List of Free Grant Writing Courses and Training Programs
See our list of the top free online grant writing courses and training programs. Learn about what courses are available and what topics they cover to find the course that's right for you.
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Online Grant Writing Course Information
Students who want to learn about grant writing can access free online classes offered through numerous colleges and institutions. In general, the classes, training manuals and guidelines teach you how to write grants that benefit services organizations and research institutes. The classes do not award credit and students are able to work at their own pace. As part of the classes, you'll have access to assignments, such as essays and projects. The manuals and guides offer examples, writing tips and contact information for future grant writers.
Free Online Training in Grant Writing
Advanced Writing Seminar at MIT
The Advanced Writing Seminar class is a graduate-level course that gives students the opportunity to learn about various writing styles. Notes from five lectures are provided, one of which is devoted entirely to writing grant proposals. Assignments are described and videos of several student presentations are available for download.
Analysis of Biological Networks at MIT
Although focused largely on scientific topics, one component of this graduate-level course focuses on teaching students about grant proposals. The online materials include a 15-page PDF on the grant application process, and the list of related resources provides links to sites such as the National Institutes of Health's funding opportunities page.
The Art of Writing Proposals from the Social Science Research Council
The Art of Writing Proposals is designed for those interested in learning about the grant process as it relates to the social sciences. The online guide gives an overview of what grants are and offers tips for ways to make grants stand out.
Grant Writing Tutorial from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency/Purdue University
This tutorial helps members of nonprofit organizations learn the basics of grant writing, including how the grant process works and how to seek funding. The entire tutorial is online and allows students to see examples of grants and to compare their own mock grant proposals to the sample provided. There is also a glossary of terms that include environmental words and key phrases to help with the grant writing process.
Guide for Writing a Funding Proposal at Michigan State University
This online resource includes a complete breakdown of the grant proposal process. Students are able to see writing tips and examples for each part of a proposal, including the introduction, project proposal and evaluation sections.
An Introduction to Grant Writing at the University of Pittsburgh
An Introduction to Grant Writing is an online guide that covers 16 steps in the grant writing process. The guide offers a breakdown and tips for each part of the grant proposal. There are also examples throughout the guide designed to help writers.
Intro to Tech Communication at MIT
This undergraduate class at MIT teaches students how to write reports, literature reviews and research papers. There is also attention given to assembling grant proposals for research. The free online information from this course provides an extensive list of outside reading materials focused on writing for scientific pursuits. No lecture notes are shared online, but the related resources page includes several links to other grant writing references.
Proposal Writing Short Course from the Foundation Center
This course gives a general overview of the grant writing process and allows writers to go through a step-by-step process to create a grant application. The materials describe the components of a grant proposal: the executive summary, statement of need, project description, budget, organization information and conclusion. The class is designed to help nonprofit organizations that rely on outside funding to pay for operations and costs. By the end of the short online class, writers will generate a grant letter proposal requesting money.
Quick Guide for Grant Applicants from the National Institutes of Health
Students can turn to this quick guide to get a general overview on the grant writing process from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The guide is designed specifically for people who are interested in applying for a grant through the NIH. It includes step-by-step instructions and recommendations for the entire proposal process.
Earn Real Credit from Free Courses
While the free courses above don't award credit directly, you can earn credit by passing an exam and transferring credit to your college. There are two widely recognized and affordable options for exams that award credit.
Option #1: CLEP Exams
The College Board's 33 CLEP exams allow you to test out of your general education requirements. Credit is accepted at 2/3 of colleges and universities in the U.S.
Option #2: Excelsior College's Credit-by-Exam
Excelsior College offers over 40 exams that lead to transferable credit. You can also earn three full degrees by taking free online courses and earning your credit by exam.
Learn how Education Portal Academy will pay you to earn credit!
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10 Popular Schools
The schools in the listing below are not free but are popular choices among our users. Tuition and costs will vary across programs and locations. Be sure to always request tuition information before starting a program.
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Master
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Minimum eligibility requirements:
- Must be a high school graduate or have completed GED
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Online Programs
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Minimum eligibility requirements:
- Must be a high school graduate or have completed GED
School locations:
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Minimum eligibility requirements:
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Minimum eligibility requirements:
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