Gold for Everyone! Open the Vault of Foundation Grants for Your Non-Profit

For the first time in a decade, I will be teaching a rare two-day session of Grant Writing Fundamentals. This is a fleeting opportunity to learn the most important things I know about grant writing during a weekday, online course. (Normally, I only teach on Saturdays.) 

This new, updated, Zoom class will be offered from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM Pacific Standard Time on Wednesday and Thursday evenings, July 7 and 8, 2021.

For students in the Philippines who are scheduled to participate in this class, the Zoom meeting will run from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM Philippine Time on Thursday and Friday mornings, July 8 and 9, 2021.

Special Schedule for Students from the Philippines

Why the change? I am teaching the class on two weekdays as a favor for a dear friend, Dr. Rufino L. Macagba Jr., the chairman, and president of Lorma Medical Center and Lorma Colleges in the Philippines. To provide my course in an accessible manner, I had to split it in half and teach it over two weekdays. 

For those who know best, you will undoubtedly be relieved to learn that I have finally found a way to teach students in the morning while avoiding the morning myself. 

The pricing for the Zoom class is about the same as what is charged by the community colleges which offer Grant Writing Fundamentals in California. The course fee is $70 and there is a materials fee of $45. The total price is $115. The materials fee includes your booklet and handouts for the course. Right now, there are only seven seats left. If you want to access this class and interact with some of the greatest and nicest people you will ever meet, it would be wise to buy the class right now. Just click on the button below.

Course Description

Learn this valuable skill in a highly interactive videoconferencing format from the comfort of your home. Join Dr. Drew in an invigorating and informative workshop created for new and experienced grant writers, executive directors, organizers, board members, community volunteers, and individuals who want to get a detailed look at the grant writing process. Dr. Drew will introduce you to all information needed for a successful grant proposal. You will learn how funding is announced, how applications are judged, and how to construct each element of a winning proposal. The techniques Dr. Drew emphasizes—including how to work quickly, how to create a winning message, and basic evaluation techniques—apply with equal force to small or large grants. Certificate of completion given to each participant who finishes the class.

About Dr. Drew

John C. Drew, Ph.D. is an author, trainer, speaker, and consultant. Dr. Drew has raised over $53 million for charities including the Los Angeles SPCA, Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts, and the Petersen Automotive Museum. Dr. Drew has taught at Cornell University, Hope International University, University of Oregon, and Williams College. He is the founder of the International Grant Writers Association.

Course Popularity

Antelope Valley College - since 2007, Glendale Community College – since 2007, Gavilan College since 2008. It has been popular throughout southern California at the following schools: Chaffey, College of the Canyons, Cuyamaca College, Imperial Valley College, Irvine Valley College, Long Beach Community College, Los Angeles Harbor College, Mira Costa College, Orange Coast College, Santa Ana College, Santiago Canyon College, Riverside College, Rio Hondo College, West Los Angeles College, and Soka University.

Praise for Dr. Drew's Courses

“Learned about the database to find grants.” – Nicole Sims, West Los Angeles College

“Interacting with the group sparked many great ideas.” - Neekole Glaspie, West Los Angeles College

"Very informative, with positive energy transferred to the students."

"The course was very inviting. Dr. Drew was very clear and knowledgeable. He made it easier for me to achieve my goals and enjoy success in life."

"Dr. John Drew was very knowledgeable, invigorating, timely, and made learning interesting and clear."

"This was constant, good practical information. The first 15 minutes made the whole class worth it!"

"Dr. Drew is wonderful. He taught me a lot in a very short time."

"The course was very informative and gave me a good insight into what it takes to be a grant writer."

"This class was excellent and very informative."

"Great class. Thank you for offering it!"

"Yay! Great class!"

"Excellent-- I really enjoyed Dr. Drew. Best organized information."

"Dr. Drew has given me the tools to stay motivated and to move forward on my non-profit."

"Overall outstanding."

Looking At the Neighbors: Critiquing the Paint Designs at Milano and Expressions

 I thought it would be useful to provide some more comments about the paint designs being used by our neighbors at Expressions and Milano. 

In some ways, Expressions is a botched paint job. The black balcony railings look good, and so do the dark-colored doors. These were both good design choices. The dark-colored doors are visually interesting, and create more volume in the look. The railings aren't attractive and are properly de-emphasized. The problem with Expression, in my view, is it was a mistake to paint the trim darker than the walls on a number of the buildings. This is what is giving them that blocky institutional look...sort of like a set of college dorms. In addition, the lighter-colored buildings are too washed out. The pinkish and cream-colored buildings seem especially bad to me. 

Milano is also botched and amateur-looking in many ways as well. I've already mentioned that the painting of the garage trim is a mistake. The design calls attention to one of their most attractive features, rows of similar garage doors. By highlighting the trim around the garages they called attention to one of the least attractive aspects of the complex. 

There are also numerous errors at Milano, particularly with the lighter buildings on which they painted darker trim. I certainly recommend that Del Prado study up on our neighbors and that we hire a competent designer who can help us create a better design that will help us look better than either Milano or Expressions. 

I am enjoying your phone calls and design tips. Please call me anytime at 949-338-5921. I'll put this article on my business blog too in case it is censored. 

Unfortunately, it looks like a small number of our neighbors are pushing through the blah, 1980s style paint schemes they seemingly prefer without first doing the proper thing which would be to interview three designers, tour their projects, and then choose the one who is best for us. If they are allowed to continue on this path, I'm afraid they will cost some of us up to $35,000 apiece in lost valuation. 

I should add that we need to deal with the disgusting, underlying wood rot and moisture issues on the roofs before we even think of repainting the roof trim. That would be a monumental financial mistake. We need to stabilize the moisture content of the trim before we even consider repainting it. The installation of moisture barriers would do the trick. Given the underlying structural issues of the roof, I think we have plenty of time to slow down, educate ourselves on color theory and design. Once everyone is up to speed, we should interview a number of competent designers and then pick the one that will do a world-class job we can be proud of.