Preparing successful grant proposals to receive funding from corporations or foundations requires careful research, meticulous preparation, and graceful writing. Grant administrators tell us that many grant requestors have no real understanding of the proposal writing process and as a result, their worthy causes lose out.

If you learn how to avoid the errors that lead to the rejection of your proposal, you will be better prepared to help the causes you most admire. This course will walk you through all of the essential steps--including an important discussion of what you must do when the grant arrives!

In this course, you’ll learn how to become fully familiar with the institution or project for which you are requesting support. You’ll get valuable guidance in preparing a background statement and a brief financial statement to support your request. You’ll also research some charitable foundation and corporate giving sources.

Then, you'll learn how to put everything together so you can assemble, write, and submit complete grant proposals to foundations, corporations, and wealthy individuals for any number of your pet projects.

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Recommended Courses:

Students who enrolled in Writing Effective Grant Proposals were also interested in the following courses:

Advanced Grant Proposal Writing

A to Z Grant Writing

Become a Grant Writing Consultant

Introduction to Nonprofit Management

Introduction to Microsoft Excel 2007

Syllabus:

All courses run for six weeks, with a two-week grace period at the end. Two lessons are released each week for the six-week duration of the course. You do not have to be present when the lesson is released, but you must complete each lesson within two weeks of its release.

A new section of each course starts on the second or third Wednesday of each month. If enrolling in a series of two or more courses, please be sure to space the start date for each course at least two months apart.

Week One

Wednesday - Lesson 01

There’s nothing magical about preparing a grant request, but in this lesson, you’ll learn some easy and fun tricks of trade that will help you with all sorts of writing projects, even those beyond grant proposals. And you’ll learn special ways to practice these tricks!

Friday - Lesson 02

Those of us who work for causes we think are important care about them in a very special way, usually a rather subjective one. But grantors who deal with literally thousands of institutions and causes have a rather different way of thinking about them. In this lesson, you’ll put yourself in their shoes. And in the process, you’ll learn a great way to describe your own cause to anyone.

Week Two

Wednesday - Lesson 03

Now that you’ve tried on your grantor’s shoes, let's talk about why those grantors look for certain kinds of information and documents. You’ll learn what these documents are so you can dig them out and be ready to supply them when you prepare a grant request.

Friday - Lesson 04

There are lots of interesting things to know about each individual nonprofit organization, but all nonprofits share one thing: They're not in it to for the money! We all know that you can measure a good business by its bottom line—whether it makes money or not. But how do you measure the effectiveness of a nonprofit that needs money? In this lesson, we’ll start to look into it.

Week Three

Wednesday - Lesson 05

The hunt for funding sources is the eternal game of hide and seek that we all play in this business. How do you find sources that might be appropriate for you? It’s a game that we can play in a library or on the Web, but the Web makes it easiest! This lesson will point you toward the most effective research tools available.

Friday - Lesson 06

Once you find some foundations that you think might be a good fit for your cause, how do you choose among a field that might include hundreds? In this lesson, we’ll discuss ways to sift through these foundations, and in the course of this process, we may unearth sources you haven’t even considered!

Week Four

Wednesday - Lesson 07

You've looked at all the possible charitable foundations that fit your cause, but don't stop there. What about the corporate world? Corporations have foundations, but they also have other ways of giving. We’ll talk about packaging your projects for corporations, then we’ll decide when to ask the corporate foundation and when to approach them in another way.

Friday - Lesson 08

For those of you who are word people, you’ll learn another way to tell your story—let the numbers do the talking! People reviewing your proposals will attach great importance to numbers, so you can’t get away with simply describing a project with words. In this lesson, we’ll discuss ways of preparing numbers effectively. It’s not hard to do, and it’s essential to the success of your proposal.

Week Five

Wednesday - Lesson 09

By the time you reach this lesson, you’ll have all the pieces you need for your proposal. Here we’ll fine-tune what you have. Then we’ll put them all together and add the finishing touches so you can finally put a complete proposal in the mail.

Friday - Lesson 10

Everyone knows that you can’t win ‘em all! But when you do get a turndown, there are positive alternatives to doom and gloom. The suggestions in this lesson will help you deal with those inevitable turndowns.

Week Six

Wednesday - Lesson 11

Okay, just as you hoped—you did get a gift! There’s an old saying in this business: Every gift paves the way to the next. In this lesson, we'll make sure you know just how to pave that road!

Friday - Lesson 12

Now that you have all the elements you need for your proposal, can you also send it to an individual? Well, not really—at least not the whole thing. You need to think about what would interest those individuals and how you can best present it to them. That’s what we'll cover in the final lesson of this course. I think you’ll enjoy it and I know you’ll find it useful!

