Writing a strong statement of need

The need statement answers: why does this project matter, and why you?

A simple structure

1. Who is affected, and where (be specific: a neighborhood, county, school, age group).
2. What the problem is, in plain words.
3. How you know: one or two facts from credible sources.
4. Why now: what changed or what is getting worse.
5. What's missing: what existing services don't cover.
6. Your link to it: why your organization is the right one to act.

Use evidence you can cite

Good sources include the U.S. Census Bureau, your school district or health department, state agencies, and your own records (waiting lists, attendance, surveys). Name the source and year. If you do not have a statistic, say what you have observed and how many people it affects, and don't invent a number.

Common mistakes

• National statistics only, with nothing about your community.
• Describing your organization's needs ("we need a van") instead of the community's needs.
• Stories without permission, or with details that could identify a person.
• A long list of problems instead of the one your project addresses.

Document Studio can turn your facts into a first draft, but it only uses what you give it. Checking every number remains your job.