Patricia:Sometimes the best way to make a point is to not make the point yourself. (Which I suspect is the approach you are taking here with this post, that is, gathering other's advice to show the client.)
I had a client who would not see reason regarding gathering local support for funding before going to outside funders. In retrospect I should not have taken them on as a client, but I was newer to grantwriting and wanted to help. My concerns were voiced, yet they wished for me to proceed anyway. So I did, and the results I anticipated proved out...funders would not support the program.
The proposals were fine, the information presented well, but the weakness I had found (as you yourself have) was still a staggering weakness.
I could not make the client see this...however, the program officers at the various foundations eventually did. I asked them to provide constructive criticism on the proposal in order that we might improve it for future funding. Their response pointed directly to the issue I myself had attempted to address to no avail. The words of one specific program officer were clear, professional, and succint...Fix this problem or you will not get funded. End of story, and quite effective.
If you have not already asked for feedback on why you were rejected, now would be a good time to do so, and I suspect that feedback will educate the client more clearly than any words you yourself can propose.
Let us know how this turns out.
Julie Rodda
http://www.roddaconsulting.com/
Grant Research,
Proposal Writing, Review & Editing
