When you apply for a grant, how do you help a reviewer understand your mission?
You can write a strong proposal, but sometimes, words alone can’t fully explain what you do.
A short video may be the answer.
The catch? A video only belongs in a grant application when the funder allows it. And when it does, the video must help make your case, not distract from it.
Here is how to decide whether a grant application video makes sense, what to include, and how to create one without wasting time or money.
Do grant applications actually accept video?
Some do.
Lever for Change requires a short, captioned video for certain funding opportunities. Its instructions ask applicants to explain their organization, the community they serve, the problem they address, and their approach to solving it.
The video must be no longer than 90 seconds.
Other funders use video differently. Some ask for examples of a program in action. Others accept video as a work sample or supporting material. And then there are the select few that do not accept video at all.
What does this mean for your nonprofit?
Never assume a video will make an application stronger. Read the rules first.
Look for answers to these questions:
- Does the funder require a video, allow one, or prohibit one?
- Is there a time limit?
- Should you upload a file or share a link?
- Are captions required?
- What should the video show?
- Who will watch it, and how will it be judged?
What should your grant application video show?
Think of your video as a short visit to your nonprofit.
A reviewer may understand your mission from your proposal. A video can help them see how the work happens.
Here are four things to consider including.
1. The problem
Start with the need your nonprofit addresses.
Do not spend the first 20 seconds showing your logo, office building, and staff posing for a group photo.
Get to the point.
A food bank might explain that families in its community struggle to find food. A youth organization might describe the lack of safe after-school programs.
Use facts that you can support.
2. Your program in action
Let the reviewer see a class taking place, volunteers preparing food, a community garden being maintained, or a job training session in progress.
Choose footage that connects directly to the proposed project.
If you are seeking funding for an after-school program, show the program.
A reviewer needs to understand what the requested money will support.
3. The people behind the work
A brief statement from a volunteer, participant, program director or staff member may help explain what makes the work meaningful.
Use real people speaking in their own words.
Take extra care with children, people receiving sensitive services, and anyone who could face harm if their identity becomes public.
4. Evidence that your approach works
Funders need more than a moving story. They need a reason to believe you will deliver.
So include a small number of useful results.
A workforce program could report how many people completed training and how many found jobs. A food bank might show how many households it served during a stated period.
Explain what the numbers mean. Make sure they match the figures in your grant proposal.
If you are launching a new program and do not have results yet, do not pretend otherwise. Explain your plan, your team’s experience, and how you will measure progress.
The strongest message is not simply, “We care.” It is, “Here is the need, here is what we do, and here is how we will know whether it works.”
How long should your video be?
Follow the funder’s instructions.
If the instructions leave the length open, a short video is a sensible starting point. Aim for 60 to 120 seconds.
Here is one possible structure for a 90-second video:
0–10s
Introduce the organization
Who are you, and whom do you serve?
10–30s
Show the need
What problem are you working to solve?
30–65s
Show the work
What does your program do? What evidence supports your approach?
65–90s
Explain the opportunity
What will the proposed funding help you accomplish?
Do you need a professional video?
Not necessarily.
Lever for Change says that its required application video does not need high production values.A smartphone video is acceptable. It does, however, require captions and compliance with its other submission rules.
That is important. A polished video is not automatically a better application.
For many grant videos, clear sound, good lighting, an organized message, and honest examples matter more than fancy camera moves.
Here is a simple checklist:
- Record somewhere quiet
- Put the camera near eye level
- Face a window or another light source
- Keep the background free of distractions
- Add captions
- Check every name, number and claim against the written proposal.
- Test the final link or file before submitting it.
Mistakes to avoid
A grant video can create extra work without adding value.
Mistake 1: Making a commercial.
The reviewer does not need a sales pitch. They need to understand your work and its fit with the grant.
Mistake 2: Trying to explain everything.
Your organization may run 10 programs. If the grant supports one of them, focus on that program.
Mistake 3: Using emotion without evidence.
A moving story can help explain the need, but it does not replace results, a sound plan, or a realistic budget.
Mistake 4: Ignoring accessibility.
Captions can help people who are Deaf or hard of hearing, people watching without sound, and reviewers who process written information more easily. Provide them when required, and consider them even when they are optional.
We offer a free Disability Marketing Guide. It shows you how to make any piece of marketing more accessible.
Mistake 5: Spending money before checking the rules.
Do not pay for a new production before you know what the funder wants. You may already have footage that can be used
How to get more value from one video
If you are going to record footage, consider how else you may be able to use it—with permission and within the funder’s rules.
For example, footage from a program might support:
- A presentation
- A program update for existing donors
- A staff or volunteer recruitment page
- A short educational post for social media
- A report to another funder
- And more!
Team Trust Productions is a disability-led video production and marketing company that helps nonprofits use video to communicate their impact and reach the right people.
If you already have videos but are not sure how to use them across grants, donor communications, and marketing, schedule a free 15-minute video marketing review.
We will help you identify three ways to get more value from the video assets you already have.