One thing almost every grant application has in common with another is that at some point they will ask you about your mission statement. They may not use the words "mission statement" but they will certainly ask you to talk about your businesses, who it serves, and the impact it has on the world.
One way to get an advantage on other applicants is to already have the answers to these questions thought through and written out before starting your application. This is especially true if you are planning on applying to multiple grants. Not only will that give you a huge leg up relative to your competition, it will also save you time and ensure that your answers are consistent.
To help you with the process, we’ve also provided you with a template to help you think through and craft your very own mission statement.
👉 Access the Mission Statement Template Doc from Skip (once you open go to File > Make a Copy to create your own editable version
What is a Business Mission Statement?
A mission statement can be a paragraph that sums up your core values, the impact your company makes in the world, the people it serves, and how it serves them. In our experience these types of mission statements are important to craft because it helps get you on the right track of thinking about your business and your mission, but the real power of a mission statement comes when you can boil down the essence of your company in just one sentence.
For example Tesla's mission statement is:
"To accelerate the world's transition to sustainable energy"
LinkedIn's mission statement is:
“To connect the world’s professionals to make them more productive and successful.”
How To Craft Your Mission Statement?
In the template provided we go over 4 questions to answer before you begin to craft your mission statement.
- What is your business's meaning?
- What inspired you to start your business?
- How is your business connected to your community?
- How do you measure your business success?
Let's go through these questions in relation to Skip's mission among other examples to show you how a mission statement relates to each of these questions.
What is Your Business's Meaning?
Guy Kawasaki (Author and Former Apple Marketing Ambassador) writes in his book "The Art of the Start" about 3 different ways that companies make meaning in the world. They are;
- Righting a wrong
- Enhancing the lives of others
- Preventing the end of something good
Virtually all successful businesses fall under these three categories.
At Skip, our founder and CEO Ryder started Skip based on the negative experiences he had at the DMV. He saw how hard it was for people to navigate government paperwork and decided to set out to fix it by helping people navigate all kinds of government related programs until he found the very large need small businesses had in applying for government grants and loans. This was Ryder's version of righting a wrong he saw in the world.
By doing this Skip also enhances the lives of its customers, but righting a wrong is the main way Skip "makes meaning" in the world.
Another example of a company that enhances the lives of its customers is Disney.
Disney's missions statement is:
"To entertain, inform and inspire people around the globe through the power of unparalleled storytelling."
It is clear that through Disney's storytelling and theme parks, it has successfully enhanced the lives of millions of people. This is the main way Disney "makes meaning" in the world.
What Inspired You to Start Your Business?
This is your personal catalyst. Think about your answer from the previous question. What personal experience can you draw from to give the world an idea of where you have come from and what caused you to take the path that you have taken?
How much this informs your business's mission statement will vary. Non-profits, or mission-based businesses may have a stronger connection to a catalyst or mission that caused the organization to form.
How is Your Business Connected to Your Community?
This is an area that until recently was usually constrained to a geographical region for the most part. But today lots of businesses are able to reach millions if not billions of people, thus their communities have become much larger.
If your business is an internet-based business, then your community should be defined primarily by the type of person you are reaching rather than the physical location they live in. For example, if you have a non-profit that helps kids with their homework after school in your city, your community are the kids that physically go to the school or schools you are serving. If you help kids online with their homework by tutoring them, the school they go to is irrelevant. Your community is kids that need help with their homework that have access to the internet.
If your product is a commodity and does not serve anyone in particular, like a shoe for example, you have the opportunity to partner your business with a cause or non profit. Tom’s successfully partnered their shoe brand with a cause and community by giving away one free pair of shoes for every shoe they sold. This defined their connection by facilitating a way for people to do good by just purchasing shoes.
How Do You Measure Your Business’s Success?
This goes beyond KPI’s (Key Performance Indicators) and revenue goals. Think about how the world would be affected if your business was successful beyond your wildest dreams. In the example above regarding helping kids do their homework after school, you could measure your success by “No kid gets held back”, or “100% Graduation Rate.”
Framing your success this way gives you a vision that is beyond numbers and is more connected to the essence of your business's meaning.
Connecting These Answers Into Your Own Mission Statement
After answering all these questions about your business you should be ready to begin crafting your mission statement. Start by writing down a paragraph that connects all of the answers above.
First off, give yourself permission to do a bad job. A poorly written mission statement is better than no mission statement.
If you are stuck, write the name of your business and write what it does, who it serves, and how it serves them. Look back at what you wrote and see if there is an opportunity for you to add in your business's meaning, what made you start your businesses, how you are connected to your community, and how you define success.
The last step is turning that paragraph into one sentence. At this point there should be something jumping out at you that has stuck in your head throughout this process. And as mentioned above, give yourself permission to revise the statement in the future. Your business should be ever-evolving, especially if it is under 5 years old. None of this is written in stone. This is merely an exercise for you to fully realize your business's purpose and how to communicate it to others.
Preparing for Grants and the Grant Process With Your Mission Statement
Once you have your mission statement complete make sure to save it so it's easily accessible and have it handy when applying for grants. Having this at your fingertips will speed up the application process and will give you an advantage over people who are thinking about these questions for the first time when applying.
And here’s the best part: it’s time to tell the world. Mission statements aren’t just for grants: they can be a powerful branding and marketing tool that can be used in advertising, shared with employees, and the public. In many ways, they literally define your brand.
Want 1-1 Help Crafting Your Mission Statement or Applying for Grants?
If you need further assistance in crafting your mission statement or applying for grants or funding, try Skip VIP or Skip Platinum — or if you're already a member, reach out to your concierge. We're looking forward to helping you!