by Ellen Karsh and Arlen Sue Fox
Published March, 2006. 416 pages. paperback.

Veteran grant writers Karsh and Fox not only rely on years of experience but also on interviews with dozens of foundations, associations, and government organizations to provide readers the best current thinking around a very tedious subject. What's more, the book's organization is attractive; 16 lessons, each prefaced with a truth-is-stranger anecdote and then expanded via a series of questions and answers and discussion and tested with pop quizzes, from fill in the blanks to independent study. The quotes from funders alone are worth the price of admission: "Less than 10 percent of proposals fit our guidelines." "I hate it when budgets make no sense." "Make it easier to use, with headings, bullets . . ." Yet, hands down, the appendixes win: 50 tips to improve your chances to win a grant and a proposal checklist, glossary, sample grant forms, representative list of community foundations, Web sites, regional associations of grant makers, and answers to pop quizzes. A must-have money reference.