Free · Certificate included
Grant Writing 101
Find the right funders, write a proposal they can say yes to, and build relationships that fund you again.
What you’ll learn
- Research and qualify funders whose priorities actually match your mission
- Read an RFP and a funder 990 to decide whether to apply before you write a word
- Build every core proposal component — need statement, SMART objectives, methods, evaluation, and budget
- Write a tight LOI and cover letter, avoid the mistakes that get proposals rejected, and steward funders into repeat support
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Create a free account →Course outline
- 1
What a grant actually is — and isn’t
A grant is money a funder gives your nonprofit to do specific work that advances their mission as well as yours.
5 min Quiz Interactive - 2
Prospect research: finding funders who’ll say yes
Prospect research is figuring out, before you write, which funders are most likely to fund you.
7 min Quiz Interactive - 3
Reading the RFP and the LOI gate
Once you’ve found a fit, the funder tells you exactly what they want — in the RFP (Request for Proposals) or application guidelines.
6 min Quiz Interactive - 4
The need statement and your goals & SMART objectives
The heart of every proposal is two pieces working together: a statement of need that proves a problem exists, and goals and objectives that say what you’ll do about it.
8 min Quiz Interactive - 5
Methods, evaluation, budget, and capacity
With the need and objectives set, the rest of the proposal proves you can actually deliver and measure it.
8 min Quiz Interactive - 6
The cover letter, submission, and avoiding fatal mistakes
The proposal is built. Now you package it — a cover letter, a clean submission, and a final pass to catch the mistakes that sink otherwise-strong applications.
6 min Quiz Interactive - 7
After the decision: reporting and stewardship
Whether you win or lose, what you do next shapes future funding.
5 min Quiz Interactive
Sources & further reading
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