Class Format: This is a recording of a 90-minute, interactive session held via conference call on Tuesday, June 10, 2008. Since we recorded the class, you can listen to it in the convenience of your home or office.

As soon as you register, you will also be sent emails providing you with your username and password, in case you need to log in again, good for 90 days. You'll also receive an electronic receipt, in case you need it for reimbursement or for tax purposes.

Immediately on registering you will automatically be taken to a classroom page where you may listen to the class via streaming audio from your web browser. The controls on the player enable you to listen to, or re-listen to, any part of the class. You may log out and come back at a later time or times, so long as you return some time within 90 days from the date you registered for the class. In other words, you can decide when to listen to a class, even breaking it over over different days. Even better, you replay portions that you'd like to re-hear.

The class slides are available for download from the classroom page.

Do You Have a Group? Class registration is for you only* with the following exception: If you wish to convene a group to physically gather around a single computer where you play the class audio, you may do so at no additional charge. With the money you'll save, you can spring for pizza for everybody!

*Please note that it is impermissible to give out your login information to anyone who is not registered in this class. We do monitor log-ins for compliance purposes.

Class Description: Online grant applications are the way of the future! How do you convey your case for support when your need statement and project description can only be 2,000 characters in length? Writing tight or to the point and still get the attention of the grant reviewer has never been more crucial. This session provides an outline to use to prepare clear, concise, comprehensive, and competitive proposals. The techniques discussed will help you in crafting successful paper and paperless proposal narratives including those to the different levels of government as well as foundation and corporations.

The topics covered include: 

• Technology and the grantseeking process

• Four C’s of successful grant proposals

• Tips for preparing online grant proposals

• How to write tight

 Recommended for: This session is designed for mid-level to advanced grantseekers.

About the Instructor

Diane Gedeon-Martin is the President of The Write Source, LLC, a grantseeking management firm based in Connecticut. After 15 years as a broadcast journalist and corporate marketing professional with Fortune 500 companies, she joined the nonprofit sector and, within a few years, began her consulting career. Since starting The Write Source in 1993, her firm has assisted over 190 nonprofit organizations in 18 states and the District of Columbia achieve their short and longterm grantseeking goals with grants ranging from $5,000 to $5.0 million.

Her client roster includes nationally recognized organizations such as the National Kidney Foundation national headquarters and several affiliates, Harbor-UCLA Research and Education Institute (now LA BioMed) in California, the Chrysler Museum of Art in Virginia, the Morton Arboretum in Chicago, Drexel University in Philadelphia, and American Baptist Churches USA. She also works with medium to large nonprofits throughout the country including institutions of higher education, hospitals, human service organizations, as well as prominent performing arts groups, museums, and cultural centers.

In 2001, she joined the faculty of The Fund Raising School at the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University where she not only teaches "Preparing Successful Grant Proposals" but is also a curriculum advisor for the course. Previously, she taught for four years for a similar program conducted by Wayne State University in Detroit. Because of her expertise in the field, she is a frequent guest speaker at conferences sponsored by local, state, national, and international associations. She was also a featured speaker at the Association of Fundraising Professionals’ (AFP) International Conference for six consecutive years from 2002 to 2007. In 2007, she conducted an audioconference session for AFP International entitled "Writing Tight: Secrets to Preparing Online Grant Proposals" that had the third highest attendance in the six-year history of the education program.

Ms. Gedeon-Martin is an active member of the AFP and serves as a member of the Board of Directors for the Connecticut Chapter and Chair of the Program Committee. She is also the former co-chair of the AFP Greater Detroit Chapter’s Grantseekers Network and former chair of their Education committee. Her other affiliations include memberships in the Association for Professional Researchers for Advancement, the Association for Women in Communications, and as a charter member of the American Association of Grant Professionals.