Grant Writing: Keys to a Successful Foundation Proposal (Virtual Series)

Dates

Four Weekly Sessions via Zoom

Tuesday - October 18 & 25 and November 1 & 8
9:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. (PT)

Event Description

Title
Grant Writing: Keys to a Successful Foundation Proposal (Virtual Series)

Facilitator
Hannah Cortez, Chief Operating Officer, The Dotted i

NAO, in partnership with The Dotted i, is proud to bring you a 4-part grant writing series tailored to foundation grants! In this series, we will offer hands-on learning activities, peer networking, and expert knowledge on grant readiness, grant research, proposal writing, and grant management. In addition to in-class instruction, participants will have weekly homework to deepen learning and have direct access to course trainers for feedback and support.

This is the perfect introduction to foundation proposal writing for small and rural nonprofits and those new to grant writing. Our course will provide you with tangible takeaways and strategies to implement new skills in your nonprofit organization.

This workshop series is made possible with support from The Ford Family Foundation.

Automatic closed captioning via Zoom is turned on by default for all NAO virtual trainings. For other accommodation requests, please contact us at training@nonprofitoregon.org. Advanced notice of at least 10 days is appreciated.

Outline

Session 1: October 18

Grant Readiness 
In this session we’ll discuss what it takes to be considered “ready” to seek foundation funding. We’ll go over a list of commonly requested documents, highlight what funders are looking for, discuss how to assess priorities, and make sure your program has been thought through. (Develop a Logic Model in class for a top priority project/program and introduce the Grant Answer Template)

Objectives:

1. Learn the importance of having a strategy & priorities for funding
2. Gain confidence that you are PREPARED enough to seek grants (programmatically and organizationally)
3. Develop an efficient and organized grant system 

Homework: Grant Answer Template (to be workshopped in session 3)

Session 2: October 25

Grant Research
Most people feel lost when it comes to grant research because they “don’t know where to start”, which is why we’ll walk through the entire process! We’ll start with discussing the importance of identifying keywords and phrases, showcasing the different platforms to look for grants (grant databases, Google, 990s) and walking through cursory and detailed reviews of grant guidelines.

Objectives:

1. Learn the importance of having a strategy & priorities for funding
2. Gain confidence that you are PREPARED enough to seek grants (programmatically and organizationally)
3. Develop an efficient and organized grant system 

Homework: Perform grant research and input data into Research List

Session 3: November 1

Grant Writing
This is where we like to dig in and do some actual writing! We will refer back to the Grant Answer Template introduced in Session 1 and in this session we will walk through the boilerplate and teach you how to add compelling language, data, and funder-specific alignment to make your narrative stand out. 

Objectives:

1. Understand how to create a concise and compelling grant proposal 
2. Learn what funders *really* want to know
3. Taking a proposal to the next level by making your narrative tailored to each funder you apply for
4. Gain confidence in your writing skills

Homework: Update your Grant Answer Template with new knowledge

Session 4: November 8

Grant Management/Building Relationships
In this session, we will begin to wrap up the grant writing process by discussing how to track outcomes you’ve outlined in grant proposals (internal progress reports), how to organize your reporting calendar, and ways to build relationships with funders after the grant ends.

Objectives:

1. Understand how to show your program was successful & worth the investment
2. Clarifying goals and objectives and how to track them 
3. When to reach out to funders and what to say to build strong relationships
4. Developing an organized plan to track outcomes

Homework: To be workshopped by group

About the Facilitator

Hannah Cortez, Chief Operating Officer, The Dotted i As a Grant Specialist with The Dotted i since 2017, Hannah Cortez has raised over 2.3 million dollars for her clients through thoughtful project development and successful grant writing. She has a background in human development, education, and community health which gives her a well-rounded approach to grant seeking, identifying an organization’s need, and building relationships with funders. As the daughter of a journalist, her investigative spirit lends itself to thorough research and identifying the details that will sell your organization’s story! Her passion shines when she’s educating others which is why you’ll often find her presenting at nonprofit conferences or leading grant trainings. About The Dotted i In 2008, Breanna Polacik, CEO and Founder, began her work as a grant writer working with municipalities and tribal entities to secure millions of dollars in state and federal funding for community related grant projects. During this time she had the opportunity to work with a small nonprofit to secure the funding and construct a food pantry facility with zero debt. The amount of excitement and fulfillment she experienced from working on that nonprofit project is what pushed her to switch gears from the municipal side and open the doors of The Dotted i in 2014. Since that time The Dotted i team has grown from 1 to 5 professional Grant Specialists who support nonprofit organizations through grant research, writing and training services. Our mission is to help nonprofits find and secure the grant funding they need to make a lasting impact in their communities.

Cost

$125 for NAO Members
$200 for Nonmembers

The NAO member discount will be applied after you select "Register Now" below. You must be logged in to your member account to receive the discount. 

A link to access this workshop series will be provided in the registration confirmation e-mail and e-mail reminder prior to event dates.

If you have questions or trouble registering contact training@nonprofitoregeon.org. 

Location

Online