• Last year we applied for 10 grants and we were awarded 9 of the 10!

    My main takeaway from the course is that grant writing doesn't have to be torturous - in fact it can be joyful.

    Erin Marteal, Director, Ithaca Children's Garden

  • What's in the course?

    The course is an in-depth 40 hour core curriculum that is delivered in 8 modules over 8 weeks. Each week you’ll be given access to the materials that will include core videos and exercises, plus additional handouts, guided meditations, and more.

     

    During the 8-week course you will draft a grant proposal and review it with your peers. Many people find that the peer review process and mutual support is the most helpful element of the course. The course is delivered in a way to nourish and support you personally as you tackle this new task.

     

    The focus will always be on writing a proposal that truly reflects your organization’s strengths and deepest commitments. It will give you precise tools for dissolving your fearful and/or erroneous stories about grant writing and what it takes to win - such as you have to know someone to get a grant. We will also help you develop approaches that are nurturing and leave you with a sense of confidence and trust in your own abilities. You can expect to work in teams to draft a proposal during the course and there will be plenty of time for Q&A and on-the-spot coaching.This is what we'll cover each week.

     

    1

    Preparing to Win

    Making sure that your organization is grant ready and being clear about your organizational needs is the first step to success.

    2

    Planning Your Project

    You can jump right in and write a proposal without careful planning but it won’t get funded. We take time to look at what makes your organization unique and where it is headed so that you only propose projects that are a perfect fit for your agency.

    3

    Researching Funders

    You can develop a great idea and write it with the skill of Hemingway but if you send it to the wrong funder, it will lose. In this class, we’ll see that foundations aren’t that mysterious if you know how to research them. I’ll show you how to find funders who are interested in your project.

    4

    Building Relationships

    The adage “People give money to people not programs” is a truism in the grant writing world. It not sufficient to just ‘write’ a proposal and send it out to an anonymous funder. The best investment you can make is to spend time building relationships. We’ll explain why and how to do it in this class.

    5

    Telling Your Story

    Successful grant writing balances story and fact. In this class you'll learn how to convey the story of your project or organization in a compelling way. We’ll also cover what you need to know about designing your project so that you won’t regret the day that you won the grant because it’s a bear to implement.

     

    6

    Writing Your Proposal I

    After all the preparation, we’ll get down to the nitty-gritty of writing a proposal that you can be proud of. We’ll carefully go through each of the proposal components and what you need to say- and not say- in each of them. Includes Introduction, Needs, Goals & Objectives.

    7

    Writing Your Proposal II

    This is where you take all your preparation in weeks 1-5 and put it into action. Includes: Methods, Evaluation, Budget, Dissemination, Sustainability.

    8

    Review

    Participants tell me that this is the most valuable part of the course. You will share your draft with your peers and receive their honest feedback from their perspective about what works and what doesn’t BEFORE you send it out.

  • This course is for you if

    • You have great ideas and are committed to getting them funded and just need some support and guidance
    • You are ABLE and WILLING to spend 5+ hours a week for 8 weeks putting what you have learned into action
    • You’ve been procrastinating and second-guessing yourself about writing grant proposals for far too long and are ready to take action
    • You are capable of (kind) self-discipline because you’ll need to sit yourself down and get the work done.
    • You are determined to create positive social, environmental and economic change in the world and know that you can do it with the right support
    • You’re comfortable with and enjoy meditations, yoga, connecting in sacred space and talking about our inherent oneness. You’re the kind of person who heads off on retreat every once is in a while – or would like to.
    • You’ll need to be on facebook and comfortable with computers That they will have to cut services or lay off employees and cut services
    • You're drawn to spirituality and believe that we all have a deep reservoir of eternal wisdom inside of us

  • Who this course is not for

    • You have years of grantwriting success under your belt (I have other programs that might be better suited to you).

    • You don’t have 5 hours a week to put into the course – and 16 hours during weeks 6 & 7

    • I’m a progressive liberal inspired by radical reimagining of our world as place that supports EVERYONE - if you’re offended by that then this isn’t the course for you

    • If you don’t have an organization that you are working with or a project in mind, you’ll struggle to get the most out of this course

    • You don’t have internet access, facebook etc.

