Share a Success Story – UProot Mississippi

Submit Your Success Story

Success Story Title

SELF-CHECK – Have you:
□ Captured the overall message of the story?
□ Included an action verb?
□ Captured the reader’s attention?

Summary

SELF-CHECK – Have you:
□ Summarized the challenge, solution, program activity, and outcomes?
□ Have you answered the: who, what, why, where, when, how?

Challenge

SELF-CHECK – Have you:
□ Described the problem being addressed and why it’s important?
□ Used data to frame the problem, including health burden and economic costs?
□ Specified the affected population(s)?

Solution

SELF-CHECK – Have you:
□ Described your approach?
□ Indicated whether approach was a replication, is evidence-based, etc.?

Results

SELF-CHECK – Have you:
□ Identified the short-term or intermediate outcomes that demonstrate how the program/activity addressed the problem (e.g., change in policy, use of curriculum, change in school-level practices, establishment of additional funding, etc.)?
□ Described how the progress of the program/activity is evaluated?

Your Involvement is Key

SELF-CHECK – Have you:
□ Issued a called to action?
□ Described what needs to happen to get results?
□ Included contact information?

Sustainable Success

SELF-CHECK – Have you:
□ Described how the project is being supported by other partners?
□ How the work may be sustained over time?

Contact Information

Name Title Organization Phone E-mail

Overall Style Reminders

□ Keep paragraphs short – no more than 5-6 sentences.
□ Keep story to no more than two pages.
□ Stick to the facts. Do not interject an opinion unless you attribute it to someone.
□ Avoid using passive voice (e.g., “Trainings were provided.”). Use active voice (e.g., “X partner provided Y trainings.”), and be clear about who is doing the action in every sentence.
□ Include direct quotes if they strengthen the story.
□ Limit use of acronyms. If you use acronyms, spell them out on first mention.
□ Use plain language.
□ Avoid jargon. Readers often skip over terms they don’t understand, hoping to get their meaning from the rest of the sentence.
□ Keep messages simple and concise.
□ Avoid broad, sweeping statements (e.g., “There was a noticeable increase in healthy
eating habits” or “A significant amount of money was saved”).