This course includes a knowledgeable and caring instructor who will guide you through your lessons, facilitate discussions, and answer your questions. The instructor for this course will be Jillian Poole.

Jillian Poole has raised money for schools and colleges, arts organizations, community organizations – you name it – in the U.S. and abroad. She loves fund raising, because doing so empowers her to make wonderful things happen. She has had many years of hands-on fund raising experience for non-profit organizations, large and small. She taught a graduate course in arts management and fund raising at The American University for 16 years, and authored Managing for Money: A Handbook for International Cultural Institutions, a book that has been translated into six languages.

Requirements:

Internet access, e-mail, the Microsoft Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox Web browser, and the Adobe Flash and PDF plug-ins (two free and simple downloads you obtain at http://www.adobe.com/downloads by clicking Get Adobe Flash Player and Get Adobe Reader).

Student Reviews:

"A good learning experience. I have received two application packets from potential grant sources, and the guidelines offered closely mirror the advice given in the class."

"Although this class was not the one that I was looking for, it was very interesting and I now understand many things that I have read or heard of in the past. The instructor was great. Lots of info. Great responses. Not afraid to share. Writes mostly in a way that that an average person can understand; and yet throws in those 'big'words to make us use a dictionary. Thank you."

"An excellent course."

"As a person that started a non-profit about a year and a half ago, this course was an amazing tool. I have to say that especially the supplemental materials were amazingly helpful. Thank you for all the time you put in doing this. It has been a great resource for me."

"A wonderful instructor. She keeps your interest & is very knowledgeable."

"Dear Dr. Poole, thank you so much for the lessons. I thoroughly enjoyed them and the experience of being on an interactive environment online. I teach DL courses so I do appreciate the pace, the interesting comments, and the way you teach the course. I feel very encouraged about writing grants and will do so in the future."

"Dear Jillian, thank you very much for a very informative course and in particular your willingness to share information. Most of all thank you for your patience responding to all questions, no matter how small."

"Enjoyed the class. It was very informative. The class has already been useful to me."

"Excellent course!!! Very practical, useful, hands on knowledge conveyed in this class. Thank you for providing such a great instructor."

"Excellent Course, very well put together. I learned a wealth of information."

"Excellent course with a knowledgeable instructor."

"Good class. I will put it to good use and if I need some more information, I will certainly seek out other classes by Miss Jillian."

"Great class! I learned a lot of information in a short period of time, and I love that!"

"Great course. Highly recommended!"

"Great Course!! I will recommend this course to anyone that asks about grant writing courses. Thank you for your time."

"Hi Jillian, Thank you! This course has been very helpful and the information in the lessons and the links are going to get my organization up and running. And, there were not too many links or resources. It was gracious of you to take the time to include them. Your effort has paid off."

"I am really enjoying this class. You are so 'down to earth' when talking to us. Thank you."

"I am so delighted that I took this course! The information was presented in a forthright, understandable and organized manner. It was thorough and the links and additional information were excellent. The results of quizzes were fast and thus alowed me to correct my errors. This was a challenge for me because it was my first online course. The instructor has a fun sense of humor. I am very satisfied and look forward to taking more classes with Jillian Poole. Thank you, Jillian!"

"I am very impressed with the instructor. She clearly has ample experience and is passionate about the field. I feel lucky to have been able to learn from her. Overall, this was a great class. I am sure I will use my notes as I go along in my career. Jillian, thank you so much for sharing your time and skill with us!"

"I appreciate Poole's tone and writing style. I thoroughly enjoyed the class, and appreciate Mrs. Poole's sharing of her years of wisdom in this area. Thank you!"

"I came into this class having submitted many grant proposals that had been turned down. I wanted to learn why that had happened. I also wanted to learn a better way to write them. Jillian's class fulfilled my need very completly. Her writing style was very reader friendly. The information she communicated was easily understood. I was able to do her classroom assignments in a way that showed me the errors I had made in my grant applications. I submitted several questions to her during Lesson Discussion sessions. Her replies were prompt and meaningful, and very encouraging upon behalf of my efforts."

"I cannot believe how much I have learned in this course and how it has changed the way I see possibilities instead of scarcity. You have been very inspiring. Thank you for sharing your expertise and your warm responses to our fledgling attempts."

"I cannot tell you how much this course helped me to better understand the process and how to answer the questions. Many things in the course taught me how not to send an application to a foundation. To the instructor, I am so grateful for the good guidelines and pitfalls. Thank you. Please continue these courses to enable more students to learn how to write better grants and take advantage the funds available for their groups."