    • You can’t be on any of the live calls (see below)

    • You hold fundamental religious beliefs that don't allow you to expand into new experiences and ideas

    • You’re not strong at self-motivation and self-discipline since you will need those to keep yourself on track to do the coursework between live sessions. Like anything in life – you’ll get what you put into this course.

  • Dr. Lenore Strocchia-Rivera

    Since taking this course, I have helped secure more than $625,000 in grants!

    Before I attended your workshop, I used to ‘wing it’ when it came to writing grant applications. Now I know some strategies that have helped me organize my time better and, thankfully, keep my sanity. The best part of all: since taking this course, I have helped secure more than $625,000 in grants!

    Dr. Lenore Strocchia-Rivera

  • Learning Outcomes

    or...what you'll be able to do after the workshop

    Nuts and Bolts

    1. Develop an understanding of the private grantmaking process.
    2. Know where to look for private and public grant opportunities.
    3. Complete an assessment of your agency’s readiness for grant funding.
    4. The ability to assess whether a prospect is worth pursuing by reading 990 PFs and RFPs.
    5. Capacity to search for public grant opportunities and the Foundation Center database to identify prospective foundations.
    6. Capacity to assess the prospect pool and begin to discern top priorities.
    7. Learn first-hand about the qualities of outstanding proposals – the tricks of the trade.
    8. Have a proposal draft that you’re excited about and is a reflection of your organization’s mission and vision for the future.

    Deeper Work

    1. Create a powerful intention by clearly identifying your agency’s funding priorities.

    2. Capacity to create a context of sufficiency and gratitude in which to do grant research.

    3. An understanding of the importance of creating positive relationships with funders.

    4. A sense of ease about contacting program officers about potential projects.

    5. The capacity to see the grant seeking process within an empowering context that is gives you the courage to write and submit. .

    6. Have the capacity to tell your project or organization’s story from and to the heart, with integrity.

    7. Feel more creativity and ease in writing proposals.

    8. You won't find yourself saying, "I don't know how to say this in a way that will make them fund it." Or "How on earth can I get a proposal submitted on time with everything else that I have to do?" Or "My grants never get funded" Or "I just don’t know grants language."

    9. Know what grant writing is really about at its core.

    10. Clearly understand the link between planning and success.

    11. Know how to write the seven elements of a proposal.

    12. Feel nourished by the grant writing process and feel empowered to fulfill on your vision for the world.

    Time Commitment

    To get full the benefit, you should plan on spending 4-5 hours per week on the materials and doing assignments. You need to set aside at least 16 hours to work on your draft proposal during sessions 6 & 7 (Friday 9 February through the end of the month).

    Long-Term Access

    The problem with most grant trainings is that you take the class and then months later when you come to write a proposal you find you've forgotten a lot of what you've learned or the online courses are available for a limited period.

     

    I've solved this problem by giving you long-term access to all the class materials and recordings for as long as you want them. You'll be able to go back and listen to the recording and review the worksheets as often as you like. You'll have long-term access (as long as I offer the class and I don't plan to stop anytime soon) to this material so that you can dip into it whenever you want a refresher.

    Peer Support

    You'll be invited to join a closed Facebook group of all Grantwriter’s Well participants. I'll be actively involved in the group and answer any questions that come up for you.

    Grantwriting Group Coaching Sessions

    Each week, you’ll get a 90-minute live Q&A call in which you can ask me any questions that have come up for you as you’ve been working through the materials. Did you ever take a class and then try to put what you learned into action and hit a snag or run into something they didn't cover in class and then feel stumped? Me too, that's why I'm including this component. I'm a skilled coach and absolutely love sharing what I know about the field through these coaching sessions.

    Overall this is an in-depth, interactive holistic experience designed to be solid yet light, focused and expansive, logical and creative, energizing and calming, powerful and grounding and full of air – a nice balance.

  • The Grantwriter's Well Online Course

    In a nutshell, you’ll get

    8 online modules

    thoughtfully designed to teach you the art and science of grantwriting

    8 90-minute coaching calls

    to answer your questions and provide guidance as you go through the materials (7pm EST Tuesday October 2, 9, 1, 23 and 30th, and November 6, 13, & 20th)

    write a full draft proposal

    with my ongoing feedback

    2 hour peer-review session

    where we give constructive feedback on the drafts - this is invaluable to get a compassionate outsider’s perspective

    (7pm EST, Tuesday December 11th)

    long-term access

    you’ll be able to access these materials whenever you want to for as long as I offer the course

    a private facebook community

    to rest into as you learn

  • What the course will be like for you

    Before the course starts there will be some pre-preparation work, such as introducing yourself to the group, and finding a buddy if you don’t already have one etc.

