Rewriting the Story: Grant Writing with Asset Framing and Community-Centric Values

Session Description: 

Too many grant proposals tell stories of scarcity, trauma, or deficit to secure funding. But what if we could fundraise without selling struggle? This hands-on workshop equips Maryland artists, arts administrators, and grant writers with the tools to write stronger, more ethical, and more effective grant proposals using asset framing and community-centric fundraising principles. Participants will learn how to shift the narrative in their proposals — from “what’s broken” to “what’s possible.” We’ll walk through real examples of before-and-after language transformations, practice rewriting our own bios or project descriptions, and share strategies for uplifting community power without centering pity, pain, or extraction. No matter your experience level, this session offers fresh tools and frameworks that prioritize dignity and impact over saviorism and scarcity.

The session will also offer guidance on:

– Naming and articulating community impact without centering white or institutional validation

– Avoiding common tropes in proposals that perpetuate harmful power dynamics

– Writing with clarity, dignity, and joy — even in a 250-word character limit