"I'd recommend this course and instructor to anyone entering this line of career work. The discussion areas were exceptionally helpful and so was the instructor!"

"I enjoyed the course immensly. I enjoyed the class and what it taught me will be useful in the very near future."

"I enjoyed the course very much. It made me take the time to read and research on line. I have some working knowledge of Grant Writing. Thanks to the course and the instructor."

"I enjoyed this class and felt it was useful to my career. I appreciate the instructor's wealth of knowledge and attentiveness."

"I enjoyed your writing style. I thought you were the most charming, caring person in the world."

"I felt the instructor was clear and concise and basically everything discussed involved using common sense. Also, common courtesy. Even though many things were repeated I felt it was neccessary to understanding the content and putting a proposal together."

"I find this course very rewarding. The Instructor has been very helpful."

"I found the course to be full of valuable information that I will definitely use in the future. In fact, it was just what I was looking for in the way of grant writing instruction. . Thanks for a great class."

"I found the course to be invaluable for the work I'm doing. I thought the lessons were easy to follow. My wife and I have had a 501 C-3 for several years for our business, and this is the first time we've really been sure of where to search out grants and how to write a grant. Thank you for helping me get on track with grant writing."

"I have been a teacher of public school children for 35 years until my retirement. I have conducted numerous professional development teacher workshops here in my home state and around the nation. Jillian's teaching style and dedication to her student's welfare are two parameters that I will include in my future teacher workshops as well. Thus, I have received much more than grant writing lessons. For that, I am very grateful to Jillian. I would rate this class a "10" out of 10!"

"I have been so impressed with the organization, helpful information, and prompt response to questions in this class. Because it has been such a pleasure, I will definitely take more online classes!"

"I have been wanting to take a course in grant writing for quite some time, and this course and instructor were excellent. Based upon this experience, I plan on enrolling in another online grant writing course. Thank you for your time and expertise."

"I have certainly gained a great deal from this class. A small 501 (3)(c) corporation went on a nationwide search for a new director. After receiving over 40 applications we were flown from Nebraska to California for a multiple day interviewing process with the trustees. On April 15 I was hired as their new director. One of the questions I was asked was about my knowledge of the Foundation Center. My brief answer gave me credibility with this trustee. Chapter 12 of your course fit so perfectly with what we will be doing as this charitable corporation receives most of its funds through individuals. I can now improve on the process the former director had put into place for receiving and connecting with the hundreds of people who support this organization. It is all about people interacting with people. Thanks for the class!"

"I have thoroughly enjoyed this on-line course and would recommend it to anyone who serious minded about writing effective grant proposals."

"I just wanted to say how easy your class was to follow. Every time I have mentioned your class to friends I have always said it is just like you are talking to us. Thank you for all your hard work."

"I just wanted to say thanks for your dedication to this class. You have done an amazing job of staying in close touch with us, even from around the world. Had you not informed us of your travels, I don't think any one of us would have noticed. Thanks!!"

"I just wanted to say what a great tool this course has been. About a year and half ago I started my own non profit organization and this course has shown me some improvements I can make. It also has amazing resources that will really help us get the funding we need. Thank you for working so hard and doing such a great job."

"I just want to thank for your concise and effect approach to this subject. I learned a great deal and am looking forward to putting to good use."

"I just want to thank for your concise and effective approach to this subject. I learned a great deal and am looking forward to putting to good use."

"I made a good choice in making this my first online-ed experience. Well thought out, interesting, and taught at the right level in my opinion. Thanks so much."

"I'm double degreed and a life-long student so I'd like to think I know a good class when I take one! I started out knowing ZILCH about grant writing, but as new board director for a fiscally failing non-profit, I was desperate to learn how to help. Your writing was easy to understand, the topics applicable--and I appreciated the small touches of humor added now and then. You seemed to cover all possible situations and gave us wonderfully helpful links to applicable websites. I am only sorry that I see you available only for one class among the roster of those I can select. Please consider continuing your instruction by heading up other classes; I'll be the first to enroll."

"Information helpful, just a lot of it! Not necessarily a bad thing, of course, but my own time constraints made it a little more difficult than I had anticipated. Glad that I have all the printed material, though, and I hope to revisit in the future."

"I plan to read through the course work many more times. The information is very useful and interesting. I have already applied the knowledge I gained from this class while completing my first actual grant application. Thank you."

"I really enjoyed the class and am impressed at how much I learned about the grant writing process in an online course! I appreciate the way you delivered in the information i.e., one bite at a time. All the best to you."

"I really enjoyed the class. It was written with humor and easily understood."

