A Quick Guide to the Web's Best Grant Writing Resources
by Mark J. Drozdowski
STRIP AWAY MY adjunct teaching status, my highfalutin administrative title and my freelance activities, and I’m basically a grant writer (not that there’s anything wrong with that). I’ve been writing grants for more than a dozen years, and in that time I’ve come to appreciate what constitutes good form. When I began, we didn’t have on-line tutorials to guide newbies through the often bewildering process; back then, “on-line” meant you were waiting to enter the theater.
Now we do. In fact, a keyword search for “grant writing” uncovers thousands of hits. Some resources, to be sure, are better than others, and I’ve attempted here to capture many of the best. This list features sites of universities, consultants, grant makers, government agencies and other non-profit entities. My criteria include sound advice, ease of navigation, clarity, and helpful links. Not all of these recommended sites meet every criterion, but they do enough to warrant mention.
Before we begin the tour, let’s get one thing straight: Grant writers don’t write grants. We write grant proposals, and linguistic purists eagerly remind us of the difference. But since most people (and Web sites) use this apparent misnomer, we’ll just go with the flow.
University Pages
http://www.usc.edu/dept/contracts/gg.html
If you want a basic primer without excessive detail and examples, start with this brief outline from Southern Cal’s Department of Contracts and Grants.
http://www2.mcdaniel.edu/grants
McDaniel College offers a decent resource featuring sample proposal elements, like cover letters and budgets, and links to various funding resources.
http://www.library.ucsb.edu/guides/rfps.html
For a comprehensive map to Requests for Proposals (RFPs), check out this site at UC Santa Barbara’s library. But beware of the various dead links leading to Route 404 on the information superhighway.
http://www.unl.edu/nepscor/newpages/noframes/pubs/winners/writing.html
A University of Nebraska professor gives us an in-depth discussion of grant writing, including thoughts on devising ideas, planning, and avoiding jargon. Once you get past the rainbow-of-bubbles motif, you’ll find useful commentary, even though some of it relates specifically to his institution.
http://www.vancouver.wsu.edu/ca/cadv/grantwriting.htm
For an even more detailed discussion, check out this Washington State page. Its “Six Steps to a Winning Proposal through Collaboration and Teamwork” presents a narrative on grant writing and grantsmanship. Diehard academics will appreciate the footnotes at the bottom of the page.
Grantmakers and Government Agencies
http://www.nsf.gov/nsf/nsfpubs/gpg/start.htm
The National Science Foundation presents a comprehensive guide to crafting proposals for scientific research and related projects, though much of the advice applies to grant writing of any kind. As you might imagine, it’s not exactly beach reading, but scientists will appreciate the kindred lingo.
http://www.epa.gov/seahome/grants/src/title.htm
A good introduction to grants, this Environmental Protection Agency page includes a glossary of terms, a step-by-step process, examples, and even mock grant writing exercises you can do on-line. Imagine the fun.
http://www.psu.ac.th/PresidentOffice/EduService/research/umass/artprop.htm
In “The Art of Writing Proposals,” the Social Science Research Council presents a thorough discussion of grant-writing strategies aimed at those whose teaching and research fall within the social sciences.
http://www.cfda.gov/public/cat-writing.htm
A Sominex special, this Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance site contains a succinct discussion of writing proposals for government grants. For those preferring substance over style, your on-line tutorial awaits.
Grant Writing Consultants
http://www.grantproposal.com
Consultant Elizabeth Brunner dispenses wisdom to the grant weary. You’ll find bits on crafting letters and proposals (and samples of each), advice from funders, and general comments about grantseeking etiquette. She also includes links to research databases and related sources for nonprofits, as well as tips on hiring a grant-writing consultant.
http://www.proposalwriter.com
This consultant, Deborah, chooses to refer to herself in the third person. Mark likes the site for its compendium of pointers, but he thinks some are rather obvious (don’t use small fonts, make a schedule and stick to it, don’t get discouraged). He says you’ll find useful links to other resources, including grantmakers who support specific causes (e.g. aging, arts, K-12, religion).
http://www.polarisgrantscentral.net
Despite its megalomaniacal appearance (suggesting we found the center of the universe), this site from Polaris actually proves useful, cataloging dozens of annotated links to funders, giving plenty of helpful tips, and pointing to resources for those seeking scholarships or individual grants. You’ll find a few comments somewhat odd (“Writing is easy”), and be sure to note the use of “bureaucrap.”
Various Non-Profit Resources
http://www.cpb.org/grants/grantwriting.html
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting offers the “Basic Elements of Grant Writing, “ a one- size-fits-all outline. Start here for an introductory course before moving to more detailed discussions elsewhere.
http://www.npguides.org
While not as comprehensive as some, the Non-Profit Guides site discusses the essential elements of a proposal. You’ll also find links to grantmakers’ pages and resources for further research.
http://www.charitychannel.com
Charity Channel’s mission is “to create a place where nonprofit professionals can connect, learn from each other, share information and work together to advance the cause of philanthropy.” This self-dubbed “conference that never sleeps” provides international perspectives on fund raising, unlike competing resources. Be warned that the site is a visual typhoon, so finding information can be a bit challenging. But there’s plenty of good stuff here, including recent newspaper articles on grants and grantmakers; e-newsletters on topics such as “Grants and Foundation Review,” “Major Gifts Review,” and “E-Philanthropy and Technology Review”; book reviews on literature of the nonprofit sector; and links to consultants’ pages. A scan of the grants review section reveals several articles on successful grant writing and grantsmanship. The site also features about 50 discussion forums, including one on grants, which let you browse by month or search by keyword. They do ask for a subscriber fee of $24 per year, but suggest payment relies on the honor system.
http://www.tgci.com
The Grantsmanship Center calls itself “the world’s leading source of grantsmanship training and grant information.” Based in Los Angeles, the center offers training programs around the country (five days for $825) and publishes a proposal writing guide it claims is the “most widely read publication in nonprofit history.” You can read back issues of TCGI Magazine on-line; articles are grouped by subjects such as foundation and corporate funding, government grants, proposal writing, nonprofit law and consulting. The site also features a long list of links to grantmakers’ Web pages.
http://www.fdncenter.org
The Foundation Center in New York provides perhaps the most comprehensive and beneficial site for those seeking foundation and corporate funding. This clearinghouse of grants information includes links to grantmakers’ pages; common grant application forms; recent RFPs; news on gifts and grants; a “virtual classroom” in which to learn grantseeking basics (including how to formulate budgets); and a proposal writing short course (in English and Spanish). While some of the specific information about foundation and corporate grantmakers is restricted to subscribers, much is free. Early in my career I attended the day-long proposal writing conference sponsored by the center, and I highly recommend it for novices. Look for a schedule of free classes and fee-based seminars in New York, Cleveland, Atlanta, San Francisco and Washington, DC.
Allow me some final words about grant writing from the adjunct faculty perspective. As you can probably deduce, my on-line expedition revealed precious little relating specifically to part-time faculty. That said, as an adjunct you can pursue grant support, provided your college or department agrees to sponsor your activity (grants are normally made directly to organizations, not individuals). Here’s another thought: Grant writing is a potentially lucrative way to complement your teaching income. You can become a consultant even with a limited track record of achievement. If you’re interested and can write fairly well, visit these sites and get a feel for what’s involved. In any event, good luck and happy grantseeking.
