Grant Writing 101

Grant writing can feel overwhelming, especially if you’re new to it. This workshop demystifies the process and replaces guesswork with practical skills, funder insight, and hands-on practice. Attendees walk away with greater confidence, clearer direction, and a stronger foundation for pursuing grant funding successfully.

A beginner-level, hands-on workshop designed to help nonprofit staff and board members approach grant writing with clarity and confidence.

Participants will leave this workshop able to:

• assess whether their organization is ready to pursue grant funding
• identify and evaluate appropriate grant opportunities
• understand what funders look for in strong grant applications
• navigate the key components of a grant proposal
• write proposal sections that tell a clear, coherent, and compelling story

Presented by: Deneene Graham

Deneene Graham is a principal grant writer and has more than seventeen years of professional experience working in philanthropy, nonprofits and the public sector. Her most rewarding and successful roles have been those where she secured grant funding for programs that she helped to create. Deneene has also been on the other side of the grant funding equation as she spent several years coordinating the grantmaking process for a local funder. For several years, she worked on development-aid projects in Jamaica focused on strengthening the monitoring and evaluation capacity of public organizations. In August 2023, Deneene facilitated two weeklong Grant Writing workshops in Jamaica and Guyana with 80+ participants from nineteen countries.

Deneene holds a master’s degree in nonprofit management from Hamline University. She also has a master’s degree in public policy and a bachelor’s degree in psychology and political science. Deneene is a member of the Grant Professionals Association(GPA) and the Minnesota Chapter.