"I really enjoyed this class. It was just like I could actually hear you speaking in a classroom....that's how interesting you were, even over the computer. You really know your stuff. My new job as Grant Writer starts next week and I am sooooooooooooooo glad I took this course. Thanks a Million."

"I really enjoyed this class. The information learned during this class will be invaluable to our non-profit animal shelter. Thanks!"

"I really enjoyed this class very much - it was my first on-line class (and I've been in computing for over 25 years!) and I got so much more out of it than I would have had I taken up my original plan of a single day course. Thank you for a very informative, entertaining class!"

"I really enjoyed this course and am sorry it is completed. But with all good things they must come to an end."

"I really enjoyed this course and felt that doing the quizzes and doing the lessons did not bring me stress. The pace was also just right. Enjoyed the interaction with the instructor very much."

"I really enjoyed Writing Effective Grant Proposals. There was a lot of great information and ideas, but the best thing about the course was Jillian. I really felt like she cared about me as an individual and I'm only sorry that I will not have her around to answer my questions all the time. This is a great course that I would recommend to anyone interested in learning more about grants and the art of writing proposals."

"I really liked the instructors course format and clarity. I also liked her suggestions for sample formats and organization tips. A good class and a great instructor! Thanks."

"I really like the discussion area of each lesson. It felt as though I was in an interactive classroom setting. Thank you Jillian for all the additional information in the discussion area."

"I sure hope this nice Lady teaches more courses in the field; she was an absolute pleasure to learn from!"

"I think this course was very informative and in-depth. Our professor, Jillian, is also very smart and communicates her knowledge to us effectively through her writing."

"I thoroughly enjoyed the course and found it to be very helpful. The instructor was very personable and communicated well."

"I thoroughly enjoyed the course and found it to be very helpful. The instructor was very personable and communicated well."

"I thoroughly enjoyed this course and found it beneficial to my grant writing career. During upcoming grant proposals, I will refer to the material and references I gained from the course lessons. I want to thank you for sharing you knowledge, skills and experience as a grant writer with us throughout this course. I will pass the word onto my friends about this course!"

"I thoroughly enjoyed this course and would highly recommend it to others. Ms. Poole conveys the necessity for concise and meticulous attention to detail in both the materials and the testing; I was challenged to think and re-think my responses to quiz and exam questions. I am really impressed with her teaching philosophy and expertise with the material. Ms. Poole, thank you very much for your time and guidance!"

"I thoroughly enjoyed this course, appreciated its well-structured format, including the review of previous lessons at the start of each new lesson."

"I thought the class was exactly what I needed to get my start in Grant Writing. It was informative and complete, and I would highly recommend both this class and Jillian to anyone interested in taking a beginning Grant Writing Class. Thank you Jillian, you were terrific!"

"I took this course to gain just-in-time knowldege for a project I am working on and it was very helpful."

"It was clear from the lessons that Jillian brings many years of professional experience (including lessons learned the hard way!) to bear in the information presented to us. Much of it has been confirmed in my interaction with others who have been in the business of development for a long time and are good at what they do. The course delivered a treasure trove of valuable information and insights, not just about grant-writing but about the larger issues of fund development and fund-raising. Combined with the course I took in the spring (Get Grants!) which was focused more specifically on the mechanics of writing grant requests, I feel I now have a very good foundation for developing my skills in this field. I would highly recommend both courses to anyone interested in learning more about grant-writing in particular and fund development in general."

"I want to add my thanks for an extremely worthwhile course. Your comments on the discussion area have been exremely helpful. I appreciate your encouragement as I "tackle" board staff cooperation issues. I have almost finished the sixteen page insert that will be published in three local paers the last week in May. It is about my nonprofit community action agency. Have a great summer and know, that you have helped all of us. Thanks for the great resources."

"I want to thank you for the plethora of information and resources. And for a clear and concise dialogue, especially with an area I had perceived to be too analytical for me. I look forward to taking another course of yours in the near future.thanks again Jillian, you are a great instructor."

"I was quite surprised and pleasantly pleased at the effectiveness of this course online. Upon discovering that this course would be online, I was concerned about interaction with other students and the instructor, but found this not to be a problem. The format was very accommodating for working folks. I was so pleased with the course that I'm ready to progress to another course re: grant writing."

"I was very impressed with this course, my first online course. The instructor's friendly, helpful and prompt answers to discussions questions greatly enhanced the lessons."

"I wish to an express a very respectful "thank you" for offering this class. It is an excellent summary of information and resources. I wish I had it from day one, when I entered grantwriting. It would have saved me many hours of research."

"Jillian definitely knew her stuff. The activities she had us do contributed greatly to my learning. In addition, her comments about our work were very helpful. Thanks, Jillian, for all your help."

