Five-day Workshop to Explore Application Process starting February 22nd

New grants make it possible for cash-strapped agencies to bring important services into the community and get innovative ideas off the ground. Yet applying for and receiving grants is a very competitive process. To help members of the nonprofit community and government agencies decipher the intricacies of the grantseeking process, the YWCA Hawai’i Island will be hosting the Grantsmanship Training Program, February 22-26, at the YWCA Hawai’i Island. The five-day workshop will be conducted by The Grantsmanship Center, the world’s oldest and largest training organization for the nonprofit sector.

“Anyone with nonprofit management or grant proposal writing responsibilities, including staff, volunteers, and board members, will benefit from attending this workshop,” says Lorraine Davis, the YWCA’s Chief Operating Officer. “Nonprofit organizations continue to face an uncertain future,” she points out. “With tight state and federal funding, we must acquire the skills to compete for limited resources.”

Designed for both novice and experienced grantseekers, this workshop covers all aspects of searching for grants, writing grant proposals, and negotiating with funding sources. “Participants will work in teams to actually develop a grant proposal,” Davis notes. She went on to say that it is “the single best training” she ever had, and the proposal writing skill she acquired has helped us to increase our own grant support significantly.

To ensure personal attention, registration is limited to 30 participants. The program fee of $895 includes workshop tuition and one year of The Grantsmanship Center Membership benefits and services. Half-tuition scholarships may be available for organizations with annual operating budgets under $300.000.

Local hotels – Hilo Hawaiian and Arnott’s Lodge – are offering special rates to workshop participants. In addition, Kilauea Lodge in Volcano is taking the lead among local restaurants in offering a discount to workshop attendees.

To register for the workshop, or to apply for a scholarship, contact The Grantsmanship Center, at (800) 421-9512 (outside California) or (213) 482-9860. For local information, call Lorraine Davis at the YWCA Hawai’I Island, (808) 961-3877, extension 162.