grant writing for dummies

Have you ever found the perfect grant for your organization and as you’re reading through some of the initial guidelines you come across, “Letter of Inquiry required” or “We do not accept unsolicited requests”? What does that mean? Basically, you must be invited to apply – you’re not on the guest list! 😱So, how do you write a Letter of Inquiry? We’ve got you covered! 👍Here is a free training on how to build a career in grant writing: https://www.learngrantwriting.org/webinar-videos/discover-grant-writing📢 If there are instructions from the funder on how to structure a Letter of Inquiry (LOI), follow them. If not, you can follow the structure outlined below.📢 Remember: LOIs must be compelling and well-written so that grant funders can make an educated decision about how a potential partnership could work with your organization. 1️⃣ Impact StoryThis will be an immediate attention grabber that highlights the transformational work of your organization.2️⃣ Mission and Brief History of OrganizationHere’s where you can share an overview about your organization’s mission or its tangible transformation sentence. This section needs to be direct and declarative. 3️⃣ The NeedHere’s where you want to tell the grant funder about the problem and why it matters. Use data and statistics to support your request. 📈4️⃣ The Cost of InactionWhat happens if the program or project goes unfunded? How would it affect the individuals you serve? The community? The future? Use emotion. 5️⃣ Your Program or ProjectDescribe the primary goal of your program or project along with measurable objectives. You can also introduce a budget snapshot with the amount of money you’re requesting and how it will be used. 💲6️⃣ SummaryEnd your letter by restating your goals and the problem your organization is solving. Call attention to the alignment of their funding priorities to your program or project. Last, ask for an invitation to apply and invite the funder to contact you should they need further information. ➡️ FYI: LOIs can be difficult to prepare. They’re often more challenging than the actual grant proposal. Don’t underestimate the importance of or the work required for an LOI. ⚒️Like reading? Check out Meredith’s 2nd edition of How to Write a Grant: Become a Grant Writing Unicorn. www.amazon.com/How-Write-Grant-Writing-Unicorn-ebook/dp/B0969G2R7J Still have questions about the Global Grant Writers Collective? Check out this elaborate FAQ page: https://www.learngrantwriting.org/faq Or, email info@senworks.org.🧡 The Team at Learn Grant WritingTimestamps00:00 Intro01:08 Follow The Funder’s Instructions For LOI’s01:38 An LOI Must Be Well Written02:00 Impact Story02:42 Mission And Brief History Of Organization03:26 The Need04:03 The Cost Of Inaction05:06 Your Program Or Project06:02 Summary06:45 Recap07:50 Don’t Underestimate The Importance Of Or The Work Required For A LOI

Ever wonder if there’s a simple and effective way to collect amazing Letters of Support? There is! 🥳 This video covers our 7-step approach to getting stellar Letters of Support.Want a free grant budget template? You can download a copy of ours here: https://www.learngrantwriting.org/free-grant-writing-resourcesIf you are looking for additional training on how to use the free budget template, you can take this free grant writing class: https://www.learngrantwriting.org/free-grant-writing-course ➡️ Step #1: Develop A Contact ListSeek support from as many disciplines and perspectives as you can. 🥅➡️ Step 2: Prep Your Request For Letters Of SupportWe provide a template for this in the Global Grant Writers Collective! The basics are that you want to provide instructions on how to submit a letter of support to you. Use a structure that provides a comfortable outline as a starting point, while still allowing room to add creative anecdotes. 🎨➡️ Step 3: Determine Who Will Request Which LettersDecide during the grant kick-off meeting who will request which letters. Getting letters of support from people in senior roles requires some tact. In many instances, the best way to get the letter is if the person highest in your organization (or as appropriate) requests it. 📞➡️ Step 4: Prepare To Be Amazed!When you ask for a letter of support and don’t implant suggestions through a rigorous template, you receive far more compelling, heartfelt, free-form letters than you could possibly produce on your own. The authenticity of the letter shines through when you read it, and your grant reviewer will feel it as well. ✨➡️ Step 5: Only Write a Ghost Letter If You MustSometimes an organizational representative will ask that you ‘ghost’ or prepare them a letter that only requires a signature. This will happen, so be prepared to write a template letter. Generally, this doesn’t happen with more than one or two letters. 👻➡️ Step 6: Save Letters Immediately ⌚➡️ Step 7: Assemble Your Letters As An Attachment 📑Did you receive a Letter of Support you were not expecting? Why was it such a surprise?Resources and links:🔸 Ideas Write Now: https://www.ideaswritenow.com/🔸 Contact List template: https://bit.ly/3FSrrr6*Remember to go File — Make a Copy or File — Download — Excel.🔸 Letters of Support blog post: https://www.learngrantwriting.org/blog/the-trick-to-doubling-your-narrative-letters-of-support/Still have questions about the Global Grant Writers Collective? Check out this elaborate FAQ page: https://www.learngrantwriting.org/faq 🧡 The Team at Learn Grant WritingTimestamps00:00 Intro00:26 Why Letters Of Support Matter00:49 Step #1: Develop A Contact List02:56 Step 2: Prep Your Request For Letters Of Support04:46 Step 3: Determine Who Will Request Which Letters06:12 Step 4: Prepare To Be Amazed!06:47 Step 5: Only Write a Ghost Letter If You Must07:28 Step 6: Save Letters Immediately07:52 Step 7: Assemble Your Letters As An Attachment

