Mark Your Calendar: Join Dr. Drew's Live Remote Grant and Fundraising Workshops for Spring 2021

Grant Writing Fundamentals (Remote Live) 

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. 

Meeting: 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, February 27, 2021.

Course Fee: $144 includes $36 materials fee for handouts and booklet. Pay before February 1, 2021 and you will receive the early bird special pricing of 20% off. 

Grant Writing Intermediate (Remote Live)

Dr. Drew presents this hands-on workshop as part of the Grant Writing series of classes. In it, he reveals the secrets of cashing in on grants for individuals in a new, innovative videoconferencing format. Unlimited by the boundaries of a classroom, this new class leverages all the benefits of modern technology to assist individuals seeking resources from corporations, foundations, and government agencies. Dr. Drew also teaches the skills needed to be successful in researching individual grants or educational scholarships. You will have step-by-step guidance on how to become a grant-writing consultant or to create a non-profit charity. John C. Drew, Ph.D., is a speaker, author, and consultant who has raised $52 million for non-profits. 

Meeting: 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, March 13, 2021

Course Fee: $144 includes $36 materials fee for handouts and booklet. Pay before February 1, 2021 and you will receive the early bird special pricing of 20% off. 

Grant Research Fundamentals (Remote Live)

NOW Remote – Truly at least half of your success in winning grants depends on your skill in researching them. Accordingly, this class has been created for non-profit leaders and staff who need a detailed look at the technology and the practical tips needed to speed-up the grant research process. Participants will be introduced to: 

• Top websites for grant research including those provided by the federal government, State of California, and the Foundation Directory Online by Candid.
• Useful websites for identifying individual grants for art projects, scholarly research, and college and graduate school scholarships.

This course has been redesigned for the on-line environment. It will now be easier for students to see grant research websites and other tools in action and simultaneously interact with the instructor. 

Meeting: 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 10, 2021

Course Fee: $144 includes $36 materials fee for handouts and booklet. Pay before February 1, 2021 and you will receive the early bird special pricing of 20% off. 

Fundraising Fundamentals (Remote Live)

NOW Remote – Learn this valuable skill in a highly interactive videoconferencing format from the comfort of your home. Non-profits can win reliable support through grants, but they also need to know the most important basics about other fundraising methods. "I can’t teach everything I know about fundraising," says Dr. Drew, "but I can teach the six most important things I think will make the biggest possible difference for your success." In this workshop, an award-winning author, trainer, and consultant introduces simple proven techniques and strategies. Participants will learn how fundraising has evolved, how new software keeps track of donors, and how to win individual gifts without the pressure of a face-to-face ask. 

Meeting: 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 8, 2021

Course Fee: $144 includes $36 materials fee for handouts and booklet. Pay before February 1, 2021 and you will receive the early bird special pricing of 20% off. 

Praise for Dr. Drew’s Workshops 

“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." 

More Upcoming Dates for Fall 2021

Grant Writing Fundamentals - September 18, 2021

Grant Writing Intermediate – October 9, 2021

Grant Research Fundamentals - November 13, 2021

Fund Raising Fundamentals – December 4, 2021

Ahead of the Curve: How to Capture the Benefits of Being Well-Informed

Au courant is a fancy way of saying, "aware of what is going on; well informed." Why is this important to the success of any charity seeking grants?

If you have already read the article above, then you would know at least part of the answer. After all, a charity is meant to be a living, problem-solving organism that is continuously scanning its environment, and looking for ever better ways to come to the rescue of those who can most benefit from its help.

There are many ways to show that your charity is a thriving organization that fits this description. 

One of the best ways to make sure that you are sending a message that your charity is au courant is by documenting your evidence of need or the quality of your solutions is by relying only on peer-reviewed research articles that were published within the last two years.  If you depend on older citations, it makes you and your staff with the lazy.  Even worse it may make it look like you and your program are dangerously out-of-date. 

You may be inadvertently leaving the funder with the impression that you are taking action on behalf of others when you really do not know for sure what is going on or what are the best practices for helping them.  Ideally, your grant applications should be teaching the funders about both the actual needs and the best possible solutions. 

Next, it does matter whether not you have mentioned COVID-19.  Failing to mention the ongoing pandemic makes it look like you and your organization are out of touch with reality. This is true whether or not your program has any COVID-19 related features. 