"Jillian did a good job of sharing her experiences as a grant writer. I found the information given here VERY useful for an introductory course."

"Jillian, Enjoyed your course. Wanted to let you know that at the beginning of this course I sent in a Letter of Intent to a local community foundation. They invited our organization to submit a proposal--which I hand delivered today! I learned a lot from your course which helped me put the proposal together so quickly! Thanks."

"Jillian, I enjoyed the class very much. You are a great communicator, helpful instructor, and your "light touch" makes it fun. Not only did I gain useful grant writing information, I just took the final, and it looks like I retained it also. I am sad the class is over with, but at this time, partly glad as I am in the middle of writing a gov. grant RFP for one of our programs. My head is in a fog, but I enjoy the intensity of the work. Your class has been a great help; has helped to clarify the process (this is only the second grant I've written)."

"Jillian, I just wanted to say a final good bye and thank you for your sage advice. This course has been great and I'm just sorry that I won't be able to ask you questions once I start my new job in June. You have given me some great ideas and I can't wait to implement them. Take care and keep up the good work! The world needs more teachers like you."

"Jillian is a gifted instructor. She has a delightful writing style and always treats the students with respect and friendliness. Her obvious expertise made this course extremely useful and compelling. I hope I can be a credit to her teaching.…I thoroughly enjoyed taking this course!"

"Jillian is very knowledgeable and shared what she knows in a down to earth, easy to understand manner. She gave examples, and related experiences that helped solidify what she was teaching. She was very helpful in discussions, and made me feel more certain of my ability to write for grants. Her supplementary resources are something I will use for years to come."

"Jillian Poole gives very interesting and informative lessons with plenty of resources to help with individual research. In addition, she is a responsive instructor who writes in a friendly writer. I would recommend this course to those looking for a strong beginning, or those in need of some encouragement and confidence as a grant writer."

"Jillian Poole is an excellent instructor."

"Jillian Poole is a skillful, thoughtful and talented instructor. Her materials are informative, well written and entertaining. The level of personal feedback was marvelous. Interaction was thoughtful and inspiring. I would welcome a chance to take another class with this instructor and have already recommended this course to colleagues who are looking for this sort of training."

"Jillian Poole's interactive teaching style is perfect for this type of course. Her prompt replies to any questions submitted made her students feel as if she were right there in the classroom with us. I will most certainly recommend her classes."

"Jillian put together a first rate class. A great introduction for anyone interested in learning about the basics of grant writing along with some street-wise advice."

"Jillian, thank you for all your help in my grant writing course. I found so much information it will take a while to digest it all. The course was complete and very easy to follow. I look forward in the future in taking more of your classes."

"Jillian, thank you for presenting this course and sharing your years of experience in grant writing. I'm currently in a career transition into Public Health, working on an MA in Health Education/Health Promotion, and grant writing is a skill I want to develop as there are so many grants for community health improvement programs. Now I'll have my course notes, and the links you recommended, as a resource."

"Jillian - thank you so much for a wonderful course. I started out knowing nothing, became quickly intimidated by what I didn’t know, was reassured by your encouragement and suggestions, and went on to attain a good understanding of the methods, rules, and responsibilities involved in writing for grants. I know I will probably have a million questions as I earnestly begin my search, but I have printed out your lessons and saved all your supplementary material to my favorites list – so I am certain that I will find my answers there. I believe that the both I, and the organization I am working for, will benefit from what I have learned. I look forward to opening that first envelope that contains a check! Thanks again."

"Jillian, thank you so much for sharing your years of wisdom with us. This course gave me valuable information. I am excited about future possibilities to use this information, and to take other online classes in this subject."

"Jillian, thank you so much for what you have done for me. I have learn so much information that I did'nt know and I will be able to use it. I feel really blessed Thank You!"

"Jillian, thank you very much.I have been very impressed by this course. From the basics to the technical aspects, you have kept it easy to understand and interesting."

"Jillian, the class was very informative. I learned a great deal on Grant writing. The resources provided are of great help to the Wildlife Sanctuary I am a part of. Thank you."

"Jillian, this course was perfect for me! The best part is that I can spend as much time as I need to learn the material. I get bored in classroom settings. The online course allows me to move at my own pace. This course was exactly what I had hoped it would be, informative, challenging, motivating and very useful. Thank you so much!"

"Jillian, To just say thank you would not cover the gratitude that I feel. As someone starting out in this area,and my first experience with an on line course I now have a much clearer understanding of what lies before me in the world of grant writing. You have taught this class with such clarity. Your responses to my questions were right on target and each time I experienced an Ah... moment. I look forward to signing up for another one of your courses. I highly recommend this course and instructor."

