• Free

Getting Started: The Basics of Finding & Applying for Grants

Our Getting Started course covers a little bit of everything, including strategies for identifying potential funders, best practices for writing and submitting grant proposals, and how to position your organization to be attractive to funders.

Description

The Basics of Seeking Grant Money
Content from Peak Proposals in an Interactive Format

To give the readers of the Peak Proposals blog a new way to interact with our content, we've created a course that provides an overview of how to seek funding, write proposals, and handle the proposal submission process. If reading in-depth blog posts is not your thing, try our course! You'll get the same high-quality content in a more interactive, concise format.

Contents

Welcome to the Course

Welcome

Welcome to Getting Started, a three-part course to help you sharpen your grant seeking, writing, and management skills. The course consists of PDF files, which you can download to view later.
Course Introduction
Preview

Chapter 1: Finding Potential Funders

In Chapter 1, we go over some basic steps to identify funders relevant to your organization.
Welcome to Part 1.pdf
Preview
1.1 Evaluate Your Organization.pdf
1.2 Evaluate Your Funding.pdf
1.3 Assess Other Organizations.pdf
1.4 Research Funders.pdf
1.5 Create a Tracking System.pdf
1.6 Create a Grant Strategy.pdf
Part 1_Summary.pdf
PProp_GettingStarted_Pt1.pdf

Chapter 1: Supplemental Reading

To supplement the content in Chapter 1, we're including posts on complementary topics from our blog at peakproposals.com.
Preparing to Search for Funding Opportunities
Researching Potential Funders: Tools for Prospect Research
Resources for Finding Funding Opportunities
Getting Started with Prospect Research
Identifying the Right Grant Opportunities
Focus on Partnerships to Increase Funding Options
8 Things to Consider When Evaluating Grant Opportunities from Foundations
Overview of the Go/No-Go Meeting Process

Chapter 2: Writing Your Grant Proposal

In Chapter 2, we go over a series of steps to develop your grant proposal.
Welcome to Part 2.pdf
Preview
2.1 Review the Solicitation.pdf
2.2 Assemble Your Team.pdf
2.3 Draft an Outline.pdf
2.4 Create a Proposal Schedule.pdf
2.5 Write Review and Repeat.pdf
2.6 Arrange for Editing.pdf
Part 2_Summary.pdf
PProp_GettingStarted_Pt2.pdf

Chapter 2: Supplementary Reading

To supplement the content in Chapter 2, we're including posts on complementary topics from our blog at peakproposals.com.
The 6-Week Proposal Process
Writing a Strong Proposal Takes How Many Drafts?
How to Write a Grant Proposal
How to Write a Grant Proposal Part II: What Will You Need to Prepare?
Make Grant Writing Easier by Using Boilerplate Text
Best Practices for Writing an Executive Summary
How to Create & Use a Style Sheet for Grant Writing
Three Faulty Assumptions about Grant Writers

Chapter 3: Submitting Your Proposal

In Chapter 3, we go over how and what to organize as you prepare to submit your proposal. We also talk about what to do after it is submitted.
Welcome to Part 3.pdf
Preview
3.1 Create a Submission Checklist.pdf
3.2 Prepare Email Templates.pdf
3.3 Final Proposal Review.pdf
3.4 Submit the Proposal.pdf
3.5 Archive the Proposal.pdf
Part 3_Summary.pdf
PProp_GettingStarted_Pt3.pdf

Chapter 3: Supplementary Reading

To supplement the content in Chapter 3, we're including posts on complementary topics from our blog at peakproposals.com.
How to Increase the Odds that Your Grant Application Will Be Funded
Preview
6 Strategies to Make the Grant Proposal Submission Process Less Stressful

Final Notes

We hope you enjoyed the course. To help us learn what we are doing right and what we can do better, we hope you'll consider completing a short survey. You can find the survey link below.

Thank You for Joining Us!
Course Feedback

8 Things to Consider When Evaluating Grant Opportunities from Foundations

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About Us

Peak Proposals

Peak Proposals has the goal of helping grant writers and staff at nonprofit organizations build their skills in the areas of identifying potential funders, managing the proposal process, and writing competitive proposals. We have over 20 years of experience working in proposal development and management at universities, international NGOs, and community nonprofits, submitting successful proposals to government agencies and multilaterals including the U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Agency for International Development, the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institutes of Heath, the National Science Foundation, the U.S. Department of Labor, the Global Fund, the International Fund for Agricultural Development, the World Bank, and the World Health Organization and major foundations including the Ford Foundation, the MacArthur Foundation, the Hewlett Foundation, and the Packard Foundation.

Through our website and affiliated social media accounts, we provide:

  • Resources to discover funding opportunities;

  • Tips and tools to help manage the proposal process;

  • Professional development information for grant writers; and

  • Courses and eBooks in the areas of prospect research, grant writing, and proposal management.

FAQs

How long do I have to complete the course?

You have as much time as you need! Your access to the course does not expire. 

Will I receive a certificate once I complete the course?

Yes! You will receive a completion certificate at the end of the course.

Are there any assignments that I need to complete and submit?

No, there are no formal assignments. We have included suggested homework as part of the course but it's up to you whether to complete the activities.

Can all the course materials be downloaded?

All PDFs included in the course can be downloaded. Text files must be viewed online.

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