Along the same lines, there is nothing wrong with acknowledging that things are happening in the world in terms of rioting in the streets or the stresses of a presidential campaign. There is no reason for you to take any sides when acknowledging current events. It is enough to simply signal that you realize the world is changing and that you are on top of that change. 

Looking Good: Understand the Ideal Charity Before You Describe Yourself

We have been fans of the James Bond series since we were kids in the 1960s. The genre, of course, was popular for many years and started out as novels by Ian Fleming.

James Bond was sort of the perfect guy, handsome, patriotic, intelligent, and able to handle himself in a fight. To blow away your funder, your charity needs to be something of an ideal too. The funders, after all, may have a stereotyped understanding of what an ideal charity looks like and then use this image to judge your strengths or weaknesses.

The solution? Understand what an ideal charity looks like and become one.

I'm not suggesting that you should live to the funder. In fact I think that is counterproductive . The people that run these foundations or government agencies that giveaway grants aren't stupid. They have their own sources of information including insight from your competitors so I don't think you can count on getting away with things that are untruthful .

Nevertheless you may get away with looking better than your competition by having a clearer understanding of what an ideal charity looks like . Basically in the ideal charity is a glamorous self-less problem solving machine that makes its community dash broadly defined path of a better place .

This means that is going to have some common features , features that you should talk about 80 have fun and features that you should probably add to your charity if you do not. Among these ideal aspects of the charity including adding it up to date profile on guide star or charity navigator . It is too easy for the funder to google you and see where you stand. If you're up to date on these things she looked old-fashion or perhaps like you really aren't paying sufficient attention to your charity and how does seem by the outside world. Remember, these funders are going to be embarrassed if they get the money and then one of their bodies: supper profile and find a pitcher not doing so good .

Next to an ideal charity should have a strong board of directors ideally filled with some of the Mo six else: wealthiest people in the community . You may already have a board like that but you've been to Cheyenne haven't been bragging about how incredible some of your people really are. Now's the time to start bragging .

It's also good to let people know that you haven't audited financial statement . These are important even for smaller charities. I can say with my four heart that could you pay the extra money to have an audited financial statement you easily get that money back by winning more grants .

It's also important to let the funder know that you have a strategic planning process that the charity just isn't moving from crisis to crisis . Your let people know that you have considered your strengths and weaknesses the environmental opportunities and threats and that you're moving rationally on the basis of a well thought out board approved a five year plan . The father doesn't have to know that this is a two page document that she created the day before turning in the grant proposal . Nevertheless that's a good idea to have a document like that in place. In fact it should improve your operations.

It is also important to put in some sort of equity diversity and inclusion statement . These things are rather far most and difficult to follow up on. Nevertheless the funder appreciates it if you put something like that in their . Also the funders are products of liberal and leftist educational institutions . Putting in this sort of skinheads to their politically correct preferences will simply remove one more excuse for them to toss your application out .

Finally, it is important that everything lines of this means that you have the right mission statement , the corrected vision for your charity , a crack team in place , the best possible solution , and the greatest possible need in the community to six . What she may not realize, however, is that all five of these variables can be adjusted . There's nothing wrong with changing your mission statement so it reflects what you really do , there's nothing wrong with identifying the greatest need in the community and then adjusting of other elements of your charity to address that need . If you have one solution that you're really get that there's nothing bad about shopping around in finding an appropriate problem just sat with that solution all that really matters, in the end, is the coherence of your charity . Another words everything he asks a line of all five of these things need to line up so that your charity looks like a smart well organized the machine .

No Time for Boredom: The Best Approach for Creating Grants that Blow Away the Funders

LAGUNA NIGUEL, CA - The new James Bond thriller, No Time to Die, will be in theaters November 25, 2020. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, most of us at Drew & Associates will be waiting to watch the film when it is available at home, preferably on Hulu. This is not because of our health status, but because of our pessimism.

At any rate, the return of James Bond reminds us that one of the most important secrets of success for grant writers is to blow away the funder. After they have read your application, they should be in awe of your charity and what you are doing. This is particularly true when you are writing grants for a newer charity that may not have the built-in credibility or experience of older charities.

This raises the question of what techniques can you rely on to help you come up with a creative, remarkable project that would impress even a hard-boiled villain like Ernst Stavro Blofeld?