"Jillian: To quote a friend, you are a "VERY well educated angel". To have been so helpful without having met is incredible! Thanks so much!!!"

"Jillian was a WONDERFUL instructor. Very helpful and informative!!! Thanks for all of the advise and positive criticism!"

"Jillian was a wonderful teacher and explained the process in a very logical way."

"Joanne writes: Thank you for the encouragement in my personal quest for funding for the not for profit I represent. I have enjoyed this class very much. Having been away from grant writing for several years, this has certainly reminded me of issues and taught me new ones. I appreciate the reference to so many valuable websites. Thank You!"

"Long distance learning can sometimes feel very anonymous. Jillian has such a warm, open, optimistic style to her writing that you feel like she's right there with you. She has a wonderful way of taking complex material and making it easily understandable. I was a bit intimidated signing up for this course, thinking most of the material would be way over my head, but she consistently managed keep the lessons clear and engaging, even when tackling such potentially dry areas as as organization's financial reports. I took this class as a sort of personal test to see if it might either scare me or motivate me to take that leap of faith and actually start applying for some grants. I expected the former, but thanks to Jillian's encouraging yet always realistic presentation, I surprised myself with the latter. I would encourage anyone with an interest in learning what's involved in the grant writing process to take the plunge---you'll learn a lot, but you won't be overwhelmed or discouraged."

"Lots of information and valuable resources offered throughout the course. Thank you * This class was very helpful and informative. I have only written a handful of grants and this class has better prepared me for writing future grants. I would recommend anyone who is interested in writing grants to take this class."

"Many thanks for your generosity in sharing your expertise during this course. When we began, I thought I had an idea about what grant writing entailed, but I was wrong, and I have learned something very valuable...Please accept my congratulations for doing what you do the way you obviously do it - with grace and courtesy."

"My instructor was personal with questions I had, gave valuable resources, and really gave me a type of blueprint to write a successful grant. As a board member I now know how to aid staff in writing grants. I feel like this instructor gave concise, pertinent information that was a valuable asset in gaining grant writing knowledge."

"My single word is WOW!!!! Great class, fantastic info, and wonderful writing style, I have learned so much. I hope you get a gift on the Big Fancy proposal you mentioned in the last lesson."

"My work as a volunteer at a nonprofit will certainly benefit from my new knowledge."

"Really enjoyed the class - learned a lot. I will consider more online classes in future in hopes that they are delivered as well as yours."

"Thanks for all the good information and guidance - I enjoyed it very much as my first online class. I'll look for your name on the catalog descriptions when I'm ready for the next class."

"Thanks for your help, for the clarity of the class, and how well organized and informative it was."

"Thanks, Jillian, for all your wonderful help. This was a nice introduction to the world of fundraising."

"Thanks, Jillian, for a wonderful course. I learned a lot and enjoyed your writing style. Thanks, again!"

"Thanks, Jillian, the course was great."

"Thanks so much for the class. This was my first online course and you've made it a really positive experience for me. Your lessons were great! It was as if I was actually there in class with you!"

"Thank You! After almost 40 years without attending any schools I feel blessed to have had a subject & instructor that made the experience enjoyable. I will be taking more classes. Thank you again."

"Thank you for a great experience. I was wondering how a course focused on writing could be taught online. I was pleasantly surprised. I learned a lot and I enjoyed the upbeat and direct tone of the lessons."

"Thank you for a great experience. I was wondering how a course focused on writing could be taught online. I was pleasantly surprised. I learned a lot and I enjoyed the upbeat and direct tone of the lessons."

"Thank you for an excellent course!"

"Thank you for an excellent course. The information was complete and very useful."

"Thank you for a very enjoyable and informative class. There is a lot to learn, I will refer back to it frequently as I fine tune my skills in writing proposals. I initially took this class to learn to obtain a grant for setting up my own business, but, in the process learned so much more than I thought I would and found that I found an interest in a totally new area-one in which I would like to venture in the future. Thank you also for the way in which you made this a class such an interesting one."

"Thank you for a very useful and informative class. What I have learned in this class will save me from making "rookie" mistakes in applying for grants. Your lessons were organized, well-written and easy to read and understand. Best wishes and again, thank you."

"Thank you for making your material clear, concise, and well organized. This was an excellent course and I would recommend it to anyone interested in the grant world. Thank you."

"Thank you for providing this opportunity for taking Writing Effective Grant Proposals online. I learned a lot and have been connected to many resources that I had not previously known were available."

"Thank you for the information. I've definitely gained a better appreciation for, and understanding of, what grant writers do! You had a nice way of presenting the material. I enjoyed your personal stories and sense of humor."