     

    On Friday evenings you will receive an email with a to a link with the week’s course materials. You’ll have the week to go through them and do the exercises – in some cases with a buddy. All the information is broken into digestible chunks so you won’t get overwhelmed. You might choose do to do an hour a day or set aside and afternoon each week.

     

    The following Thursday at 7:00pm EST we’ll have a live Q&A session via zoom and I’ll go through the materials and answer any questions that have come up for you. If you have questions in the interim you can post them on the facebook page.

     

    The Q&A calls will be at

    Course Starts: Materials released on September 26th

    Week 1: 7pm EST on Tuesday October 2nd

    Week 2: 7pm EST on Tuesday October 9th

    Week 3: 7pm EST on Tuesday October 16th

    Week 4: 7pm EST on Tuesday October 23rd

    Week 5: 7pm EST on Tuesday October 30th

    Week 6: 7pm EST on Tuesday November 6th

    Week 7: 7pm EST on Tuesday November 13th

    Week 8: 7pm EST on Tuesday November 20th

    Peer Review Session: 7pm EST on Tuesday December 11th.

     

    For the weeks starting November 6th & 13th, you’ll take all that you’ve learned and compile a draft – you’ll need at least 8-10 hours each week to do that. I know that’s a lot of time for most non-profit folks but you know that you get out of anything what you put into it.

     

    Once your draft is complete, we’ll share them with each other via googledocs and everyone will read each other’s draft and make constructive comments. During the final session, we’ll take 10-15 minutes to offer feedback to each person on their draft.

     

  • Dr. Lenore Strocchia-Rivera

    I’m left with more energy .. and feel more confident about bringing the creative soul into the whole process.

    I’ve longed for a way to better manage the complexities of the grant development process. Jana is gifted at calming weary bodies, minds, and hearts, and affirms our bone deep longings for our work and our world. This workshop is practical, empowering, and visionary. I’m left with more energy for the work and the art of grant development and feel more confident about bringing the creative soul into the whole process. With this workshop you’ll discover how your passion and your expertise can be a compelling story for funders.

    Nancy Potter

  • FAQ

    How much time will it take?

    The course will require 3-6 hours per week plus 8-10 hours in weeks 6 & 7. I understand this is a huge time commitment for most people - but I guarantee you that I’ll do my absolute best to make it worth your time and give you the skills that you’ll be able to use for years to come.

    It sounds great but I don’t have the money?

    I understand that non-profit budgets are always tight. So, I'm offering this course with an installment option in which you pay over 3 months.

     

    And, I also have a LOT of free resources on my main grant writing page www.grantschampion.com and my book is offered on a gift basis at www.grantwritingrevealed.com.

     

    I don’t have project to work on – will this be useful?

    Not really, if you don’t know a program or project very well.

     

    If it’s online, how much interaction do I get with you?

    • I’ve designed and all the course materials and videos etc are imbibed it with the best of my experience.

    • We’ll also have a live 90 minute call each week where we can talk through what you’re working on and get feedback from me and your peers.

    Do you offer CFRE credits?

    Not at this time.

     

    You talk about the sacred - is this religious?

    No, it’s not. I do not adhere to any religion and respect all of them that empower people to be be more loving. I believe that we all share a common root that is loving, expansive and peaceful - what all religions point to. The course includes some non-denominational meditations intended to bring us present to this sense of the sacred. I’ve found that most people find them relaxing, grounding and peaceful - and religious fundamentalists don’t like it.

     

  • A bit more about me

    I know that it's important for me to know a bit more about who's running any program I sign up for

    so here's my bio....

    Jana Hexter

    Jana Jane Hexter is the author of Grant Writing Revealed: 25 Experts Share Their Art, Science, and Secrets which is based on interviews with experts who have collectively raised $1.7 billion and written 24,000 proposals with 400 years of experience.