To generate excitement, the best and fastest procedure is to trust your own instincts. This means you need to trust your own perceptions of the wow factor surrounding the project. Others have taught that this wow-factor arises in the awesome moment when you realize why the funder will have no choice except to approve your application. 

For us, the sign of truly great grant applications is the feeling that we have had an epiphany. 

According to our online dictionary, some define an epiphany is a sudden, intuitive perception of or insight into the reality or essential meaning of something, usually initiated by some simple, homely, or commonplace occurrence or experience. 

For us, a better definition is that an epiphany is when you have an intuitive grasp of reality through something (such as an event) usually simple and striking. 

This fits how epiphanies work for us. Amazingly, we find that an epiphany can occur at any stage of the grant writing project. 

It can happen immediately when you hear the idea and understand that no one else has seen something so simple or clever as this before. It may be halfway through the project when you realize that new research gives you powerful support for a fresh approach that no one else has anticipated. It may, in fact, occur at the last minute, when you realize that a single missing piece puts everything else in order. 

Practically speaking, the earlier epiphanies are the best. 

Often early epiphanies appear as moments of confidence when you realize that the only thing the client needed to win a grant was you. This happens fairly frequently because the client may not be aware of the funder's interest in their work.  

By interviewing the client you can identify a unique and original approach at the beginning and then proceed with confidence that you can bring that idea to exactly the right funder. 

One of our secrets for benefiting from early epiphanies is to hold on to them tight. This is because the strategy and vision we set up at the beginning of the grant writing process have been achieved in an atmosphere of relatively low stress and low conflict. We think we are most rational at the beginning of the project. As stress increases - right up to the deadline - we find we are increasingly less likely to make good decisions regarding the overall grant strategy. It pays to hold tight to your initial vision.

Another way to generate an early epiphany is to look for ideas that apply new technology to solve existing problems. 

For us, this has been the quickest and fastest way to create a project that will "blow away the funder."  For example, you might provide access to your program through a new app instead of a personal face-to-face classroom or workshop. You might invent a new way to counsel people through Zoom or figure out how to deliver groceries with a drone. Often, you can spark an epiphany by asking what new technology the client is using or by bringing the value of new technology to their attention.   

How to Use Your Cover Letter to Influence a Grant Reader

In the History Channel's new Grant miniseries, they report on the blunt philosophy of Ulysses S. Grant. "The art of war is simple enough," he said. "Find out where your enemy is. Get at him as soon as you can. Strike him as hard as you can, and keep moving on."

If you want to follow his exploits they now have an interactive map of his key Civil War battles which helps you appreciate what he did to win the war.

Ultimately, I see his views as a call for considerable focus. The same principle applies in the less physical risky and dangerous arena of grant writing.

As a political scientist, I was always interested in how political consultants used direct mail to raise money and advertise their political candidates. As a grant writing consultant, I have adopted a lot of these same techniques to benefit the non-profit clients we serve at Drew & Associates. Many of the political consultant's best ideas were the result of early eye tracking technology experiments.

For example, it turns out that when someone opens a letter the first thing that attracts their eyes is the appearance of their own name. Consequently, I am very careful about having my staff double check the spelling of the recipient's name and also their title. My view is that if we make a mistake with the grant reader's name, then we immediately make a bad impression. If we get their name exactly correct, however, we will have used that initial millisecond of exposure to immediately win the trust and confidence of the reader.

This is why I refuse to issue letters of inquiry or cover letters that are simply addressed to generic appellations like "To Whom It May Concern" or "Dear Sir or Madam." I also use a Ms. or Mr. when I address the letter reader too. If the person's name gives me little indication of their gender, then I try to Google them to figure out the appropriate term of address. If they have a non-English name that I am unfamiliar with, then I will Google that too.

I also avoid using the generic term Grant Administrator or Grant Coordinator. Instead, I review the funder's website or research printout and address the letter to their president or chair. To make sure that I get the name exactly right, I will cut and paste it directly from the website.

It turns out that the next place a person's eye goes to when they read your letter of inquiry or your cover letter is your own signature. Try this yourself and notice how your eyes move over the next letter you receive in the mail. I also seek to leverage this initial bit of information too. If you have ever taken one of my grant writing workshops, then you will remember that I spend time teaching people how to create a professional looking signature. Too often, I have seen people labor over a grant application and then - at the last minute - undercut their own effort by signing the application or cover letter as if they just finished an increasingly rare third grade penmanship class.

