Grant Writing Training

“Full participation in Grant Writing Boot Camp is applicable for 14 CEUs in Category 1.B - Education of the CFRE International application for initial certification and/or recertification.”

This comprehensive hands-on boot camp covers everything from learning grants- and contract-elated terminology to learning how to conduct funding and Request For Proposal searches to actually writing the critical, high point review sections of a sure to win grant application/proposal or contract bid.  Bring “real” project idea and supporting documentation and complete 95% of your grant proposal or contract bid narrative onsite!  Laptops/netbooks welcome (remember to bring your power cords and a power strip)!

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course covers the essential grant/contract seeking and grant/contract bid writing strategies and skills required to successfully submit competitive corporate and foundation proposals, and state and federal grant applications and bids for funding/award consideration.  Emphasis is placed on researching and writing. 

TOPICS

Finding Government and Foundation Funding Sources

Finding Requests For Proposals for Your Business

Qualifying the Funding/Contract Bidding Opportunity and Your Organization

Pros and Cons of Community Partnerships in Grant Requests and Contract Bids

Considering Grant/Contract Bid Writing Teams

Reviewing Grant and Contract Bid Writing Formats

Describing Your Organization

Describing Your Request to the Funder/Bid Letting Agency

Developing a Compelling Problem Statement

Writing a Program Design and Planning the Evaluation Process

Demonstrating Sustainability

Planning the Budget/Cost Proposal

Recommended Attachments

Finishing Touches

Following Up

Day 1:

Finding Government and Foundation Funding Sources

• Discuss funding sources for grant narrative information
• Discuss sources identifying best practices

Finding Requests For Proposals for Your Business

• Discuss RFP databases for businesses and other types of bidders

Qualifying the Funding/Contract Bidding Opportunity and Your Organization

• Discuss pre-planning checklist

Pros and Cons of Community Partnerships in Grant Requests and Contract Bids

§  Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of including community partners in your pre-writing planning process, the writing process, the implementation process, and the evaluation process.

Considering Grant and Contract Bid Writing Teams

• Discuss benefits of team writing
• Discuss team roles
• Discuss maintaining team momentum

Reviewing Grant and Contract Bid Writing Formats

• Discuss a letter of inquiry
• Discuss a letter proposal
• Discuss a concept paper
• Discuss a research project proposal format
• Discuss federal grant application formats
• Analyze grant announcement from government agency
• Comparing a sample RFP for contracted services/products’ format to grant writing formats

Describing Your Organization

• Complete a writing exercise
• Discuss what constitutes boilerplate information

Developing a Compelling Problem Statement

• Complete problem statement writing exercise
• Apply research skills to find current, relevant problem statement language.

Describing Your Request to the Funder

• Prepare a purpose statement

Day 2:

Writing a Program Design and Planning the Evaluation Process

• Discuss the difference between a goal and an objective
• Complete global goals and measurable objectives writing exercise
• Complete logic model exercise
• Complete timeline chart
• Analyze the management plan

Demonstrating Sustainability

• List different ways to fund an idea for two or more years
• Discuss how a funder looks at the grant applicant's ability to continue grant-funded activities when grant monies are expended

Planning the Budget/Cost Proposal

• Discuss project budget request worksheet
• Discuss project in-kind and cash match worksheet
• Discuss merged  project budget request form
• Discuss supplementing versus supplanting
• Review contract bidding cost proposal format and discuss differences

Recommended Attachments

• Identify appropriate attachments to support grant request
• Discuss how to organize attachments to facilitate funder's/bid letting agency’s review and determination process

Finishing Touches

• Complete a proposal package/RFP  checklist
• Discuss how to create aesthetic appeal to a grant reviewer/bid letting agency

Following Up

• List the critical organizational and housekeeping steps once a grant request or contract bid has submitted
• Discuss why grant proposals/contract bids are rejected and how to handle a rejection letter

BOOKS

Grant Writing For Dummies, John Wiley & Sons. 

HANDOUTS

Three ring binder with formatting examples and writing exercises.