Grant Proposal Writing

Grant Writer Certificate Program

Length of Program: 6 Month Program Overview

 
Raising capital is an essential part of any sustainable nonprofit business model. Success depends on the ability to effectively fundraise, forge positive donor relationships, and compose persuasive grant proposals. A successful grant proposal is more than an excellent scientific research idea. The idea needs to be conveyed in a clear and compelling manner with realistic objectives, state-of-the-art methodology and a well-structured work plan and budget. Also, you must present yourself as the best person to carry out the research idea. This course teaches you how to optimally convey your research idea to funding agencies and reviewers, and to maximize your chances of success.

 

Course Outcomes: 

•    choose the correct funding scheme,

•    make a realistic schedule for the proposal writing effort,

•    distill your research idea into a few sentences,

•    write the proposal text in a style that impresses reviewers,

•    make effective graphics,

•    present your research track record and CV in the best light,

•    structure a realistic work plan and budget,

•    and avoid common pitfalls.

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Learning Objectives: 

•    Be able to choose the correct funding scheme for your grant proposal. (know that some schemes are more structured then others);

•    Understand what you can do to learn everything you need to know about the organization you want to apply for a grant;

•    Know what organizations give out grants;

•    Understand that you need to check your eligibility;

•    Be able to create a realistic planning for writing your proposal in accordance to the deadlines from your chosen funding scheme;

•    Gain insight in bad/weak examples of formulated big ideas;

•    Be able to clearly articulate your big idea where the grant proposal is based on (in three sentences).

•    Know what elements there are in a proposal (and which elements are specific for a certain grant);

•    Understand what information should be contained in the elements;

•    Understand what parts are included in the narrative, determining your own subheadings to include and on what parts you will spend your time;

•    Be able to create an outline of the break of the work in work packages;

•    Identify common pitfalls in writing a grant proposal and replace these with smarter writing examples.

•    Understand the most common formats used in the PI section;

•    Understand what to include in the personal statement;

•    Change your CV points into a compelling personal statement;

•    Understand what elements to include and combine everything to a compelling abstract;

•    Understand why you need to incorporate graphics and charts into your grant proposal and how you can do that.

•    Understand how to come up with a budget (top-down vs. bottom-up);

•    Be able to think about the knowledge utilization part (reason and what to include);

•    Understand how to write a rebuttal;

•    Know what steps you can take to wrap up your proposal.

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Outline of Grant Writer Certificate Program

Lesson #                         Topic                                                                                   Clock Hours 

Lesson No. 1                 What’s in a Name                                                         40 hrs

Lesson No. 2                 Preparing the Executive Summary                       40 hrs

Lesson No. 3.                Writing the Statement of Need                               40 hrs 

Lesson No. 4.                Project Description: Goals & Objectives.             40 hrs

Lesson No. 5.                Program Budget                                                            40 hrs

Lesson No. 6.                Organization Information                                           40 hrs

Lesson No. 7.                Selling the Project.                                                         40 hrs

Lesson No. 8.                Networking & Resource Development.                 40 hrs

Lesson No. 9.                Importance of Language & Communication.    40 hrs

Lesson No. 10.             Proposal Submission: Do Your Homework          40 hrs

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Total Clock Hours                                                                                                       400 hrs