This video is all about how to put grant writing on a resume. So if you’re a grant writer looking for a new job, or perhaps a freelancer trying to get back into the 9-5 work scene with an organization, this video is for you. 👋Curious how you could get into grant writing and build a career in it? Here is a free training on how to do that without volunteering or having prior experience: https://www.learngrantwriting.org/webinar-videos/discover-grant-writingAn Applicant Tracking System (or ATS) is software that companies use to pre-screen and weed out hundreds or even thousands of job applicants. The system is scanning for job title, skills, required experience to present top-tier candidates to the recruiter. Sometimes resumes never make it to the recruiter. Other times the resume is given a rank or score and the recruiter will pursue the top-ranked applicants for interviews. How to get past the ATS gate & capture the recruiters attention:🔸 When formatting, keep things simple and clean🔸 Use keywords from the job description, exactly as they appear in the job description🔸 Keep your resume to a 1-2 page maximum🔸 Write out the number versus spelling it out🔸 Stick to what’s relevant and what’s going to build the case In your resume, you must make a compelling case for yourself. 🪞 This means including achievements and outcomes, the impact of your work, and considering ways to quantify or measure the result of your work. Examples: ➡️ How many of your proposals were successful? ➡️ What types of grants did you work on? ➡️ Do you have knowledge of multiple grant databases?➡️ Include information on how you managed budgets, complex reporting, or how you juggled multiple funding needs.Like audiobooks and podcasts? Listen to Meredith’s book, “How to Write a Grant: Become a Grant Writing Unicorn” for free here: https://www.learngrantwriting.org/free-audiobookHave questions about the Global Grant Writers Collective? Check out this elaborate FAQ page: https://www.learngrantwriting.org/faq 🧡 The Team at Learn Grant WritingTimestamps00:00 Intro00:33 Applicant Tracking Systems02:15 Formatting03:34 Include Keywords From Job Description05:26 Ways To Capture The Recruiter’s Attention07:35 Making A Compelling Case For Yourself09:50 Recap

In this video, I’m going to cover the top lessons I learned from leading 160 writing workshops! ⤵️When I first started my writing workshop, most of the writers were: 🔸 Lacking confidence 🔸 Didn’t know where to start 🔸 Worrying about the quality of their writingOver time, consistent writing led to: 🔸 Less fear in approaching writing prompts 🔸 Ability to bring stories to a close in a timed session🔸 Willingness to write a terrible first draft, share it, and grow from that experience. A practice of imagination + endurance writing = the formula to becoming a better writer. 🔥Do you want to become a more confident writer? Do you want to learn how to say what you mean in grant applications? Join us in our course, From Pen to Polished: Learn to Write Well and Say What You Mean in Grant Applications ⤵️https://www.learngrantwriting.org/writing-class/What is your biggest struggle when it comes to writing? 🧡 The team at Learn Grant Writing 00:00 Intro – What Leading 160+ Workshops Taught me About Becoming a Better Writer 00:18 Meet Rose Hedberg, Learn Grant Writing’s Writing Coach 01:01 Shut Up and Write Tuesdays03:08 Writing Struggles 03:29 What to Include When Writing 03:34 Changes from Consistent Writing 04:57 Endurance writing as a tool to becoming a better grant writer

