The Clarity Formula: How to Explain What You Do So Funders Get It in 10 Seconds
A friend asks what you do. You take a breath. You start explaining. Thirty seconds in, their eyes glaze over. You add more detail, hoping something sticks. Two minutes later, they nod politely and say, “Oh, that’s cool.” They still have no idea what you do.
If the people closest to you can’t explain your work in one sentence, a funder reading your proposal for the first time has zero chance. Clarity is your foundation. Everything builds on it.
The Formula: Who, What, Why
- Who you are — Your identity, your organization, your lane
- Who you serve — Specific. Not “the community.” Which community? Where? How many?
- What you do — Your core work, described simply enough for a stranger to understand
- What makes you different — Why you, and not the 50 other organizations doing similar work?
- Why it matters — The impact. The outcome. The change that happens because you exist
The Clarity Test
Instead of: “We empower communities through transformative programming and holistic capacity building across diverse populations…”
Say: “We help young adults without access to career pathways secure stable employment.”
One sentence. Crystal clear. Every word earns its place.
These five answers become your pitch, your proposal intro, your website headline, and your elevator conversation. They are the DNA of your funding identity. Confusion costs you money. Every vague sentence on your website, every bloated mission statement, every jargon-heavy description is a funder who moved on to the next application.
If they have to figure you out, they won’t fund you.
Your Next Step
Write out your five answers. Read them to someone outside your field. If they get it in 10 seconds, you’re ready. If they don’t, simplify until they do. Clarity is a superpower, and it’s one you can build today.
