Certificate in Grantwriting

Grantwriting photo - Continuing Education at Seattle Central College

Student Reviews

"I walked away with all I expected and more! I'm inspired."
"I learned so much from your grant writing classes - can't wait to make use of my new skill and have a positive impact. I met some lovely classmates (virtually) too!
"The class was well organized and informative, the tools and resources shared were applicable to real world scenarios, and class discussions were casual and interesting."
"Great! The coursework and videos are high quality. I appreciate how easy it is to use the coursework site."
"I felt that the class really maximized the time we had available and allowed us to write great sample grant proposals that could be used for future job applications."
"Thank you so much for this class!! It helped give me the confidence to go out and get my dream job and I feel so much more prepared for anything grant-related that comes my way!"
"Great class. Very eye opening to fundamentals of grantwriting as well as in-depth evaluating."
"The lessons learned in class go far beyond grantwriting; I will apply them to all aspects of managing my non-profit. Thank you!"
"Having started with almost no knowledge about grants I now feel equipped to go out there and get funding. It worked!"
"I feel much more knowledgeable and prepared. The lessons, resources provided, assignments, and feedback did an excellent job of helping me feel confident and prepared to undertake writing a grant."
"I thought this class was very helpful and I feel confident that I now have a solid foundation to start with."
"I now feel much more confident in my abilities to create a strong grant application...everything that we would need to know when sending out real grant proposals including how to follow up and build rapport with grant makers. I didn't just learn how to write a grant but rather how to be a grant writer."

Class Overview

The world of grant-seeking is becoming more competitive. Gain the knowledge to become a successful grant writer, whether you're a program manager, fund developer, or the head of an organization. Learn a series of essential skills, from project design to development and persuasive writing, and gain practical experience.

Discover where to find grant opportunities, how to write grant reports, and how to build relationships with grantmakers so that you have all the information you need to get funding for something you care deeply about. Explore the ethics involved in writing proposals and reports, and receiving funds.

Topics will include:

Writing a grant proposal, step by step
Where to find grant opportunities and research strategies
Using a logic model to design your project
Formulating goals, outcomes, and objectives
Preparing a project work plan and timeline
Budgeting your project
Evaluation
Editing for persuasive communications
Building relationships with grantmakers
The ethics involved in the grantwriting process

This online course provides on-demand instruction with reading and writing assignments plus a weekly Zoom meeting with your learning cohort for problem-based discussion. You will receive one-on-one personalized feedback on your writing and grant strategy - a huge asset of this class that sets it apart from others.

To achieve the certificate, you will need to complete a grant proposal within eight weeks, following the course curriculum. Your instructor, Allison Jones Shirk, M.Ed. has more than 25 years of experience writing grants and is a certified grantwriting instructor through the Grant Professional Association and Grant Professional Certification Institute. She will guide you through this process step by step. This course is approved for 24 continuing education points for initial certification and renewal as a Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE) and Grant Professional Certified (GPC). This course, in partnership with Spark the Fire Grantwriting Classes, was rated by Instrumentl as one of the best grantwriting classes of 2022, 2023, and 2024.

Learning Objectives

Properly outline goals for grants
Develop proposals that will help you win grants
Utilize skills in how to present your proposal
Develop relationships with grantmakers
Have a finished grant proposal developed with the guidance of an expert

Who Might Enjoy This Class?

Professionals from government, nonprofit, tribes, and educational organizations
Fund development consultants who are interested in honing their skills
Freelance writers interested in expanding their available services
Anyone interested in a career in nonprofits, government, education, tribes, fund development, or grantwriting