Grant Writing Foundations
Getting Ready for Grants: Essential First Steps
Expertise matters, and grant writing skills are more important than ever! This
course offers a practical, accessible starting point for those brand new to the idea of grant writing. Each session reflects a proactive-based approach to help you and your organization build a solid foundation for future grant success.
Course Overview
Getting Ready for Grants: Essential First Steps is a prebeginner course designed for individuals and community-based organizations exploring the idea of grant writing for the first time. Participants will learn what grants are, how they fit into nonprofit funding strategies, common terminology and myths, how to assess organizational readiness, and how to approach grant writing as a team effort. This course uses a proactive, practice-based approach to help lay the groundwork for long-term grant success—before you ever write your first proposal. This course also prepares participants for the Basic and Intermediate Level Grant Writing courses.
Course Details
- Session 1: What Are Grants?
Understanding Grants as a Strategic Funding Tool to Advance Mission and Goals - Session 2: The Language of Grants
Basic Terminology and Common Myths About Grant Writing - Session 3: Is Your Organization Grant Ready?
Assessing Capacity, Infrastructure, and Readiness to Apply - Grant Writing in Action
How Grants Fit into Your Organization, Building a Team Approach, and What Comes Next
Who this course is for:
This course is designed for individuals who are curious about grant writing but have no prior experience. Whether you're considering introducing grant writing into your organization for the first time or simply want to explore the world of grants, this foundational course will help you understand the core concepts, terminology, and essential steps that come before writing a grant.
Participants will gain clarity on what grant writing involves, assess their organization's readiness to apply for grants, and build a strong foundation to support future success in grant seeking. This is not a technical writing course, and it is not intended for experienced grant writers. It is ideal for nonprofit staff, volunteers, board members, or community leaders seeking to build capacity for grant writing in a community-focused setting.
Prerequisites/Other Participant Requirements
There are no prerequisites for this course. Participants are encouraged to actively engage in weekly class discussions through commentary, questions, or reflections on articles, documents, or videos provided as supplemental materials to enhance learning.
Delivery: Online instructor-led videoconferencing via Zoom
Dates: June 2, 9, 23, and 30, 2025
Days and Times: Mondays from 6 - 7:30 p.m.
Registration Deadline: May 26, 2025
Investment: $350
Discounted rates are available for Penn State alumni, staff, and faculty and for members of the Consortium of Co-Op Employers, Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce, and Greater Susquehanna Valley Chamber of Commerce. Contact [email protected] for discount codes.
Basic Level Grant Writing
Grant Writing for Beginners: From Basics to Proposal
Expertise matters, and grant writing skills are more important than ever! Grant Writing for Beginners: From Basic to Proposal is a practical, hands-on course designed for individuals with limited or no grant writing experience who are ready to move from basic understanding to building a complete proposal template. Through four structured sessions, participants will explore how to identify funding opportunities, understand common application components, and begin crafting their own grant proposal.
Course Overview
Grant Writing for Beginners: From Basic to Proposal is a hands-on, beginner-level course designed to help individuals take their first steps in writing full grant proposals. Whether you’re new to grant writing or looking to build confidence in your skills, this course will guide you through the essential components of a standard grant proposal. Participants will learn how to identify suitable funding opportunities, interpret Requests for Proposals (RFPs), and develop key proposal sections such as the executive summary, organizational description, needs statement, project plan, budget, and evaluation strategy. By the end of the course, each participant will have drafted a complete, funder-ready proposal template and will be equipped with the foundational knowledge and practical tools needed to continue developing successful grant applications.
Course Details
- Session 1: Finding the Right Fit
How to Research Grants, Identify Funders, and Assess Alignment - Session 2: Telling Your Story
Completing Basic Grant Forms, Writing Proposal Narratives: the Executive Summary, Introduction, and Organizational Description - Session 3: Making the Case
Writing Proposal Narratives: Developing a Strong Needs Statement, Project Description, Budget, and Budget Narrative - Session 4: Bringing It All Together
Writing Proposal Narratives: Conclusion, Evaluation Plan, Timeline—and Assembling Your Proposal Template
Who this course is for:
This basic grant writing course is designed for individuals who have explored the concept of grant writing and are ready to take the next step by learning the specific components of a grant proposal. It’s ideal for those seeking to build a new skill set and who have a general understanding of what grants are and how they can support their organization’s broader funding strategy. The course is best suited for people involved in community-based or nonprofit work who are beginning to write grants for programs, projects, or services. This course is not intended for experienced grant writers, individuals seeking research funding, or those looking for business startup funds.
Prerequisites/other participant requirements
Participants are expected to have completed the foundational grant writing course “Getting ready for Grants: Essential First Steps” or other similar courses, or have basic level knowledge of grants gained through other types of experiences. Participants will complete weekly exercises to practice key skills and apply what they’ve learned. The goal is for each participant to identify a real grant opportunity as a result of Session 1 and use the remaining sessions to develop a beginner-level proposal draft in response to that grant’s Request for Proposal (RFP) or published application guidelines. Participants are expected to have a general understanding of grant concepts, basic terminology, and foundational information prior to starting the course. They are also encouraged to actively engage in weekly class discussions through commentary, questions, or reflections on articles, documents, or videos provided as supplemental
materials to enhance learning.
Delivery: Online instructor-led videoconferencing via Zoom
Dates: August 4, 11, 18 and 25, 2025
Days and Times: Mondays from 6 - 7:30 p.m.
Registration Deadline: July 28, 2025
Investment: $350
Register for Basic Grant Writing
Discounted rates are available for Penn State alumni, staff, and faculty and for members of the Consortium of Co-Op Employers, Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce, and Greater Susquehanna Valley Chamber of Commerce. Contact [email protected] for discount codes.
Instructed by Erin E. Portland, Ed.D.
Erin E. Portland, Ed.D. is a skilled grant writer with over 20 years experience. Dr. Portland is a grant writer with the Schuylkill Intermediate Unit and Schuylkill Technology Centers and is the owner of Schuylkill GrantWorks, LLC.
During her career, Dr. Portland successfully secured over 18 million dollars in competitive grant awards. Dr. Portland has experience in developing successful federal and state governmental competitive grant applications. She has facilitated grant applications that resulted in funding awards from several national charitable foundations. Having previously worked in one of the executive offices under the jurisdiction of the governor, Dr. Portland has the experience of being a grant reviewer within state government.
She is a graduate of Penn State University with a Master’s of Public Administration and Immaculata University with a Doctorate in Educational Leadership and Administration. Dr. Portland is also a member of the Grant Professionals Association. When she is not grant writing, Dr. Portland enjoys spending time with her family fossil hunting, hiking nature trails, and touring historical sites.