"Thank you for the information. Whatever path grant writing takes me down as I learn more about the field, you've given me a great technical start, and a very positive one."

"Thank you for the time and energy you put into a very useful course for me."

"Thank you for this opportunity! Jillian is a wonderful, knowledgeable instructor! I know this has been a lot of information in a short amount of time, but has been fun, and I think taking a non-credit course just to learn on your own without the pressure of a grade has been even more rewarding!"

"Thank you! I have enjoyed this class and have learned a lot. Having never had any contact with the 'world' of nonprofits and charitable giving, this was a real eye-opener! The supplementary material has all been very informative as well; without guidance, it can be difficult to separate the "fluff" from the substance on the Internet, so it was helpful to have some direction in that respect. Thank you again!"

"Thank you, Jillian, for such an informative and well written course. Although I am not taking tests or seeking credit, I hope to be able to use your instruction for my foundation. You have a personable touch with words that is charming."

"Thank you, Jillian! Taking this course made me realize that long, fact-filled proposals don't get grants. I thought the more detailed I was, the more impressed they would be. Your course has given me great insight for my upcoming expansion grant application."

"Thank you so much for your help. I have learned lots of valuable info in this class. And look forward to writing a winning grant proposal!! Thanks again."

"Thank you so much, Jillian. I really learned a lot about the whole grant-writing process. You made the course informative and interesting with personal stories. A joy to read your writing!"

"Thank you so much,Jillian ! This class was really great. I learned a lot and I am sure I will be able to put it all to good use."

"Thank you very much! I thoroughly enjoyed the course and feel confident I can succeed as a grantwriter. The many web sites provided as resources were definitely NOT overkill and fit the way I research things EXACTLY -- go where ever the information and sources lead me, then summarize and choose what I want to include in my findings or final product."

"The class material was detailed and useful."

"The course material was intricate enough to demonstrate the breadth and depth of knowledge and experience of the teacher. It served to flesh out the course, make it very credible, and contribute to the understanding of the material, the process, and the field itself. Although I did not participate at all in the discussions, I followed them and benefited from them."

"The course was great! I learned a lot; there were items that I had not considered before. Thank you for the time you have taken to put this course together; it was great."

"The course was great. Thanks for all the advice and background."

"The course was really good. I'm not sure if I'm free, according to the guidelines of the organization I want to fundraise for, to go after corporate foundations or individuals for support, but for the rest, I feel that this is going to be a big help to us. Jillian Poole did a great job too!!! She was so patient and clear in her answers to our many questions. What a good teacher she is!!!"

"The course was well designed.It was most thorough and comprehensive inscope. The course served me well in my first introduction to on line courses. The instructor has an excellent writing style.Her writing exemplifies the instruction."

"The explainations in the lessons are very clear and interesting. Jillian, you have done a good job in preparing these lessons."

"The information that you have provided is going to help me a great deal. Thanks again, the information is wonderful."

"The instructor did a great job. Her communication was clear and concise (I can see why she is good at writing grants) and I gained a lot of helpful, pertinent information about grant writing. I would definitely take another class taught by Jillian."

"The instructor was excellent and I particularly appreciated her kind manner toward the students when we had questions on the discussion board. This was my first class online, so I appreciated her pleasant attitude. I also appreciated that she was very knowledgeable about grant writing and conveyed that knowledge to us thoroughly. She's a gem! My best wishes to her in all her endeavors. Thank you!"

"The instructor was great. Lots of info. Great responses. Not afraid to share. Writes mostly in a way that that an average person can understand."

"The material presented in the class was very helpful and informative. The instructor's style is conversational and approachable, and allows students with no prior knowledge of the subject to come up to speed quickly."

"The material was easy to follow and very well organized."

"The supplemental references were very good and the insights provided from many years in the field were very valuable and will be benficial to me and my further grant writing experiences. I appreciate having had the opportunity to take this course from the instructor."

"This class has been so rewarding! The instructor, the convenience, and the content exceeded my personal expectations. It is a valuable tool in my tool box. The success of completing this class has increased my interest to pursue other on-line related subjects. A world of gratitude to Ms. Poole for her heartfelt encouragement and support and endless insight."

"This class is truly a blessing!"

"This class was exactly what I needed. I was able to juggle taking care of family, working, and learning. This online class was very convenient. It was always stressful trying to come home after work ,take care of family before, and find someone to assist with childcare, before driving to campus. This online class definitely reduced my stress level."

"This course exceeded my expectations, primarily due to your high level of interaction in the discussion area. The resources you provided were also quite valuable. If someone just did the course with reading the lessons and answering the quizzes, they really missed out on the benefits of this type of online learning!"

