Although it’s a new year, knowing how to write a persuasive grant proposal remains as critical a skill to possess as it was in 2014. You already know that developing a funding request can be a stressful experience; trying to sort through relevant facts to include, as well as finding the right words can leave you feeling overwhelmed at best. The great news is that there are plenty of ways to stay current with the proposal writing industry. Review this page, and you’ll discover how to take advantage of the latest workshops, ebooks and other grant writing resources available to would-be grant writers.
Grant Writing Workshops
Whether you are looking to travel to a location for a workshop or attend one online from the comfort of your home, there are several workshops to be had across the country.
Win More Grants
My training and certificate course, “Win More Grants”, spans two days and reveals the secrets to getting more grants by taking your grant writing to the next level. Learn the five keys to making your proposal stand out, as well as the five most common errors made by grant writers. You’ll also discover how to find and win grants.
Grant Writing USA Workshops
Grant Writing USA will show you where to find grant writing workshops in your area. It also provides its own grant writing workshops in various cities throughout the country. Classes range from beginner to advanced, and more information about the classes and workshops happening near you are available here.
American Grant Writers’ Association, Inc
You can get assistance with developing your writing skills as learn about new trends in the industry by checking out the American Grant Writers’ Association. They offer several classes including ‘Professional Standards and Ethics’ and ‘Writing Letters of Inquiry, Proposals, and Applications for Foundations and Corporations’. The workshop will provide you with new tools for improving your grant writing and increase your success rate. You will be awarded a certificate of completion at the end of the workshop. Visit the AGWA website for more information about their courses and workshops.
MIT Center for International Studies Advanced Writing Seminar
MIT’s Center for International Studies offers free courses on various forms of advanced writing. They have one course devoted to grant writing. These classes are offered online, making it incredibly convenient if you can’t travel to seminars. There are assignments you can complete online as well as lecture videos to watch. It’s perfect for those who need to brush up on their writing techniques. Find out more by visiting their web site.
Grant Training Center
This resource is well-known among popular institutions such as the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University and the University of Texas. And now, you can go to their web site and attend several grant writing workshops across the United States and Canada. Some workshops are available online. The training center’s workshop schedule is listed here.
Grant Writing Online Course
Grant Central USA offers online grant writing courses in three flavors: basic, standard and deluxe. The basic course includes access to specialized grant application writing knowledge. The standard course is more comprehensive, featuring granting writing samples, tips and rich content. Their deluxe course provides you with one-on-one coaching along with detailed grant writing information so that you can get the results you want. Watch informational videos about each course here.
Graduate Schools
Graduate schools offer workshops on grant writing annually. A good example is the workshops held by Penn State. Their workshop covers the basics of grant writing in advances on how to write grants for particular industries. However, some workshops by universities are limited to grad students and post doctoral candidates.
Grant Writing Books
There are so many grant writing books out there that it’s impossible to cover them all from this one page. However, you’ll find some of the best books here.
Business Grants by Ron Flavin
My book, “Business Grants” covers everything you need to know in order to connect with local, state and Federal grant opportunities, as well as how to write proposals that get funded. You’ll discover not only where the grant money is, but learn the necessary strategies to obtain the funds you need. You’ll also discover how to access federal government money for funding, even if all you have is a concept. Of course, the book covers much more. It’s available in both paperback and Kindle.
Proposal Planning and Writing
This book by Jeremy T. Miner discusses funding from several sources, including corporate sponsors. You’ll learn about how to identify funding sources, forecast a budget and much more. The 4th edition is available from Amazon. Click here to learn more.
Grant Writing for Dummies
Who would have suspected that there would be a ‘dummy’ series about grant writing? Beverley A. Browning simplifies the process for both those who are new the process and those who have had difficulties with applying for grants in the past. The latest edition is available from Amazon here.
The Only Grant Writing Book You’ll Ever Need
The title certainly gives it away; this book by top grant writers Ellen Karsh and Sue Fox reveals the secrets that grant writers and givers use to obtain and provide funding. It also provides suggestions for developing proposal sections and demystifies the process by giving you instantly-applicable advice. Click here to get it.
Getting Funded: The Complete Guide to Writing Grant Proposals
Even seasoned grant writers can be plagued with questions about getting the funding they need. If this describes you, then you won’t want to be without this book by Dr. Mary S. Hall and Susan Howlett. “Getting Funded” takes you through each step of the process and everything in between. Click here for more information.
Getting Your Share of the Pie: The Complete Guide to Finding Grants
This book by Valerie Mann allows for the successful pursuit of grant funds, regardless of the granting writing experience you may – or may not – have. Click here to learn more.
Other Grant Writing and Funding Resources
If workshops and books about grant writing aren’t for you, the following selection of resources may get you the answers – and the funding – you seek.
State-By-State Guide
If you’re looking for grant writing resources as well as information on opportunities for grants in your state, my “State-By-State Guide to Business Grants in 2015” offers a slew of suggestions. Click here to jump to this post.
Circle of Ten
This organization is offering a 3-day seminar about leadership training, support linking, community organizing and grant writing. More information can be found at their Facebook page.
Free Grant-Writing Resources
If you are a non-profit organization or are thinking about staring one, you might enjoy this extensive list of tips, tricks and checklists for constructing a successful proposal, every time.
Grants.gov
This is a terrific search engine that allows you to locate federal grant opportunities from all 26 agencies. There is also information here about over 1,000 grant programs. You can search by keyword, category or agency. You can also sign up to be notified of new grant opportunities when they arise. Start your search.
The Grantsmanship Center
This web site is directed at private and public non-profits, and offers a slew of free information for grant writers, including articles and state-by-state lists.
The Best Grant Writing Workshop Blog
Based on a best-selling book by veteran grant writer Valerie Mann, this site offers several blog posts about the grant writing process, including tips for handling rejection of your proposal, the importance of documentation and much more.
The Tech Dictionary and IT Encyclopedia
If you need an easy way to find the technology terms you need, look no further than this online dictionary. You’ll also find a glossary and cheat sheets for free.
Global Grantmaking
The Council on Foundations offers a free resource for those looking to apply for international grants. It offers step-by-step instructions and country-specific information.
Grant Writing Resources, By You
Despite my many years of experience, I know that one thing is certain: the learning never ends! There are literally thousands of grant writing resources out there, and I would be completely remiss in thinking that I knew them all.
That’s why I’m asking for your contributions. Have you got a set of tools in your grant writing arsenal that you just can’t live without? Did you read an article or blog post that really inspired you to go the extra mile in your grant writing? If so, you can help to make this page a definitive resource for any entrepreneur looking for grant writing resources. I look forward to receiving your suggestions!