     

    Jana is owner of Grants Champion has helped hundreds of people raise millions of dollars for programs that make a difference. She has written well over 150 successful proposals and raised over $60 million for her grant writing clients — school districts, higher education institutions, and human service agencies throughout the U.S..

     

    She is also a gifted intuitive and medium offering access to eternal wisdom through The Jana Channel.

     

    Jana is a captivating teacher. She co-taught one of the Chronicle of Philanthropy’s all-time most highly subscribed webinars. She also taught grant writing at New York University’s George H. Heyman Jr. Center for Philanthropy and Fundraising. She has spoken at the Grant Professionals Association (GPA) and Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) National Conferences. Her “Presentation on Presentation” at the National GPA conference was given the highest ranking by conference attendees.

     

    She served on the National Board of the GPA and is a former chapter board member of the AFP Finger Lakes. Jana also served as a Subject Matter Expert for the Grant Professionals Certification Institute (GPCI) to develop the Grant Professionals Certificate exam. In addition, she has served on peer review panels for New York State and the United States Department of Education.

    She was born and raised in Nottingham, England. After moving to the United States, she earned her BA cum Laude in Government/Slavic and East European Studies from Cornell University and conducted research in Eastern Europe as a Ford Foundation Clusters Scholar. She lives in Ithaca, NY and when not in front of a computer can most often be found in the woods, on the dance floor, or coming down a ski slope.

     

  • The Cost & Guarantee

    This course will be offered starting on September 26, 2018.

     

    To receive advance notice when registration opens for the next session starting in January 2019, please click here.

     

    I am offering a sliding scale: Please choose the category that has integrity for you.

     

    Non-profits with revenue < $300k/year and individual students = $850

    Non-profits with revenue < $1M/year and individuals = $950

    Non-profits with revenue > $1M = $1095

     

    I’M OFFERING A FULL PAYMENT OPTION

     

    or

     

    THREE INSTALLMENT OPTION (this costs 2% more because the credit card processing company charges an additional fee)

     

     

    Deadline

    The deadline for course registration is midnight on September 22nd.

    EARLY BIRD BONUS

    I’m also offering a bonus of a 45-minute one-to-one coaching session for everyone who signs up for this offer by midnight on September 6th. You can use this at any time – during the course or months afterwards when you need advice on moving your project forward or in another direction. I don’t offer this an option very often and when I do, I charge $300 an hour so this is a really nice bonus to receive.

    GUARANTEE

    I know you may still not be sure about this, especially if you haven’t worked with me before. And I understand that it’s an investment of both your time, money and life force to take this course - and the potential downside is that you’ll put time into this and it won’t be a fit for you.

     

    I’d like to take the risk off of you and onto myself. If you sign up for the course, do all of the exercises, and attend 90% of the live calls and are not completely satisfied, just let me know and I’ll refund your $300 and make a $100 donation to your non-profit (or one of your choosing) in addition.

     

    To say that another way: you are guaranteed to raise at least $100 from this program.

    You might not be ready for this course yet

    and if that’s the case, these other offerings might be of interest to you

    1. Ask me anything sessions – which is 1 hour of 1:1 coaching with me

    2. My book, Grant Writing Revealed: 25 Experts Share the Art, Science, & Secrets. This is based on interviews with top grantwriters and is available on a gift basis on my site or you can purchase a hard copy through Amazon.

  • I have been successful in securing 18 grants, helping to make up for critical funding losses in our program.

    I took the GrantsChampion workshop several years ago and it was my first formal introduction to grants. Since then, I have been successful in securing 18 grants, helping to make up for critical funding losses in our program. Without learning how to write these grants, and gaining the confidence to pursue them, the program might not be here today.

     

    The workshop was relaxed, fun, social, and focused on real grants we were pursuing. It was a very honest workshop. I discovered that grant-writing can be like a puzzle with many pieces we already have. We just need to find the right way of connecting those pieces so they make up the whole picture.

    Suzie Brache

     

     

  • The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams

    Eleanor Roosevelt

     

     

    There is a voice in us all that is ever present, a voice that always sings its melody to the world. This is a voice of truth and certainty, the voice that lays bare the hidden mysteries of the soul.
    ~ Jonathan Star

  • Contact Jana

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