To help you master the world of foundation fundraising, proposal writing, and all that goes into getting the grants you need, we offer short training courses that are free of charge and full-day training courses at reasonable rates. Courses are offered in our five library/learning centers and in selected other locations across the country.
Foundations and Fundraising
These basic courses are recommended for those new to the grantseeking process:
 Grantseeking Basics
This course will provide you with an overview of the funding research process for nonprofit organizations seeking grants from private grantmakers. Topics covered include: getting ready to seek funds; the world of grantmakers; research strategies; and, Foundation Center tools and resources.
90 minutes • Free
Grantseeking Basics in Spanish: Principios de la búsqueda de fondos
Aprenda como prepararse para solicitar fondos y como identificar donantes de su interés. Aprenda como investigar los recursos del Centro para desarollar una búsqueda de fondos más efectiva.
90 minutes • Free
Grantseeking Basics for International Organizations
This course will provide an overview of the grantseeking process for representatives of foreign non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and US-based nonprofits with international programs. See Grantseeking Basics description for more information.
90 minutes • Free
Grantseeking Basics for Individuals in the Arts
This course provides an overview of the funding research process for individuals working in the arts, including visual and performing artists, creative writers, filmmakers, etc. Topics covered include: who funds individual artists; types of grants available for artists; why grantmakers support artists; and how to find grant opportunities.
60 minutes • Free
Finding Foundation Support for Your Education
This course will help you to learn about the tools available for individuals seeking financial support for their education--for undergraduate, graduate, professional studies, or research. Topics covered include: who supports individuals; types of support available; tools and techniques for your research; and, tips for applying.
60 minutes • Free
Fundraising in a Challenging Economy
An overview of fundraising strategies to help you survive and thrive in these lean economic times. Topics covered include: positioning your organization for successful fundraising; how to adapt your approaches to the current environment; and, additional considerations to help your organization succeed.
75 minutes • Free
Spanish Training/Seminarios y clases en espaņol
The Foundation Center offers Spanish-language grantseeker training on a periodic basis.
Free
Building a Fundraising Board
In this course you will learn how to assess your board's fundraising potential and strategize to motivate and engage board members in the fundraising process. Topics covered include: clarifying the roles of the board; assessing the board's readiness to fundraise; specific engagement strategies; and, building a culture of fundraising within your board.
1 day • $195.00
Developing a Fundraising Plan
This course will help you examine the many avenues available for assuring the financial viability of your nonprofit organization. Topics covered include: determining which sources of funding make sense for your organization; setting fundraising goals; and, how to strategically put it all together in a comprehensive plan.
1 day • $195.00
Foundation Funding Research: Strategies for Finding and Evaluating Prospects
In this in-depth course, you will learn how to find funders using Foundation Directory Online Professional, the Foundation Center's top-tier online database of grantmakers. Topics covered include: effective and efficient searching; how best to analyze your results; and, evaluating prospects to find the best fit for your funding needs.
1½ days • $295.00
Foundation Fundraising: An Introductory Course
This course will introduce you to the world of foundation funding. Topics covered include: assessing your organization's readiness to fundraise; characteristics of different grantmaker types; basic instruction in proposal development; and, how to identify prospective funders.
1 day • $125.00
Foundations and Their Role in Philanthropy
This course will provide you with an overview of foundations, their giving, and their role in the nonprofit sector. Topics covered include: different types of private grantmakers; how they operate and communicate with grantseekers; and trends impacting the foundation world.
90 minutes • Free
Grantseeker Training Institute
The Institute offers five days of comprehensive training from the Foundation Center's experts. In this intensive training experience, you will learn how to develop your fundraising plan, work with your board of directors, find foundation funders, put together your project proposal, and build relationships with foundations.
5 days • $795.00
How to Approach a Foundation
This course will offer tips on building relationships with foundations, starting with the initial approach. Topics covered include: how to initiate contact with potential funders; planning calls and other communications; managing site visits; and communicating with funders after a grant decision.
60 minutes • free
Introduction to Corporate Giving
This course will introduce you to the world of corporate support and the effective utilization of the Foundation Center's resources on corporate giving. Topics covered include: assessing what your organization has to offer potential corporate supporters; how you can strategically position your nonprofit to be successful; and, tools for researching prospective corporate donors.
60 minutes • Free
Introduction to Fundraising Planning
This course will introduce you to strategies for devising a fundraising plan that best reflects your organization's needs and resources. Topics covered include: assessing your organization's strengths; developing your case for support; formulating fundraising goals; looking at diverse sources of support; and how to begin putting it all together in a plan.
75 minutes • Free
Prospect Research Basics: Researching Individual Donors
This course will provide you with nformation on how to identify and conduct research on potential individual donors. Topics covered include: strategies for compiling a list of potential donors; determining what information is relevant; and, free online sources for your research.
60 minutes • Free
Your Board and Fundraising: An Introductory Course for Small Nonprofits
This course will introduce you to strategies and ideas for actively engaging your nonprofit board in the fundraising process. Topics covered include: the role of your board; tips for fostering interest and engagement in fundraising; and strategies for board recruitment and orientation.
75 minutes • Free
Proposal Writing
Cultivating Grantmaker Relationships
This course will help you to build and strengthen the partnerships between your organization and its funders. Topics covered include: approaching foundations; ongoing communications during the grant process; and reporting back once your organization has received funding.
1 day • $195.00
Grantseeker Training Institute
The Institute offers five days of comprehensive training from the Foundation Center's experts. In this intensive training experience, you will learn how to develop your fundraising plan, work with your board of directors, find foundation funders, put together your project proposal, and build relationships with foundations.
5 days • $795.00
How to Approach a Foundation
This course will offer tips on building relationships with foundations, starting with the initial approach. Topics covered include: how to initiate contact with potential funders; planning calls and other communications; managing site visits; and communicating with funders after a grant decision.
