Online Class: Grant Proposal Basics

Grant writers are in demand. With grant writing skills, you have the option of working as an independent contractor or obtaining a full-time position with an organization. Community non-profit organizations are always on the look-out for someone who will help them find grant funding and to assume short-term grant writing projects.

The goal of Grant Proposal Basics is seeing students in the community and in business gain a sense of accomplishment and usefulness in grant writing knowledge and skills. The purpose of the course is to teach students about grant writing, so that each student will become knowledgeable and learn basic skills about seeking financial assistance in the form of non-refundable grants for projects. The student will learn how to locate agencies and organizations that have funding available, how to contact them, how to read the requirements for preparing a grant proposal, and general guidelines for preparing a grant proposal. After taking this course, the student should feel like he or she can begin to prepare grant proposals for an individual project, or to be a useful resource to a non-profit organization or business as part of a grant writing proposal team.

A grant proposal writer may average $25 to $50 an hour. Annual salaries range from $31,000 to $60,000. An independent contractor can average more than that, because benefits are not included in a contractor's salary. For a 2-week job, you can earn $2,000 to $3,000.

But, Grants101 is not a get-rich quick scheme. It's about job satisfaction, having a sense of making a valuable contribution where needed, seeing the results of your work, receiving fair compensation, and being needed.

One of the most satisfying things about grant proposal writing is seeing a project through, beginning to end. The person doing grant proposal writing begins by searching for funding, locating funding, working with a team who wants funding for a project, learning how to match the project needs with available funding, helping the team organize a grant proposal, and hopefully seeing that proposal become accepted as a grant that will help fund the project's needs. It's a wholly creative and satisfying job.

Grants101 brings basic information to the student who wants to learn new skills to broaden opportunities in times of economic uncertainty, or to enhance skills in a present position.

Who should enroll? Individuals who are in a variety of job positions and those who are independent workers will benefit from the course. This includes managers, technical writers, administrative support personnel with promotion potential, teachers, other professional specialists, artists, and students.

A recent job search on the Internet turned up 450 jobs relating to proposal preparation across the country. One of those job opportunities could be yours.

This 5-part session will provide basics to those seeking funding for worthy causes, including individual projects that benefit the community.  Topics include: 1) How to know what the eligibility requirements are to receive grant funding; 2) How to find governmental and private funding grant makers; 3) How to learn about the requirements for preparing a grant proposal; 4) How to justify the need for financial assistance with statistical data when writing a grant proposal; and finally, 5) How to identify the component parts to preparing a grant proposal.