"This course far exceeded my expectations. You really struck a nice balance between giving us the basics but then providing us with more complex information and suggestions. Not too easy, not too difficult. I feel really well equipped to at least, gulp, begin. You really know your stuff!"

"This course read like a novel. It held my attention up to the very end. The supplementary information was very informative."

"This course was a good complement to A TO Z Grantwriting."

"This course was a great way to brush up on my grantwriting skills and to learn a systematic approach to preparing grants and researching funding prospects. I highly recommend it for anyone who is pursuing grants for their organization or considering grantwriting as a career."

"This course was beyond my expectations! I couldn't be more pleased. I found it challenging & thought provoking. It made me really understand what beginning grantwriting is & it was hard work. I hope to take more of Jillian Poole's classes."

"This course was done so well, that even in the mist of turmoil in my household, I could learn. Thanks!"

"This course was perfect for my needs. I am already beginning the Grant Writing Consultant course and awaiting the beginning of the Advanced Grant Writing course next month. Thank you for making this learning experience possible."

"This course was perfect for my needs. I am already beginning the Grant Writing Consultant course and awaiting the beginning of the Advanced Grant Writing course.Thank you for making this learning experience possible."

"This course was perfect for my needs! It was extremely useful and very well presented! I plan to use the information I have learned immediately! Thank you so much!"

"This course was perfect for what I need right now. Thanks for making it available."

"This is an excellent course with valuable information that is, for the most part, easily understood and readable."

"This is good stuff and Jillian is obviously excited about her work. I had the benefit of being taken under the wing of a development director and will be doing research and writing for her to evaluate. I am glad I took this course and it has given me more confidence in my abilities."

"This is my first online course. I'm very pleased with the end result and am excited about writing my first grant. Thank you very much for this excellent opportunity."

"This is the first time I've taken a class online and the first time I've been involved in the world of grant writing. I've done RFP's for in my corporate life, and although I've read proposals and have chosen the winners, I never really thought about the work behind the proposal. I was just happy to see the solutions and make the choice. Thanks so much for the thoroughness of the content. And, thanks for your humor and straightforward approach. Hope I get to win some!"

"This was a GREAT class, particularly since I am working for a small foundation with very little guidance or experience. The resources alone were worth the price of the course so I thank you for openly sharing. I learned a great deal and I will tell others!"

"This was a great introduction to grantwriting, as well as the functions of non-profits in general. I really learned a lot of information and the instructor was both friendly and knowledgable!"

"This was a really good introduction to grant writing. Jillian was so kind and personable, really knowledgeable and so prompt with responses. I really enjoyed her writing style, as well. Thanks, Jillian."

"This was a wonderful class, which I recommend for anyone interested in learning more about grant writing and/or nonprofit organizations. The instructor was helpful, enthusiastic, and extremely knowledgeable about grant writing. The course was challenging: the quizzes required students to think for themselves, not just regurgitate material. I feel inspired and well-prepared to pursue a career in grant writing. Thank you, Jillian!"

"This was a wonderful course and I would recommend it to others. Thank you for all your help I enjoyed the whole experience!"

"This was my first experience with an on-line course and at first I was very skeptical of the process. To my astonishment this was one of the most interesting courses I've ever taken, (and believe me, I've taken many)! This has been a wonderful learning experience. I also liked the supplementary material the instructor provided."

"This was my first grant writing course and my first online course. I enjoyed the course and plan to take more online courses. I found Jillian to be very knowledgeable of the subject matter with very good presentation and delivery techniques. I have some invaluable information documented on proposal writing that I hope I can put to good use."

"This was the first time I had taken an online course, and was very pleased by how it all went. Thank you. Loved the topic and I learned so much."

"Well pleased with the course!"

"With this being my first on line class, I must say that I enjoyed it and I plan to take another one soon. I did learn a lot from this course. I plan to use what I got from this with my own company as well as others."

"Wonderful format for this information! No being tied to a strict schedule! The information is all extremely helpful. Taking this class has really taken a lot of the fear out of grant writing for me."

"Wonderful teacher with so much useful information. I wish there were a part 2!"

"Writing Effective Grant Proposals is a well written course which provides understanding of basic grant writing proposals."

"Your lessons have been full of great info. Lots to put to use, and many references to web sites to hang on to. Thank you for sharing so much of your experience with us. I am very excited about helping agencies to procure much needed funding that will make a difference in the lives of many people."

"Your suggestions are greatly appreciated. I have located several grants that would apply to agencies in my community, so I am grateful for the information provided in this course. I have really enjoyed the presentation."