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| A to Z Grantwriting |
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! |
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Please
click here to take this course through an accredited
college or university in your community.
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Syllabus:
A new section of each course starts monthly. 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.
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 lessons are released. You
will have access to all lessons until the course ends. However, the
interactive discussion area that accompanies each lesson will
automatically close two weeks after the lesson is released. As such, we
strongly recommend that you complete each lesson within two weeks of its
release.
The final exam will be released on the same day as the last lesson. Once
the final exam has been released, you will have two weeks to complete
all of your course work, including the final exam.
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!
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