Rose and I started filming your new writing training, and we were one hot mess blooper after another. It was 7 PM my time in Alaska and 4 AM her time in Morocco!We were not able to get through a single stinkin’ slide without a do-over. Finally it hit me, this isn’t right! 🤦‍♀️First off, I didn’t realize Rose had gotten up so early. She is die hard for you! She was up at 3 am curling her hair to film!!!We have a strong core value at Learn Grant Writing to take time for soul-care. Heck, we talked about this recently: https://youtu.be/zJywyiqK1Z4As such, we made a lil’ pivot. 🛠 We pulled the internal writing training we give members of the Global Grant Writers Collective to share with you here.Have a listen and let us know what you think. Here’s what we were going to share with you in the totally botched training: we have a slammin’ writing course for grant writers. We built it for National Unicorn Day last year. (We always give a present to our members every year! Wait until you see what we have in store for 2023!!!) Then, we did nothing with it.You can learn more about Pen to Polished here: https://www.learngrantwriting.org/writing-class/Cheers to being human! (If only we could have edited the bloopers for you!)

How do you make the most of your day so it does not feel like another day that has slipped into the abyss of complete and total chaos? Let’s get into it!Curious how you could get into grant writing and build a career in it? Here is a free training on how to do that without volunteering or having prior experience: https://www.learngrantwriting.org/webinar-videos/discover-grant-writingMajor blocks to making the most of your day include finding time to write and struggling to focus. 🧠Design your days by theme:✨ Deep Work✨ Connected Work✨ Soul WorkDesign a ritual and space for each work type in the Eudaimonia Machine. This will truly help you to avoid dreaded Chaos Days! 🤯Resources and links:🔸 Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World :// Cal Newport🔸 Eudaimonia Machine (designed by David Dewane)What was most helpful about this video? What tools can you start implementing today?Have questions about the Global Grant Writers Collective? Check out this elaborate FAQ page: https://www.learngrantwriting.org/faq 🧡 The Team at Learn Grant Writing

We surveyed the Global Grant Writer’s Collective asking what do you struggle with when it comes to writing? The results are in and we’re here to give some rapid fire solutions to your top writing struggles! Your struggles:0:40-1:56 “After giving some thought about what I want or need to write, actually sitting down and starting the process.”1:57-3:03 “I have so much to say, so my struggle is keeping the concept and message clear while not using too many words.”3:03-4:07 “Everything! Starting the writing, ensuring that it flows well together. Ensuring I haven’t left out important topics/points.”4:08-4:47 “Being able to put the story of an organization that I have little history with into words.”4:48-5:47 “There is so much wonderful information to share about a program…I struggle with writing concise sentences with depth.”5:49-6:20 “I need to be accurate, yet persuasive. Assuring that I am writing from the perspective of the grant-giver, it is sometimes hard to see.”6:30-7:50 “The work in my head is infinitely better than what I put on the page. This disconnect is baffling and frustrating. In essence, the skills of good writing.”7:51-8:50 “Trying to be more creative with my writing style. I read stuff in The New Yorker and think ‘how did they do that?’”8:51-10:17 “Self-confidence and getting to the point.”10:18-11:16 “Getting from concept to completion. Explaining all the details in a logical order not forgetting something in there that helps paint the whole picture.”

