A to Z Grant Writing
A
to Z Grant Writing is an invigorating and informative course that will equip
you with the skills and tools you need to enter the exciting field of grant
writing! You'll learn how to raise needed funds by discovering how and where
to look for potential funders who are a good match for your organization.
You'll also learn how to network and develop true partnerships with a
variety of funders, how to organize a successful grant writing campaign, and
how to put together a complete proposal package.
This course speaks mainly to nonprofit organizations, schools, religious
institutions, and municipalities seeking grants from foundation, corporate,
government, and individual donors. But many of the elements easily translate
to the for-profit field and to individual artists, and material specifically
designed for businesses and individuals is also included. No matter who you
are or what level of experience you have, you'll find the A to Z of writing
and submitting successful proposals here!
To enroll in this course, click the Enroll Now button below:
Requirements:
Microsoft Word, the free Adobe Acrobat reader, Internet access, E-mail, and the Microsoft Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox Web browser
Syllabus:
All courses run for six weeks, with a two-week grace period at the end.
Two lessons are released each week for the six-week duration of the course.
You do not have to be present when the lesson is released, but you must
complete each lesson within two weeks of its release.
A new section of each course starts on the second or third Wednesday of each
month. If enrolling in a series of two or more courses, please be sure to
space the start date for each course at least two months apart.
| Week One |
| Wednesday - Lesson 01 |
| Have you wondered what a grant writer does, what
kinds of organizations and causes seek grants, and what types of
grants are available? In this lesson, you'll find the answers to
your questions, as well as tips for getting into the grant writing
field and for finding funders. |
| Friday - Lesson 02 |
| Many people are often surprised at how much
research needs to go into finding a potential funder who is a good
match for your program efforts! Finding funders takes a lot of time,
effort, and planning, and this lesson will walk you through the
information you need to gather and organize. You will gain an
invaluable tool here—the Research Information Sheet (RIS)—which will
help you keep your research focused and on track. |
| Week Two |
| Wednesday - Lesson 03 |
| In today's lesson, you'll meet three real-world
foundation and corporate funders: the Verizon Foundation, Wells
Fargo, and the Ben & Jerry's Foundation. We'll walk through the
application guidelines for each of them, which will help you get a
feel for what to look for in a good match potential funder, how
funders present their mission and goals, and what they expect in a
complete proposal package. Remember, the more application guidelines
you read and study, the better you'll be able to create a successful
proposal package. |
| Friday - Lesson 04 |
| Now that you have a feel for what kinds of
information to gather in your search for good match potential
funders, you need to know how to effectively organize it. We'll
begin with a big-picture overview of the grant writing process, so
you'll know where your research fits in each step of the way. Then
you'll get some proven techniques and tools for organizing an
efficient and smooth-running development department. A grant writing
campaign means submitting an ongoing calendar of proposals to a wide
variety of potential funders, and an organized office is the only
way to accomplish this goal! |
| Week Three |
| Wednesday - Lesson 05 |
| Developing community relationships is crucial to
finding support for any worthy cause. So today we'll look at some
creative how-tos of networking with community members, VIPs, and
corporate, foundation, and government representatives to help you
find contacts and support in your community. Then we'll lay the
groundwork for making that crucial initial contact with a potential
funder. This might be a bit nerve-racking at first, but with the
proper preparation, it can be extremely rewarding. |
| Friday - Lesson 06 |
| Research, relationship-building, phone contacts,
organizing—does it all rest on the shoulders of one grant writer?
Happily, the answer is no! Today you'll meet the development team
members who implement the grant writing campaign and get some ideas
for how to put a team of your own together. You'll also get
acquainted with the collaborative partners who work side by side
with you and your organization, and you'll discover how to put
together a successful site visit. |
| Week Four |
| Wednesday - Lesson 07 |
| It's so important to know how to present
yourself, your organization, and your proposed program effectively.
So in this lesson, we'll explore the elements of two all-important
letters: the letter of inquiry and the letter of request. Most
funders will want either one or both of these letters, so knowing
how to write them is essential. You'll also learn how to ask for the
right grant amount and how to overcome any fears you may have about
asking for support. |
| Friday - Lesson 08 |
| You'd be amazed at how many organizations go
about their grant writing campaigns backwards! To spare you a great
amount of extra work, stress, and unnecessary discouragement, we'll
walk through a vital technique: the Rollover Concept. We'll also
begin a detailed exploration of the elements of a Gold Medal
Proposal Package, including your organization's history and
background, mission statement, goals, major accomplishments, and
many other documents and materials that potential funders require. |
| Week Five |
| Wednesday - Lesson 09 |
| Picking up where we left off in Lesson 8, today
you'll see how to write your need statement, proposed program
paragraphs, measurable objectives, timeline, and evaluation plan.
You'll also get a good idea of what kinds of financial documents and
materials funders expect in complete proposal packages, including
your organization projected income and expense budget, audited
financial statement, proposed program budget and request, and future
funding paragraphs. |
| Friday - Lesson 10 |
| What happens to your proposal after you apply for
a grant? If you've ever wondered about this, today you'll discover
all the hoops it goes through once it reaches the program officer's
desk. If your application should be declined, you'll see how to turn
that into an opportunity for future success. And if your proposal
should be accepted, you'll learn about the essential thank-you
letter, how to put together the final report, and how to acknowledge
and provide benefits to the funders supporting your program efforts.
You'll also understand how crucial it is to diversify your funding
base! |
| Week Six |
| Wednesday - Lesson 11 |
| Today you'll learn about the A to Z of creating
business (for-profit) and individual artist proposal packages.
You'll also get some important tips and techniques for putting
together proposals for government funding sources, which, as you can
imagine, will be more complicated and much lengthier than proposals
to foundations, corporations, or individual donors. |
| Friday - Lesson 12 |
| In our last lesson together, you'll learn about
the importance of presentation when it comes to your proposal
package. And you'll also gain some insights into what your board of
directors can do for you regarding fund raising, as well as get some
ideas about how to get them motivated to do it! |
To enroll in this course, click the Enroll Now button below:
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