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Two-Day Professional Grant Development

Live Online Workshop
Jun 15 - Jun 16, 2026
10:30a - 5:30p (Eastern Time)
$595.00

This two-day live online workshop offers a comprehensive, hands-on approach to professional grant development and funding strategy. Participants will learn to identify alternative sources of funding from foundations and corporations, align organizational goals with donor interests, and craft compelling, data-driven proposals that resonate. The workshop walks attendees through designing full grant packages, from persuasive need statements to strategic budgeting, while introducing cutting-edge tools like AI to enhance the writing and research process.

Day two focuses on real-time application, including funding searches, drafting letters of intent, and developing cross-sector abstracts. Participants will explore how to personalize proposals using AI, simulate reviewer perspectives, and refine messaging for greater impact. The session concludes with peer presentations, expert feedback, and the creation of a customized action plan to support future funding success. Ideal for nonprofit leaders, researchers, development professionals, and educators, this workshop equips attendees with practical skills and tools to thrive in today’s competitive grant landscape.

Our curriculum targets:

  • Beginners seeking to acquire the techniques to research and draft grant-winning proposals for various funders
  • Experienced grant writers looking to polish existing skills and receive updates about funding trends

Dr. Maria Esformes

Dr. Maria Esformes

Dr. Maria Esformes has lectured and taught for the Grant Training Center for over ten years. In her extensive career as an academic, she taught at such institutions as Harvard University, University of Massachusetts, University of Washington, University of South Florida, and the University of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. She was also a visiting scholar at Oxford University. Dr. Esformes has written and received major research and programmatic grants from such donors as the Mellon Foundation, Skirball Foundation, Maurice Amado Foundation, American Philosophical Society, and various government grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities, National Science Foundation, and the Fulbright Commission.

Dr. Esformes has participated on many grant review panels for internal University grants and for government grants. Most recently she has reviewed grants for the National Science Foundation and the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Dr. Esformes received her B.A. from Portland State University (Portland, Oregon), M.A. from the University of Washington (Seattle, Washington), and her Ph.D. from the University of Colorado (Boulder, Colorado).

Day 1

10:30 a.m. — Seek Alternative Sources of Funding: Foundations & Corporations

11:30 a.m. — Matchmaking: Building Strategic Donor Partnerships

12:30 p.m. — Lunch Break

1:30 p.m. — Designing Evidence-Based Grants That Resonate

2:40 p.m. — Crafting the Full Grant Package: From Need Statement to Budget

3:50 p.m. — Integrating AI as a Grant Writing Assistant

5:00 p.m. — Closing Q&A & Action Planning

Day 2

10:30 a.m. — Group or Individual Work

11:30 a.m. — Crossing Boundaries: Multidisciplinary & Interdisciplinary Grant Strategies

12:30 p.m. — Lunch Break

1:30 p.m. — Group or Individual Work

2:30 p.m. — How AI Can Help?

3:30 p.m. — Personalizing the Proposal: Making It Reviewer-Ready

4:30 p.m. — Presenting with Impact

5:00 p.m. — Q&A and Discussion

Preparing for the Workshop

Begin thinking of a project you want to develop. Having a specific project in mind will help you better understand the various proposal components presented during the course. Consider potential funders, such as a foundation, a local, state, or federal agency, a corporation, and/or individuals.

If you decide to develop a proposal during the workshop, consider how you would answer the following questions:

  1. What is the need of your project?
  2. What is the significance of your project?
  3. How will you budget your proposal?
  4. What is the timeframe of the grant you are seeking?

What You Will Need

  • REQUIRED: Computer/Tablet - PC, Mac, iOS, Android, or Windows Mobile (mobile devices may require free appstore download)
  • REQUIRED: Internet connection - This is a live webinar
  • REQUIRED: Headset, headphones, or speakers - Access to a microphone or headset allows verbal questions, otherwise questions may be asked through chat box
  • Organization or Institution Information - A brief description and/or mission statement and/or current strategic plan of your institution
  • Proposals - Current, planned, or past; funded or unfunded; requests for proposals; review or judging criteria; reviewers' comments or critiques

Click on your question below to see the answer. If this page does not answer your question, feel free to contact us.

General Questions:

Q. When should I register?
Q. How can I tell if a training session is full?
Q. When do I get information about the training I registered for?
Q. Will I receive additional assistance after the class?
Q. How can I network with the other participants?
Q. Can two of us use the online training together?
Q. Can I record/receive a recording of this training?
Q. Does the Grant Training Center offer courses with partner institutions?
Q. Can I share the materials I get with friends and colleagues?

Payment Questions:

Q. Do I need to pay when I register?
Q. What types of payments do you accept?
Q. Is U.S. currency the only type accepted?

Cancellation & Refund Policy

Grant Training Center (GTC) has the sole and absolute discretion to reschedule and cancel all workshops. In the event of such a cancellation, GTC will attempt to notify attendees two weeks prior to the scheduled workshop. If a participant has paid for the cancelled workshop and is unable to attend the rescheduled session, he/she will receive either a refund or a credit toward a future workshop. If we do not hear from the attendee within 30 days, they will not be able to receive a refund.

In no event shall GTC be responsible for travel arrangements or other costs related to or arising from workshop attendance or GTC’s rescheduling or cancellation of the workshop. Participants should contact GTC prior to making travel arrangements to ensure the workshop is taking place.

If you are unable to attend the workshop and wish to receive a full refund, GTC must be notified at least seven (7) business days prior to the start of the workshop.

If you cancel less than seven business days prior to the start of the workshop, no refund will be given. Instead, you will receive credit for a future workshop, which is valid for one (1) year. No refunds will be allowed for any future workshops once credit is issued.

Force Majeure: If a workshop is canceled due to reasons of Act of God or nature, war, riot, strike, or labor dispute, the cancellation policy will not apply and the fee will transfer to the rescheduled workshop. If participants cannot attend the rescheduled date, the registration fee can be utilized for any Grant Training Center workshop of the same cost during a period of exactly one (1) year from the date of the original workshop.

Individual Membership Cancellation: Once an individual membership has been paid and processed, members will have three (3) days to cancel for a full refund. After the three (3) day period, no refunds will be issued.

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Follow-Up Webinar

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Additional Services

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Group Registration

TOTAL: $595.00