COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course provides an opportunity to explore various approaches to grant writing and resource development in public and nonprofit organizations as well as evolving trends, such as sustainable practices, dissemination strategies, data management and analysis. We will teach you the essentials of writing, researching, obtaining, and maintaining grants. You’ll learn how to format your proposals, how to write effectively, and how to apply for funding by focusing on the skills needed to prepare professional, competitive, compelling grant
Course Purpose: This course will provide students with the background necessary to understanding the grant procurement process and to read and understand the parts of a competitive funding proposal. The course work will focus on:
- Understand Grant Writing
- Establish Organizational Readiness
- Proposal Consideration and Knowing Your Funder
- Know how to research and find available grants
- Understand the fundamental elements of a grant proposal
- Develop the skills needed to prepare professional, competitive, compelling, and successful grant proposals
- Become proficient in the proposal format used by the vast majority of foundations
- Learn how to word, edit, proofread, and format your proposals
- Learn the fundamentals of the budgeting process including how to prepare a budget
Specific Performance Objectives:
Module One: Introduction to Grant Writing
A. What is Grant Writing
B. Common untruths about the grant process
C. Common Grant Terminology
D. Why write grant proposals
E. Some tips before you start writing
- Your Audience
- The Style of Writing
- Ten most common reasons why proposals are rejected
F. Preparing the request for proposal (RFP)
G. Writing process
- Bid/no bid decision
- How to decline aRFP
H. Analyzing the RFP
- Proposal team
- Detailed analysis of the RFP
I. Scheduling tasks and meeting deadlines for the RFP
J. Program design
- How will you fulfill the requirements of the RFP
- Services you will provide
- Time and money it will take to complete the project
K. Parts of the proposal
Module Two: Introduction to Grant Research
A. Identifying prospective funding sources that fit with your organization
B. Understanding funder profile and requirements
C. Matching the needs of the funding organization
D. How to move through the grant research process
E. What to keep in mind when looking for grant funding
Module Three: Evaluating Organizational Grants-Suitability
A. Your organization’s culture and infrastructure
- Solid reputation in the community
- Credible track record
B. Building true partnerships
- Methodology to approach potential partners
- Developing a master grants plan
C. How to Plan
Module Four: Proposal Consideration and Knowing Your Funder
A. Matching the needs of the funding organization
B. Private versus Government
C. Developing Funder Profile
D. Developing strategy for relationships and tell your story
E. Tracking system for proposals and relationships
Module Five: Fundamental Elements of a Proposal
A. Introduction
B. Grant proposal abstract
C. Organizational Background
D. Project Description
E. Need Statement
- Importance of need statement
- Good and poor examples
- What not to do
- Writing tips
F. Program Design
- Defining your program goals and measurable objectives
- Defining your target population
- Defining your program activities
- Writing your program goals, objectives and activities
G. Implementation plan
- Developing your timelines
- Developing good performance measures
H. Logic model
I. Sustainability
Module Six: Types of Grant Proposals
A. Letter of Inquiry
B. Full Proposal
Module Seven: Creating Budgets
A. Budget Summary
B. Budget Narrative
Module Eight: Commonly Requested Attachments
Module Nine: Grants Management (Post Award)
A. Effective program tracking & record keeping systems
B. Quality control
C. Success monitoring
D. Program improvement
