Beyond the Grant Template: Using Storytelling and Segmentation to Win Funding

If your organization is still submitting the same generic proposal to every funder, you’re leaving money on the table. The truth? Fundraising success isn’t about writing more grants—it’s about writing smarter ones.

At Lion’s Share Strategies, we’ve found that two timeless marketing strategies—storytelling and segmentation—are the most underused tools in the pursuit of philanthropic and industry funding.

Here’s how you can start applying them today:

1. Segment Your Funders Like a Marketer Segments Customers

In marketing, you don’t send the same message to everyone—you create audience personas and tailor your pitch. Fundraising should work the same way.

👉 Philanthropists want to fund vision and values.

👉 Corporate sponsors want visibility and ROI.

👉 Private foundations want measurable impact.

👉 Angel investors want transferability and a path to scale.

If your proposal isn’t speaking directly to one of these motivations, it’s unlikely to resonate—no matter how good your idea is.

2. Make Your Proposal a Story, Not a Spreadsheet

Data matters. Outcomes matter. But the best fundraisers know that narrative is what moves people to action.

Marketing professionals don’t just talk about features—they tell stories about transformation. Your grant proposal should show:

• The world before your solution

• The transformation you’re making possible

• The world after your work succeeds

  
  

This isn’t fluff—it’s strategy. Storytelling increases recall, builds trust, and makes your work memorable in a crowded funding landscape.

3. Different Message, Same Research

You don’t need to reinvent your work for every audience—you just need to reframe it. A single project can be pitched three ways:

• To a foundation as a public good

• To an investor as a scalable innovation

• To a corporation as a CSR opportunity

  
  

The research stays the same. The pitch evolves.

Bottom Line:

🎓 If you want to fund your next big idea, don’t just submit a proposal. Craft a message that lands with the right funder, at the right time, in the right way.

Marketing isn’t a luxury in today’s climate—it’s your funding strategy.

Ready to position your research or program for maximum impact? Let’s talk about how Lion’s Share Strategies can help you reframe your pitch, segment your funders, and secure support that lasts. Contact us today.