Ever wondered how to captivate a grant funder’s attention in your grant proposal? Of course you have! Captivating a grant funder can make or break your grant request.Learn more about the 7-steps to writing winning grants in this free grant writing class: https://www.learngrantwriting.org/free-grant-writing-courseMeredith served on a 4 person panel all about how to create strong proposals. 💪Hosted by NXUnite, this panel discussion covered:🔸 What to keep in mind when preparing goals and objectives🔸 How to clearly communicate what your organization will accomplish🔸 Strategies for writing strong goals and objectives🔸 What to avoid NXUnite connects leaders in the mission-driven space with the resources and people they need for their organization to thrive. From hosting panels with industry experts to providing curated listings of nonprofit learning opportunities, NXUnite helps organizations get their important questions answered. Gain insight, share knowledge, and connect with the people you need to accomplish your mission. NXUnite brings nonprofit leaders together in an unstoppable community that facilitates valuable connections.Like audiobooks and podcasts? Listen to Meredith’s book, “How to Write a Grant: Become a Grant Writing Unicorn” for free here: https://www.learngrantwriting.org/free-audiobookWant to learn more about the Global Grant Writers Collective? DM us on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/learngrantwriting/ 🧡 The Team at Learn Grant WritingTimestamps00:00 Intro02:29 Panelist Introductions07:16 How Can Nonprofits Determine If They Are Grant Ready?12:43 How Are Grant Proposals Helpful To Nonprofits & Why Is Preparation Before Writing Important?21:10 How Can Nonprofit Professionals Clearly Communicate Their Organization’s Goals?31:30 Narrative Question: Explain How Your Enterprise Will Benefit Marginalized Grassroots People.33:30 How Do You Avoid Telling The Stories While Also Communicating The Outcome?38:11 Boundaries In The Grant Writing Profession43:12 Organizations That Have Distributed Leadership Models Versus Hierarchical Leadership Models45:40 Municipalities Applying For State And Federal Grants49:48 Organizations That Have Several Focuses52:00 How To Have A High ROI In Grant Writing54:45 Additional Conversations To Be Having

How do you hire a grant writer? 🤔 How do you find a grant writer? Where is someone that you trust? What are the questions you should ask? What scope of work should you start with? Can you pay the grant writer from the grant?Such good questions. We have some answers. When looking to find a grant writer you can trust, check out our page ➡️ https://www.learngrantwriting.org/hire-a-grant-writerYou can also:🔸 Check out Open Grants🔸 Find out who wrote a past grant that was successful for your organization🔸 Search for press releases on who is getting grant funding🔸 Go to regional/community foundations to ask about the grant writing contracting industry➡️ Send an email at info@senworks.org or DM us on Instagram if you think we should be doubling down on this.When working with a grant writer, the methodology that we strongly encourage is to start with a funding strategy. You need to know which grants to pursue! 📋Learn more about the 7-steps to writing winning grants in this free grant writing class: https://www.learngrantwriting.org/free-grant-writing-courseYou’re probably curious if a grant writer can get paid from the grant. Short answer: no, that is no longer considered an ethical or eligible use of funds. 🚫 Funders want their programming funding to go to what you say it’s going to go to in your application. You pay for professional services. In the world of grant writing, what you pay for is what you get. What to look for when you want to find a great grant writer:1️⃣ Observe how they interact with you professionally.2️⃣ Find a certified grant writer. You are probably tempted to ask about their win rate. We discourage you from asking that because it’s not the whole picture. 🖼️If you have any feedback, questions, or ideas, add them in the comments below! Did you know we have a self study online grant writing class for nonprofit professionals? Or for those that aren’t sure they will like grant writing. You can learn more about Grant Writing: From Start to Funded here: https://www.learngrantwriting.org/grant-writing-class More questions? Feel free to DM us on Instagram as well. https://www.instagram.com/learngrantwriting/ 🧡 The Team at Learn Grant Writing Timestamps00:00 Intro00:35 How Do You Find a Grant Writer You Can Trust?05:40 How Should You Work With a Grant Writer?06:55 Can a Grant Writer Get Paid From The Grant?09:50 What Should You Be Looking For When You Want to Find a Great Grant Writer?

