Grant Writing 101

Course Description:
The basis for successful grant writing is knowing where to find grant money and writing an effective proposal.  In this workshop, we will examine different types of funders, resources available to you to find these funders and specific grant opportunities.  We will then talk about the different sections of the grant proposal and how to write each section.  This is an introductory grant writing course.  It is open to those individuals who have little or no grant writing experience or those individuals who are looking to make their grant writing more successful.  Materials in this workshop are geared to individuals with limited or no grant writing experience. 

About the Presenters:
Linda Koss is the Grantsmanship Specialist at the Toledo-Lucas County Public Library, a position she has held since 1997.  She has been a librarian since 1985.  She conducts workshops and helps nonprofit organizations find sources of funding, and runs the website www.nofreemoney.com.  Ms. Koss is a native of Detroit, and holds a BA and MLS from Wayne State University.

Mary Sobecki has been the Grants Manager for The Needmor Fund since 2004.  Prior to joining Needmor, she was employed by the Toledo Community Foundation for fifteen years, where she served as Senior Program Officer and later as the Director of the Nonprofit Resource Center.  Mary also provides consultation and training for nonprofits in the areas of board development, grant writing and proposal review.  Her current board memberships include Interfaith Funders (a national consortium of funders that support social justice work), Ohio Grantmakers Forum and the Ohio Association of Nonprofit Organizations.  Before entering philanthropy, Mary worked for several nonprofits in Northwest Ohio, including Children's Resource Center in Bowling Green and the Y.W.C.A. of Greater Toledo.  She holds a Bachelor's Degree in Social Work from Bowling Green State University. In addition to her work in the grantmaking field, Mary also performs stand-up comedy and is a member of an improvisational theatre troupe known as the Around the Bend Players.