Instead, I recommend signing quickly, like you are a doctor signing a prescription. The signature, by the way, should be done with blue ink. We use blue ink so that the reader understands that the signature is applied with a pen and not done with a photo image the same color as the text.

Finally, the folks who taught me about political direct mail always stressed the P.S. at the end of the letter. For some reason, people will scan the entire letter first, but then zero in on the P.S., or post script, at the end of the letter. To take advantage of that habit, I like to place the most compelling message regarding the charity and its project in the P.S. I rarely send out any letter of inquiry or cover letter without including a P.S.

P.S. If you follow these tips, you will be using the reader's most basic habits to quickly get a powerful first impression established in their minds in six seconds or less.

How to Get the Most Out of Your Grant Writing Meetings

I have been watching the new Grant miniseries on the History Channel. I recommend it.

As they write: "While nothing in Grant’s early life marked him for greatness, he now stands as one of the most brilliant military minds in U.S. history—credited with winning the Civil War and preserving the American Union. This map charts his progress and achievements during the nation’s most wrenching conflict." At the very least, the miniseries will remind you of the extent to which politics gets in the way of action.

In grant writing, we typically address the politics of grant writing by asking our clients to fill out a project innovator form and collect the needed documents. This is usually enough to identify issues that might get in the way of creating a winning grant campaign.

We have also found it essential to conduct a well-organized and impressive kick-off meeting for the client and their staff. Over time, I have come to believe that one of the most important secrets of success for a grant writer is learning how to conduct a powerful, influential and effective grant campaign kick-off meeting. This meeting can make a large difference. The reason is that grant writing is a team sport, not an individual effort. To pull together a winning grant application in a short period of time you need to use every technique at your disposal to win participants to your side. Without their earnest help, preparing a conforming grant application will be a slow, lonely process.

Along these lines, I like to run a tightly organized staff meeting when I get together with our Drew & Associates senior grant writers, research assistants, and marketing staff. Here are the tips that I follow myself to build a strong and effective team:

1. Punctuality: My meetings start and end exactly on time. In my experience, if I get sloppy about starting and ending the meeting on time, people start showing up late and failing to use our limited time efficiently. In my experience, no one shows up late.

2. Allow Time to Blow Off Steam: I start each staff meeting with an informal discussion that allows everyone to release their stress by sharing a little information regarding either their personal triumphs and/or struggles. We blow off a little steam too by talking about personal health issues, problems with children and loved ones, or the general madness and insensitivity of those around us. The aim of this portion of the meeting is to allow people to vent some of the tensions and concerns that might otherwise distract them during the rest of the meeting. An additional benefit of this portion of the meeting is that I can identify important clues about how our staff are doing and what--if anything--I need to be doing to make their personal and work lives easier.

3. Use an Agenda: I think it is important to distribute a written agenda at each meeting. The agenda starts with a quick report from each branch of our consulting practice - writing, research, marketing, and collections. We then move on to discuss old business followed by a discussion of new business. If someone wants to suggest an additional discussion item, I usually just add it to the end of the agenda under the category of new business.

4. Keep Meeting Minutes/Record Action Items: Someone takes careful notes at each meeting. My wife, Trish, is remarkably persistent in noting what I and my staff have promised to do to move forward on specific business issues. Later that same day, she sits down with me and goes through the list and we take initial action on each item while we still have the clarity and motivation to get the task done.

5. Foster a Culture of Openness: Although I am not sure that this last tip will help everyone, I do encourage our staff members to speak their minds, criticize me or my practices, or vent their frustrations to the furthest extent possible. To me, this is what it means to be working in a healthy functional consulting practice. At times, however, I do wonder how I got myself into a situation where I'm paying everyone in the room to find fault with me. The benefit, of course, is that I get fresh ideas, honest feedback, and I learn how to avoid serious mistakes. To me, the most dangerous thing in the world is to be surrounded by people who simply repeat back to you your own ideas. As I see it, I am paying for others' honesty and objectivity no matter how much I might be embarrassed as an individual.

6. End on an Inspirational Note: Finally, I like to end each meeting with my sincere thanks to everyone for their time and attention. I remind everyone that what we are doing has a profound impact on some of the most dangerous, urgent, and difficult challenges facing our nation. I think it is important to remind my staff--and myself--that in our society virtually all projects of great significance must first pass across the desk of a talented and insightful writer.