Curious about how AI (artificial intelligence) will impact the future of grant writing? Will grant writers even be needed? 😨 An article we read on AI concluded that AI works better when partnered with humans. ✋ We think that is going to be the same story when AI enters the field of grant writing. No, you’re not getting written out of the picture when it comes to creative writing. ✍️ We do think there are certain writing jobs that will be replaced by AI, including financial reports published daily. Curious how you could get into grant writing and build a career in it? Here is a free training on how to do that without volunteering or having prior experience: https://www.learngrantwriting.org/webinar-videos/discover-grant-writingWhen looking at a software solution to streamline the grant writing process, it was found that the skill is really human centered. The structures in which you operate as a grant writer are still painfully slow. 🐢 This is not exactly an industry that is pioneering the way forward to be super progressive. Using standardized language to plug in and adjust per the application? Even that is too complicated as every grant application is nuanced and you have to answer the question precisely. 📏If anyone is going to know about the role of AI entering into the world of grant writing, it’s the team at Learn Grant Writing. We’ll figure out how to take out the mundane parts of grant writing so the best parts are still saved for our creative thinking minds. 🧠✨ TL;DR: Don’t let the fear of AI hold you back. It’s not something that’s coming anytime soon for the grant writing industry. ✨What other questions do you have? Post in the comments below.Resources and links:🔸 “Japanese AI Writes a Novel, Nearly Wins Literary Award” ➡️ https://bigthink.com/technology-innovation/a-japanese-ai-wrote-a-novel-almost-wins-literary-award/#:~:text=Writers%20beware%2C%20an%20AI%2Dwritten,A%20Computer%20Writes%20A%20Novel.🔸 “Will AI Replace Your Writing Job?” ➡️ https://prowritingaid.com/art/937/writing-jobs-that-wouldn-t-be-replaced-by-ai.aspx#:~:text=AI%20writers%20will%20eventually%20replace,that%20require%20some%20computer%20literacy.Like reading? Check out Meredith’s 2nd edition of How to Write a Grant: Become a Grant Writing Unicorn. www.amazon.com/How-Write-Grant-Writing-Unicorn-ebook/dp/B0969G2R7J Questions about the Global Grant Writers Collective? Check out this elaborate FAQ page: https://www.learngrantwriting.org/faq Feel free to DM us on Instagram as well. https://www.instagram.com/learngrantwriting/ 🧡 The Team at Learn Grant Writing Timestamps00:00 Intro00:28 AI & Creative Writing1:28 AI Replacing Your Writing Job2:16 How We Foresee AI Affecting Grant Writing4:34 Final Thoughts

Wedeline Casimir is a performing artist and incredibly talented singer who has found joy in grant writing! ✨ The big decision that led her to Learn Grant Writing was pushing herself to try something new. When COVID happened, Wedeline decided to offer online voice lessons. This was a big step out of her comfort zone, but it paid off! Bonus: Wedeline learned that she loved working for herself. 📣 She sought to learn grant writing to support the arts organizations she’s proud of and to utilize her technical writing skills. And, she wanted to work on her own time while still making a sustainable income. 💪Curious how you could get into grant writing and build a career in it? Here is a free training on how to do that without volunteering or having prior experience: https://www.learngrantwriting.org/webinar-videos/discover-grant-writingWedeline overcame imposter syndrome to land her current full-time grant writing job. She learned of the job while in the process of conducting informational interviews. One of the theater organizations she reached out to was hiring for two positions: Development Coordinator and Development Manager. Wedeline’s experience level pegged her for the Development Coordinator position, but she decided to shoot for the Development Manager position. 😎 She had the tools, the will to learn, and the passion to be successful in the role! Wedeline is currently raising money to record a full-length album. 🎙️ The album will focus on grief, heartbreak, love, and faith. Follow along with her singing journey on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lifeazlee/. 🎶Her proudest moments in the grant writing field have been writing her first Federal grant and developing an LOI for a grant she found! 🎉For Wedeline, the biggest takeaways from LGW include:🔸 following up in the informational interview process🔸 project planning🔸 getting the words out before editing (a messy first draft!)🔸 relational community and vulnerability in the community groupFor those considering whether or not to pursue their dream, Wedeline’s advice is to just start!Questions about the Global Grant Writers Collective? Check out this elaborate FAQ page: https://www.learngrantwriting.org/faq Still have questions about the Collective? Celeste is our Unicorn Career Scale Specialist. AKA she helps you decide if a career in grant writing is right for you! If you’d like to schedule a 1:1 with her, send us an email at info@senworks.org.🧡 The Team at Learn Grant Writing Timestamps00:00 Intro00:20 The Decision That Led Wedeline to Learn Grant Writing02:48 Why Wedeline Decided to Learning Grant Writing05:12 Overcoming Imposter Syndrome to Land Her Current Job9:30 Confidence in the Interview Process12:15 Looking Ahead16:40 Wedeline’s Proudest Grant Writing Moment18:18 Key Takeaways From Learning With LGW20:40 Rapid Fire Questions

