A to Z Grant Writing (Self-Guided)

1 Welcome to the World of Grant Writing!

In the first lessons, you'll cover the basics of grant writing services, as well as tips for getting into the grant writing field and for finding funders. Then, the lesson will walk you through the information you need to gather and organize, and show you how to use the Research Information Sheet (RIS) to keep your research focused and on track.


2 The Research Information Sheet (RIS)

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.


3 Funder Application Guidelines

You'll look at some creative tips for networking with community members and foundation representatives to help you find contacts and support. Then, you'll learn how to make that crucial initial contact with a potential funder. You'll also meet some development team members and learn how to put a team of your own together. Finally, you'll get acquainted with your collaborative partners, and discover how to put together a successful site visit.


4 Getting Organized

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. You'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!


5 Networking and Positive Communication

Developing community relationships is crucial to finding support for any worthy cause. So, in this lesson, you'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 you'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.


6 Teamwork, Collaboration, and Site Visits

Research, relationship-building, phone contacts, organizing-does it all rest on the shoulders of one grant writer? Thankfully, the answer is no! In this lesson, 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.


7 Letters and the Courage to Ask

It's important to know how to present yourself, your organization, and your proposed program effectively. In this lesson, you'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.


8 The Gold Medal Proposal Package: Part 1

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, you'll walk through a vital technique: the Rollover Concept. You'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.


9 The Gold Medal Proposal Package: Part 2

In this lesson, you'll pick up where you left off in Lesson 8. 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.


10 Feedback and Final Reports

What happens to your proposal af