60 minutes • free
Proposal Budgeting Basics
This course will teach you the essentials of budget preparation and presentation in a grant proposal. Topics covered include: compiling both expense and income elements; preparing the personnel section; incorporating overhead costs; and the budget narrative.
60 minutes • Free
Proposal Budgeting Workshop
This course will help you to compose and present budgets for your organization and programs. Topics covered include: outlining the full cost of your project, including overhead; calculating personnel costs; strategies for presenting income and other funding sources; and, funder guidelines for budget presentation and reporting.
1 day • $195.00
Proposal Writing Basics
This course will introduce you to the key components of a proposal to a foundation or corporation. Topics covered include: gathering information to help you prepare the proposal; tips for writing and structure; and, communicating with the funder after a decision is made.
60 minutes • Free
Proposal Writing Basics in Spanish: Principios de la escritura de propuestas
Aprenda cuales son los componentes clave de una propuesta. Aprenda el proceso de escritura y envío de propuestas a fundaciones y corporaciones.
90 minutes • Free
Proposal Writing Seminar
This course, which we've offered for over ten years, will help you to gain the proposal writing skills to secure grants for your nonprofit from foundations and corporate sources. Topics covered include: details on all components of the proposal document; tips for writing; researching prospective funders; and, how to build relationships with foundations.
1 day • $195.00
Nonprofit Management
Before You Seek a Grant: A Checklist for New Nonprofits
In this course you will learn to employ a step-by-step checklist approach to assess your new nonprofit's readiness for foundation fundraising. Topics covered include: characteristics of effective nonprofits; putting together the board of directors; and other legal and operational issues involved in starting a nonprofit organization.
90 minutes • Free
Building a Fundraising Board
In this course you will learn how to assess your board's fundraising potential and strategize to motivate and engage board members in the fundraising process. Topics covered include: clarifying the roles of the board; assessing the board's readiness to fundraise; specific engagement strategies; and, building a culture of fundraising within your board.
1 day • $195.00
Developing a Fundraising Plan
This course will help you examine the many avenues available for assuring the financial viability of your nonprofit organization. Topics covered include: determining which sources of funding make sense for your organization; setting fundraising goals; and, how to strategically put it all together in a comprehensive plan.
1 day • $195.00
Earned Income: Assessing Your Nonprofit's Revenue Options
This course will help you to understand the various opportunities for nonprofit earned income and to avoid the potential pitfalls nonprofits encounter when implementing a self-sustaining revenue source. Topics covered include: linking income to mission; assessing the interest of key stakeholders; and, elements of business planning.
1 day • $195.00
Grantseeker Training Institute
The Institute offers five days of comprehensive training from the Foundation Center's experts. In this intensive training experience, you will learn how to develop your fundraising plan, work with your board of directors, find foundation funders, put together your project proposal, and build relationships with foundations.
5 days • $795.00
Introduction to Fundraising Planning
This course will introduce you to strategies for devising a fundraising plan that best reflects your organization's needs and resources. Topics covered include: assessing your organization's strengths; developing your case for support; formulating fundraising goals; looking at diverse sources of support; and how to begin putting it all together in a plan.
75 minutes • Free
Outcome Thinking and Management: Shifting Focus from Activities to Results
This course will teach you the merits of outcome-based planning and management, and how this approach can achieve outstanding results. Topics covered include: using targets and milestones to describe a project and the intended results; applying outcome thinking to your project; and, addressing outcomes in proposals.
1 day • $195.00
Securing Corporate Partnerships
In this course you will learn the unique characteristics of corporate funders and how to make inroads to gain their support. Topics covered include: the many forms of corporate support; identifying and articulating your nonprofit's assets and values to corporate partners; finding corporate partners for various needs; and, understanding corporate culture, hierarchy, and vocabulary.
1 day • $195.00
Your Board and Fundraising: An Introductory Course for Small Nonprofits
This course will introduce you to strategies and ideas for actively engaging your nonprofit board in the fundraising process. Topics covered include: the role of your board; tips for fostering interest and engagement in fundraising; and strategies for board recruitment and orientation.
75 minutes • Free
Tools and Resources
Introduction to Foundation Directory Online
This course will introduce you to one of the key online tools for finding funders, Foundation Directory Online Professional. Topics covered include: an overview of the five different Search options; tips for more effective searching; and, how to develop targeted searches to identify potential funders for your nonprofit.
60 minutes • Free
Foundation Funding Research: Strategies for Finding and Evaluating Prospects
In this in-depth course, you will learn how to find funders using Foundation Directory Online Professional, the Foundation Center's top-tier online database of grantmakers. Topics covered include: effective and efficient searching; how best to analyze your results; and, evaluating prospects to find the best fit for your funding needs.
1½ days • $295.00
Getting Started with Foundation Grants to Individuals Online
This course will provide you with a hands-on introduction to the effective use of the Foundation Center's online funding research tool for individual grantseekers, Foundation Grants to Individuals Online. This class is most appropriate for individuals seeking funding for their education, artistic endeavors, research or other scholarly pursuits.
60 minutes • Free
Grantseeker Training Institute
The Institute offers five days of comprehensive training from the Foundation Center's experts. In this intensive training experience, you will learn how to develop your fundraising plan, work with your board of directors, find foundation funders, put together your project proposal, and build relationships with foundations.
5 days • $795.00
Guide to Resources on the Foundation Center's Web Site
This course will introduce you to the wide range of resources available on the Foundation Center's web site and teach you how to navigate the site efficiently. Topics covered include: tapping into the "knowledge base" of information on the Center's web site; tools for finding foundation data; and, sources for foundation news and requests for proposals (RFPs).
90 minutes • Free
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