Are you afraid of what’s going to happen if you don’t win the grant? Feel the pressure of the weight of the organization is literally on your shoulders to fund it? 🏋️ We have six great tips to manage that debilitating pressure.Recognize that in grant writing, nobody bats 100%. ⚾ You’re working in a sport that has odds. Not all proposals are funded. We get that you sometimes still might have anxiety and fears about not winning a grant. It’s real, but we have ways to manage it:1️⃣ Develop a Funding Strategy Roadmap 🗺️This system works! You can’t write a grant application and not be able to show the picture of how the rest of the project will be funded if that one grant isn’t covering it alone. Even if that one grant can cover it, it’s important to demonstrate diversified funding. Want a free grant budget template? You can download a copy of ours here: https://www.learngrantwriting.org/free-grant-writing-resources2️⃣ Build Relationships With FundersRelationship building is one of the most valuable and important things you can do. As a grant writer, you like sticking behind the scenes and that’s probably why you chose to become a grant writer versus a fundraiser. Building a relationship with funders helps you understand what they want and helps you put together a relevant grant proposal. 3️⃣ Debrief With the Funder Win or LoseWith many Federal programs, you receive a scorecard of your application. This helps you know where to strengthen your application for next time! 💪4️⃣ Get TrainedDon’t waste years making stupid mistakes. Research and consider the many options available. At Learn Grant Writing, we have two programs. Grant Writing: From Start to Funded is a self-study online course. Second, the Global Writers Collective features training, community, coaching calls. See what’s right for you and get trained so you don’t have to do it the hard way. 5️⃣ Build Peer Community SupportThe weird thing about grant writing is that it’s lonely. As a consultant, asking questions all the time could undermine your authority. When you’re a grant writer in an organization, you are the person that knows the most and you don’t have anyone to ask when questions arise. Having a community is huge and it’s the magic in the Collective. ✨6️⃣ Recognize What is in Your Control and What is NotIt’s easy to get super hung up on trying to control every aspect of the grant writing process. Grant writers are kind of control freaks. The plus side is that this characteristic makes us detail-oriented, but the downside is that it can also hurt us. When you are fretting about something, it’s really important to physically write out what you can control and what you cannot control. ✏️ Then, surrender the pieces you can’t control.Resources and links:🔸 Check out this training we did with Instrumentl about our methodology ➡️ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qvn1vKggFiI&t=1s🔸 What’s the difference between grant writing and fundraising? ➡️ https://www.learngrantwriting.org/blog/difference-between-grant-writing-fundraising 🔸 “How To Write a Grant: Become a Grant Writing Unicorn” by Meredith Noble ➡️ https://www.learngrantwriting.org/learn-grant-writing-book 🔸What Grant Funders Want You to Know In the Indigenous, Environment, and Cultural Preservation Space video ➡️ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTYkugcNSgs&t=1821s Indigenous Funder Panel 🔸Review of Top 20 Online Grant Writing Classes video ➡️ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWVWLQyaS3c&t=747s Questions about the Global Grant Writers Collective? Check out this elaborate FAQ page: https://www.learngrantwriting.org/faq Did you know we have a self study online grant writing class for nonprofit professionals? Or for those that aren’t sure they will like grant writing. You can learn more about Grant Writing: From Start to Funded here: https://www.learngrantwriting.org/grant-writing-class Feel free to DM us on Instagram as well. https://www.instagram.com/learngrantwriting/ 🧡 The Team at Learn Grant Writing Timestamps00:00 Intro00:36 Nobody Bats 100%02:05 #1: Develop a Funding Strategy Roadmap02:53 #2: Build Relationships With Funders05:17 #3: Debrief With the Funder Win or Lose06:26 #4: Get Trained07:45 #5: Build Peer Community Support09:35 #6: Recognize What is in Your Control and What is Not11:30 Recap