Writing Resources for Nonprofits

Grant-Seeking

• Common Application Form from the Donors Forum of Wisconsin is available either through the Donors Forum link below or through the separate link above it to the Marquette Libraries’ Funding Information Center.

• For sample letters of intent and numerous other resources for applying for private foundation grants, use the Foundation Center link.

• For guidance about applying to both foundations and government sources, use the Grantsmanship Center site as well as the links under FAQs at the Foundation Center.

• For excellent models of succinct statements of program purpose, use the "Search Grants" database at the Helen Bader Foundation Web site.

• For help working on measurable outcomes, see the United Way of America's Outcome Measurement Resource Network.

Common Application Form from the Donor's Forum of Wisconsin
For non-PDF versions of the form, including a type-in version, go to the Funding Information Center page on the Marquette Libraries site.

Foundation Center
Check out the site map via the link on the bottom left for a clear Table of Contents. Most useful resources are under the Learning Lab link. For sample letters of intent, click on Learning Lab, then FAQs, then "How can I learn about proposal writing?", then "FAQs on proposal writing," and you'll find two links about letters of intent.

Grants and Related Resources from the library at Michigan State

Contains resources for a variety of projects

Helen Bader Foundation
Use the "Search Grants" button to find model grants, especially for succinct statements of purpose.

Jossey-Bass Publishers Book List on Fundraising and Grantsmanship

They're the leading publishing house--here's a great list of resources. (Tip: sort the list by date of publication to see the most recent books.)

Links Related to the Winning Proposals on the CD-ROM that comes with Mim Carlson’s Winning Grants Step by Step, 2nd ed. (Jossey Bass, 2002)

Angel Island Immigration Station Foundation

          See the Letter of Intent, Sample Proposal A on the CD.

Ethnic Community Services Agencies

See sample proposal B on the CD

Steven and Michele Kirsch Foundation

This is the funder to whom the letter application in Sample Proposal C is addressed.

Nonprofit Guides: Grant-Writing Tools

A detailed resource with excellent models to adapt for your own purposes

Program Evaluation: “Measuring Change to Make Change”
Evaluation plans are becoming essential to any grant proposal

Short Course in Proposal Writing

From the Foundation Center in New York City.

The Grantsmanship Center
Lots of great resources here!

United Way of America Outcome Measurement Resource Network

This site could be quite valuable in helping grantwriters articulate their outcomes. Includes many online resources.

Valparaiso's Reference Tools for Grant-Seekers

A good collection