You've been hired for your first role managing or coordinating a full calendar of grant opportunities. Now what!? You know how to write a grant. You know how to search for opportunities and now everyone is looking to you to be a project manager, subject expert, writer, editor, meeting facilitator, note-taker, an expert communicator, observer, stewardship expert, deadline babysitter, financial expert, evaluation expert, site visit scheduler, and best friends with every coworker and do it all perfectly. Then start it over the next day.

We get you.

"Beyond Grant Writing: Managing Your Grants Process" focuses on the management pieces all of us need to accomplish, yet do not have a guide for, until now. This session will help you level-up your skills managing a grant calendar, working with staff, and have stellar internal communications to reach your grant goals and be a leader in your agency.

As we take you through the process of tackling your grant manager/coordinator duties, we will provide a packet of handouts of each example tool and resource that will help you own your job. These include: a decision matrix, a site visit outline, reporting cover sheet, sample agenda for leading a grant meeting, funder info sheet template, what to say when you call a funder, and sample year-end ROI report. The session will also cover onboarding at a new job, expert tips on creating internal grant cycles, and adding cultivation into your calendar. 

Presenter:

Melissa Ralston is a grant consultant for national and local nonprofits. She has twenty years of experience in grantwriting and fundraising in the Seattle area. Melissa has a BA in Journalism from the University of La Verne, a Certificate in Fundraising Management from the University of Washington, and a Master's in Public Administration from Seattle University. Melissa is a Board Member of the Puget Sound Grantwriters Association, and volunteers for the Grants Professional Association.

Kat Reuter has twenty years of experience in grantwriting and grants management. Currently, she is Associate Director of Philanthropy at Mercy Housing Northwest. Previously, she was Grants Manager at Boys & Girls Clubs of King County. Kat has a MA in Women's Studies & Public Policy from Claremont Graduate University, MA in Religion from Claremont School of Theology, and BA in Religious & Theological Studies/Psychology from University of San Diego.

Skill Level:
Early-Career

Learning Path: 
Proposal Development/Communication Strategies

GPC Competencies:
Strategies for effective program and project design and development Organizational development as it pertains to grant seeking

Organizational development as it pertains to grant seeking

Post-award grant management practices sufficient to inform effective grant design and development

Methods and strategies that cultivate and maintain relationships between fund-seeking and recipient organizations and funders

Practices and services that raise the level of professionalism of grant developers