Online Course by Node Center with Karina Griffith

Duration: Sep 11 – Oct 2, 2019
Fee: 154€
Max seats: 30
Enroll before: Sep 7, 2019
Dedication: 3 hrs/week

The art of grant writing involves conviction, imagination and stamina. The key is to convince funding bodies that a) your project fits their bill, b) you can achieve what you propose and c) only you can do just that. This requires not only an understanding of your own skills and talents, but good comprehension of needs and desires of the people who will give you the resources you need.

It is a numbers game, but the skilled grant proposal writer can hedge their bets in their favour by identifying opportunities that are truly suited to their project, writing clearly and persuasively, and staying on top of but not blindly following trends. This takes organization, research and time – but this course will show you how to lay the groundwork, automate your research, and speak the language of granting agencies.

Participants who come prepared with a project idea will get the most out of this course, but artists and curators looking to expand their skill set will also benefit from the content and exercises. At the end of the course, participants will have the skills to create and outline for writing a grant proposal, evaluate grants and calls for funding for suitability, and initiate conversations with possible sponsors.

Program

Week one: Call and response

Learn how to read between the lines of a funding call and listen for the clues to a successful proposal. Finding the right opportunities is half the battle. Hone your research skills but first knowing where to look and what leads to follow.

Week two: Finding your community

A good proposal demonstrates who a project is for and what they will gain from your intervention. Locate the sponsors and participants that want to take part in your project. This week you will be challenged to considering ethics and understand what you are asking of participants in your project and ensure a fair exchange of knowledge and resources.

Week three: Clarifying your message

Perfect the tone of cohesive and succinct communications. Perfect grammar won’t win you a grant, but sloppy mistakes provide a reason for juries to stops reading your proposal. Learn how to manage your time, ask for help, and practice the kind of writing style to which granting agencies respond.

Week four: Knowing your SWOT

Evaluate your drafts the way the granting agencies do by determining Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats of your proposal.