Winning Grants Step by Step: The Complete Workbook for Planning, Developing and Writing Successful Proposals

Previous Praise for Winning Grants Step by Step "Warning: this book works. It provokes you to ask the right questions, hand-holds you through practical exercises, and offers a map that includes paths to develop strategic relationships with funders." — E. Eduardo Romero , Nonprofit Roundtable "Winning Grants Step by Step is a very practical A-to-Z resource that speaks to the importance of staying focused on your mission every step of the way. The third edition is artfully updated with words of wisdom from grantmakers themselves, as well as updates on the latest processes and buzzwords all grantseekers need to know." — Heather Iliff , Maryland Association of Nonprofit Organizations "With solid advice and clear examples, nonprofit leaders will find it a page turner!" — Clarence Hauer , senior director, strategy and organizational development, St. Louis Nonprofit Services Consortium "Winning Grants Step by Step is a gift to nonprofit organizations. The valuable insights and hands-on tools will instantly make any proposal more competitive." — Alex Carter , Your Nonprofit Coach "Developing great grant proposals is essential for nonprofit leaders. Winning Grants Step by Step provides important guidance to those who are new to fundraising as well as to anyone who needs a refresher. This new edition of Winning Grants brings updated tips and vivid examples. As an experienced fundraising consultant, I believe it will help my clients and colleagues alike." — Maria Gitin , CFRE, Maria Gitin & Associates "As an executive director, fundraising is on my mind every day. It's great to have a resource like Winning Grants Step by Step to use and share with my board, staff, and peers." — Deborah Menkart , executive director, Teaching for Change

Website Contents vi List of Figures, Samples, and Worksheets vii Acknowledgments ix The Author xi How to Use This Workbook xiii Introduction An Overview of the Grantseeking Process 1 STEP 1 Developing the Proposal Idea 13 STEP 2 Developing Relationships with Funders 21 STEP 3 Writing a Compelling Problem Statement 31 STEP 4 Defining Clear Goals and Objectives 39 STEP 5 Developing the Methods 49 STEP 6 Preparing the Evaluation Component 55 STEP 7 Developing Sustainability Strategies 65 STEP 8 Developing the Program Budget 71 STEP 9 Writing the Organization Background Component 85 STEP 10 Writing the Proposal Summary 91 STEP 11 Putting the Package Together 97 STEP 12 Sustaining Relationships with Funders 105 Bibliography 111 Resources A. What Is a Foundation? 113 B. How to Research Funders 117 C. Resources for Grantseekers 121 Index 125

Tori O'Neal-McElrath is the director of institutional advancement at the Center for Community Change, a national organization founded in 1968 to build the power and capacity of low-income people, especially low-income people of color, to have a significant impact in improving their communities and the policies and institutions that affect their lives.