Reducing Words Counts
A frustrating challenge in proposal writing is conveying all the compelling information about your project or program within the word limits often imposed by funders. Here are some tips for reducing word counts in grant applications:
Be concise and to the point, avoiding repetition. Stating something more than once does not make it more important, especially if it's already stated effectively in the first place.
Use bullet points, which take up less space than paragraphs and help break down information into easily understood chunks.
Avoid unnecessary adjectives and adverbs, and use strong nouns and verbs instead. Examples of strong nouns include "solution," "innovation," "leader," "achievement," "opportunity," "challenge," and "success." Examples of strong verbs include: achieve, innovate, optimize, revitalize, empower, transform, inspire, elevate, challenge, and spearhead. These words also convey confidence!
Use the more concise and direct active voice. Example: "She completed the report before the deadline." (active voice – 7 words). Passive voice: "The report was completed by her before the deadline." (9 words – and awkward!).
Use simple sentences instead of complex ones that take up space. For example: "After regular school hours, the after-school program provides students with opportunities for educational and recreational activities in a safe and supervised environment." (24 words). Simplified: "The after-school program provides a safe and supervised environment for students to engage in educational and recreational activities." (18 words – and easier to understand).
Punctuation is your friend! Utilize punctuation, such as colons and semicolons, to connect related ideas. The em dash is particularly useful because it is used without spaces before or after (so 3 words count as 2): "The children—all newcomer Canadians—attended the program" instead of "The children, who came from newcomers families, attended the program." It's a difference of 2 words, but as we know, every word reduction helps!
Edit ruthlessly and cut out anything that does not add value to your proposal. And make sure you are answering the question the funder is asking.
Pro tip: It's often helpful to have someone else edit for you, as it's hard to edit oneself. But make sure your final version still makes sense.