"Grant writing is a billion-dollar industry full of profitable business opportunities! Serving as the link between funders and grantees, professional grant writers are quickly becoming valuable partners to fundraising and philanthropy associations. Use this comprehensive guide to learn the art of researching, preparing, and submitting winning grants as well as finding and maintaining clientele and grant projects"--Page 4 of cover.

Preface -- Chapter 1: Choosing Grant Writing For A Career Path: -- Strike while the iron is hot -- Income potential for grant writers-writers making a small investment for a big financial return -- Word about grant writing vs fund raising -- Traits of a grant writer: -- Resilience -- Goal-setting -- Research skills -- Internet savvy -- Writing and speaking communication skills -- Sound administrative skills -- Human relations skills -- Passion -- Trustworthiness -- Persistence -- Ability to lead and follow -- Confident -- Multitasker -- Grant writer's toolkit: -- Approaching funders -- Grant proposal in a nutshell -- Researching funders -- Identify the problem, propose a solution -- Chapter 2: Who Needs Grants?: -- Grants for nonprofits -- Grants for individuals -- Grants for higher education -- Emergency grants -- Types of grants -- Chapter 3: Types Of Funders: -- Independent, community, operating, and family foundations: -- Independent foundations -- Community foundations -- Operating foundations -- Family foundations -- Corporations -- Government funding: -- Local, state, and pass-through funds -- Request for proposals (RFPs) -- Where do you find RFPs? -- Chapter 4: Finding Grants: -- Grants_gov -- Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance -- Federal Register -- FirstGov -- USA government grants -- Grant directory publications: -- Foundation grants to individuals -- Directory of Grants in the Humanities 2010 -- Foundation Reporter -- National Directory of Corporate Giving -- Annual Register of Grant Support 2011: A Directory of Funding Sources -- Grants Register 2013: The Complete Guide to Postgraduate Funding Worldwide -- Foundation center -- Newsletters: -- Foundation center newsletters -- Foundation News and Commentary -- Chronicle of Philanthropy -- Wiley newsletters -- Grant Advisor -- Grantsalert -- Subscription databases: -- Guidestar -- Annual reports -- 990-PF Reports -- Locating grants by field: -- Art grants -- Education grants -- International grants -- Emergency grants -- Chapter 5: Understanding The Funders' Guidelines: -- What grant writers need to gather from the guidelines -- Sample guidelines from a private foundation -- Sample guidelines from a federal funder. Chapter 6: Grant Proposal: -- Four stages of crafting a persuasive grant proposal -- Time required to create a grant proposal -- Elements of a grant proposal: -- Cover letter -- Abstract -- Table of contents -- Problem or need statement -- Goals and objectives -- Methodology -- Budget -- Evaluation and dissemination -- Attachments -- Using statistics to support your project: -- Questions to consider when finding statistics for your project -- Where to find statistics -- Submission procedure: -- Applying for grants online -- Email etiquette -- Applying for grants through the mail -- Schedule your submissions -- Don't become a gadfly -- Proposal list for nonprofits -- Proposal list for individuals -- Chapter 7: Alternative Forms Of Approach: -- Letter of Inquiry (LOI): -- Elements of a letter of inquiry -- Sample letter of inquiry -- Concept paper: -- Elements of a concept paper -- Sample concept paper -- Chapter 8: Effective Grant-Writing Techniques: -- Avoid jargon -- Explain acronyms -- Write short sentences -- Write cohesively -- Avoid expressions of uncertainty -- Avoid using "the former" and "the latter" -- Get rid of emotional language -- Avoid claims of being the "best" -- Avoid tag questions -- Spell, style, and grammar checkers -- Don't disappoint the reader -- Don't blow your own horn -- Be politically correct -- Avoid using modifiers -- Using metaphors to strengthen your argument -- Create a visual painting with your words -- Stick to one tense -- Say what you mean, get what you want -- Document your case -- Give your grant proposal the human touch -- Sample project description using effective grant-writing techniques -- Chapter 9: Congratulations! You've Been Awarded A Grant: -- Using funds ethically -- Keep receipts -- Chapter 10: Starting A Grant-Writing Business: -- Becoming an entrepreneur is an art, not a talent: -- Are you an entrepreneur? -- It all begins with an idea -- Ability to change with the times -- 20 traits of an entrepreneur -- Effective salesmanship: -- 3-D approach -- Startup basics: -- Develop a business plan -- Startup funding: -- Your own resources -- Bank loan -- Small Business Administration (SBA) -- Leasing companies -- Business structures: -- Sole proprietorship -- Partnership -- Corporation -- Registering your business name: -- Doing Business As (DBA) -- Employer Identification Number (EIN) -- Business bank accounts: -- Negotiating a lease -- Starting a homebased grant-writing business: -- Qualities of a successful home businessperson -- Good reasons to start a homebased grant-writing business -- Staying motivated -- Addressing common fears -- Homebased business and positive self-esteem -- Office space -- Home-office technology -- Create a systematic filing system -- Marketing tips for less than $100: -- Newsletters -- Press releases -- Philanthropic activities -- Cultivate referrals -- Yellow pages -- Create a website -- Print ads -- Business cards -- Direct mail -- Social media. Chapter 11: Working As A Grant Writer: -- Career opportunities in grant writing: -- Getting qualified as a grant writer -- Getting started as a freelancer -- Where to look for grant-writing jobs -- Commission-based grants -- Taking your grant-writing career to the next stop: -- Offer grant-writing workshops or courses -- Freelance fundraising consultant -- Resource centers -- Chapter 12: Working With Trends In The Industry: -- Projects that help others -- Focus your idea -- Selecting topics of international interest -- Controversial topics -- Genocide and warfare topics -- Modern realism -- Six grant-writing myths: -- Myth 1: If you craft an excellent proposal, it will be funded -- Myth 2: There isn't any money available; The grant-writing well has dried up -- Myth 3: Available money goes to big, prestigious institutions, not to individuals or small nonprofits -- Myth 4: Successful grant seeking requires connections -- Myth 5: Contact information of funders is usually secret -- Myth 6: Earning a living as a grant writer is not financially profitable -- Chapter 13: Tips To Remember: -- No-nos for grant writers: -- Don't work for organizations that may be misusing public funds -- Don't handwrite proposals -- Don't overstate the need or problem -- Don't assume the funder is an expert on your subject -- Don't be romantic in the cover letter -- Don't pest the funder -- Don't put down other applicants -- Don't linger on one application -- Don't be in denial -- Don't use a cookie-cutter approach -- Don't work on commission -- Don't promise a winning proposal -- Don't apply if you don't qualify -- Don't submit a rejected grant application without major changes -- Technical tips for grant writers: -- Your first hello is important -- Adhere to deadlines -- Break up the text with graphs, charts, and diagrams -- Obtain a rating form -- Pay attention to technical standards and details -- Define expected results -- Edit, edit, edit -- Hire a proofreader -- Appendix A: Grant-Writing Resources: -- Associations -- Books -- Government agencies -- Useful websites -- Appendix B: Brief history of philanthropy -- Glossary -- Index.