ED 685G - Fundraising and Grant Writing

Credits: 2

This course examines the critical role of fundraising and development in successful nonprofit organizations. Students learn to analyze, plan, and evaluate a comprehensive fundraising program and to create elements of a professional fundraising portfolio. The course explores management and leadership issues associated with the rapidly changing field of development and philanthropy. Additionally, the course involves the study of concepts relating to the operations function in both planning and writing grant proposals. Federal, state and local governments and private foundations have billions of dollars in grant funding to help non-profit organizations carry out their missions, but demand for these resources has increased tremendously in recent years. If an organization is going to compete effectively for the funds it needs, it must develop and carry out a coherent fundraising strategy. Course presentations and exercises cover differences among funding sources, how to research these sources and match a group’s mission to a funder’s philosophy and a detailed discussion of how to convert an organization’s needs and assets into a successful grant proposal, initiation, planning, executing, controlling, and closing.