine the choice (dilemma?) between first person and third person, which arises regularly in grant writing (as you very likely know).

Ground rules for our exploration before diving in:

• The author is a grant-seeking organization, no matter which style.
• Before you begin writing the documents in your application, choose the voice you will use throughout, either first or third person. Factors to help you make that decision are next.

About first person. First person singular (“I” or “me”) feels awkward (at best) in most grant writing. Imagine styling one of your recent drafts that way! But first person plural (“we” and “our”) can be fitting for representing a nonprofit comprising multiple folks. The voice of first person creates a feeling of being on the inside with the author.

Why use first person. Sometimes, our team prefers first person:

(1) When the grant seeker prefers that voice.

(2) As an approach to storytelling in the application. From team member Beth Archer (GPC, RST), one of our clients builds “a lot of storytelling elements into their proposals” and that approach “lends… itself to using first person.”

(3) When the format is a business letter, almost always.

(4) When we want to engage the reader, as opposed to the external feel of third person.

One risk of using first person. A real-world draft that we recently encountered when serving as reviewers was that of an organization that used “we” consistently throughout their narrative but never mentioned the organization name, not once. Kind intervention was necessary. So, at the beginning of each document, always identify your organization, no matter whether you write in first or third person. And then be sure that the organization name is regularly present throughout all documents. Keep a balance between “we” and the actual organization name.

An example of first person that establishes that balance. “Awesome Animals Organization is grateful for the continued support of the Fund and your most recent grant of $100,000. Last year, the Fund’s generosity supported our vital work serving sick, stray animals in Story City, specifically the relocation and expansion of our Awesome Animals Happy Shelter.”

About third person. Third person in grant writing comes in the form of “they,” “their,” or “it.” Third person observes from the outside.

Why use third person. We suggest a few practical reasons to use third person:

(1) When the grant seeker prefers that style.

(2) When the funder requires that style (most often, government grantmakers, in our experience). Why would they?

• The reviewer might perceive third person as more detached, thinking that they can evaluate proposals objectively.
• The funder might prefer the ability to directly copy and paste your content into their own reports or publicity.

(3) Some writers feel that third person comes across as more factual.

(4) When we need to discuss qualifications of staff and leadership using “she,” “he,” and “they.”

Neither approach is always correct for every circumstance. Some of us generally default to third person when the client does not specify a preference. Some of us generally prefer first person. Ultimately, the story, audience, and purpose of each unique draft (and a little gut based on your experience) are typically your deciding factors.