Course curriculum

In today’s competitive funding environment, successful grant seeking requires more than strong writing—it demands a clear strategy. Many nonprofit organizations operate in a reactive mode, chasing funding opportunities as they arise, which often leads to inefficiencies, staff burnout, and low success rates. This course is designed to help nonprofit professionals shift from reactive grant seeking to a proactive, strategic approach. Participants will learn how to identify and prioritize the right funding opportunities by aligning their organization’s mission, programs, and capacity with funder priorities. Through a combination of practical frameworks, real-world examples, and guided exercises, this training provides a step-by-step process for building a sustainable grant pipeline. Participants will explore how to conduct effective prospect research, navigate the overwhelming landscape of funding sources, and apply structured evaluation criteria to determine which opportunities are worth pursuing. By the end of the course, participants will have the tools and confidence to make informed decisions about grant opportunities, improve their efficiency, and increase their likelihood of securing funding.

    1. Introduction

    1. Grant Prospecting in 60 Minutes

    2. Grant Prospecting in 60 Minutes Workbook

    1. STRATEGIC GRANT SEEKING QUIZ

    1. From Strategy to Submission

    2. Intake Form

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About this course

  • $75.00
  • 7 lessons

Course Objectives:

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

  • Differentiate between reactive and proactive grant seeking approaches, explain the importance of integrating grants into an overall organizational strategy, and identify the risks of pursuing misaligned funding opportunities

  • Define prospect research and its role in successful grant seeking, identify key sources of information for researching funders (e.g., databases, 990s, websites), and analyze funder priorities and giving patterns to assess alignment

  • Distinguish between different types of funding sources (federal, state, private, corporate), navigate common grant research tools and platforms effectively, and apply search strategies to filter and identify relevant funding opportunities

  • Apply a structured framework to evaluate grant opportunities based on alignment, eligibility, capacity, and return on investment, assess organizational readiness to pursue and manage grant funding, and make strategic decisions about which opportunities to pursue and which to decline

  • Develop a basic system for tracking grant prospects and opportunities, identify key steps for building a sustainable grant pipeline, and create an initial action plan for improving grant strategy within their organization

Instructor(s)

Allison Boyd

Founder and Principal Writer

Allison Boyd is the founder and president of Boyd Grants, a consulting firm that provides grant writing, research, and strategic funding development services to nonprofit organizations, municipalities, tribal governments, and higher education institutions across the United States. With over 20 years of experience in federal and foundation funding, Allison has helped organizations secure millions of dollars in competitive grants while strengthening the systems and strategies that support long-term funding success. Her work focuses on helping organizations move beyond reactive grant seeking toward intentional, mission-driven funding strategies that align resources with community impact. In addition to leading grant development initiatives for clients, Allison trains grant professionals and organizational leaders through Boyd Grants Academy, where she provides education on effective grant systems, strategic funding planning, and collaborative approaches to grant development and management. Through the academy, she equips both new and experienced grant professionals with the tools and frameworks needed to strengthen their organizations’ funding strategies. Allison is also the author of the recently published book Balancing the Dream, which explores leadership, purpose, and building meaningful work while pursuing ambitious goals. She is the host of the podcast Grant the Mic, where grant professionals share insights, lessons, and real-world experiences from the field. In addition, she founded The Grant Builder Collective, a collaborative community designed to support and connect grant professionals through shared learning, strategy, and professional development.

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