NOW Remote! Check Out All of Dr. Drew's On-Line Courses

Grant Writing Fundamentals (Remote Live)

NOW Remote - 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.

Meeting: 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, September 19, 2020

Course Fee: $144 includes material fee for handouts and booklet all due at registration.

Buy Now - 20% Off

Grant Writing Intermediate (Remote Live)

NOW Remote – Dr. John Drew presents this hands-on workshop as part of the Grant Writing series of classes. In it, he reveals the secrets of cashing in on grants for individuals in a new, innovative videoconferencing format. Unlimited by the boundaries of a classroom, this new class leverages all the benefits of modern technology to assist individuals seeking resources from corporations, foundations, and government agencies. Dr. Drew also teaches the skills needed to be successful in researching individual grants or educational scholarships. You will have step-by-step guidance on how to become a grant-writing consultant or to create a non-profit charity. John C. Drew, Ph.D., is a speaker, author, and consultant who has raised $52 million for non-profits.

Meeting: 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 10, 2020

Course Fee: $144 includes material fee for handouts and booklet all due at registration.

Buy Now - 20% Off

Grant Research Fundamentals (Remote Live)

NOW Remote – Truly at least half of your success in winning grants depends on your skill in researching them. Accordingly, this class has been created for non-profit leaders and staff who need a detailed look at the technology and the practical tips needed to speed-up the grant research process. Participants will be introduced to:

• Top websites for grant research including those provided by the federal government, State of California, and the Foundation Directory Online by Candid.
• Useful websites for identifying individual grants for art projects, scholarly research, and college and graduate school scholarships.

This course has been redesigned for the on-line environment. It will now be easier for students to see grant research websites and other tools in action and simultaneously interact with the instructor.

Meeting: 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, November 14, 2020

Course Fee: $144 includes material fee for handouts and booklet all due at registration.

Buy Now - 20% Off

Fundraising Fundamentals (Remote Live)

NOW Remote – Learn this valuable skill in a highly interactive videoconferencing format from the comfort of your home. Non-profits can win reliable support through grants, but they also need to know the most important basics about other fundraising methods. "I can’t teach everything I know about fundraising," says Dr. Drew, "but I can teach the six most important things I think will make the biggest possible difference for your success." In this workshop, an award-winning author, trainer, and consultant introduces simple proven techniques and strategies. Participants will learn how fundraising has evolved, how new software keeps track of donors and how to win individual gifts without the pressure of a face-to-face ask.

Meeting: 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, December 5, 2020

Course Fee: $144 includes material fee for handouts and booklet all due at registration.

Buy Now - 20% Off

Praise for Dr. Drew’s Workshops

"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."

The Start of a Beautiful Friendship: How to Make the Most of Your Phone Calls with the Funders

I have always believed that an attempt at relationship building with a funder should always come before applying for a grant. The best way to engage with a funder is almost always a phone call. At the very least, the funder learns there is a real human being, a beating heart, behind the non-profit's application. The funder needs to be reminded that a real person will be both sad and hurt if the application does not receive fair and thorough evaluation.

It is useful to remember that while grants may come from institutions, the proposals get reviewed by real people. As I like to say in my workshops the reviewers are people just like us. They are not any brighter than us, but not any dumber either.

One good piece of advice is to do your homework ahead of time by thoroughly reviewing information about the funder. This practice helps to prepare what you will say and understand what you are asking for. This call is about beginning a conversation and—we expect—a relationship. Inappropriate reasons to call a program officer might be to flat-out ask if the foundation will fund your request or to ask questions that are addressed in the funder’s guidelines. Although, I have succeeded by doing both.

Appropriate reasons to call could include addressing genuine uncertainty about your organization’s eligibility, clarifying a confusing aspect of the application process, or even requesting a face-to-face introductory meeting. Demonstrate your intention to build a relationship. For example, you could ask for a meeting by explaining: “I know your foundation is concerned about XYZ in the community. We’re concerned about that too and have a plan to address it. Could we meet to trade ideas? I’d like to hear your perspective.”

Finally, it is okay to have the funder tell you no. If you are not a fit in terms of eligibility, then it is better to find that out right away. There are plenty of other funders.