Writing Grant Proposals in the Age of Social Media Article Features The Write Source President

In an article entitled All Thumbs? in the July/August 2010 issue of Advancing Philanthropy, Diane Gedeon-Martin, President of The Write Source talks about the effect of texting and social media are having on preparing grant proposals.   Members of the Association of Fundraising Professionals can read the article online by logging on.

The Write Source President Earns Master Trainer Title at 47th AFP International Conference

Diane Gedeon-Martin, President of The Write Source, was selected to participate in the Faculty Training Academy at the 47th Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) International Conference in Baltimore where she received the title of Master Trainer.  Qualifications to participate in Academy are as follows:

∙ Possess extensive successful experience in the nonprofit field and be thoroughly knowledgeable about the fundraising process

∙ Have completed a minimum of 45 contact hours of continuing education in fundraising within the last three years

∙ Demonstrate success in teaching adult students during the three years prior to applying to the academy

∙ Successfully evaluated and/or supervised peers

∙ Have the endorsement of their local AFP chapter’s vice president for education and professional development or chapter president

∙ Agree to teach at least three AFP educational courses or programs (CFRE Review Course and/or the new Fundamentals of Fundraising course) within the two-year period following the Faculty Training Academy

∙ Work currently in the fundraising profession

Faculty Training Academy participants understand adult learning concepts and teaching techniques including learning styles and training methods, lesson plans, ice breakers and energizers, forms of delivery, handling questions, giving directions, facilitating discussions and working with difficult trainees.  Ms. Gedeon-Martin is part of a group of 179 highly qualified teachers that take leadership positions in AFP professional education programs.

Maryland Client Wins Two Grants for County-Wide Breast Cancer Program

The John R. Marsch Cancer Center (JMCC) at Washington County Hospital in Hagerstown, Maryland, received two grants in early 2010 to support its breast cancer awareness and screening programs.  The Susan G. Komen of the Cure Maryland Affiliate awarded the JMCC with a two-year, $200,000 grant to continue its successful Make a Difference program to reach rural women through 42 free breast care clinics conducted across the county.  In April, the JMCC received a $65,000 grant from the Avon Foundation to launch its Avon Breast Cancer Patient Navigator program to reach underserved women, especially those that use English as a second language, in urban Hagerstown with the breast care message.  Together, both programs will provide free clinical breast examinations and mammograms to an estimated 240 women annually.

The Write Source Conducts Workshops for Annie E. Casey Foundation for Second Year in a Row

The Annie E. Casey Foundation  and Casey Family Services of New Haven, Connecticut, contracted The Write Source again to conduct three workshops for their 2010 Professional Development and Learning Series.  In 2009, the Foundation contracted The Write Source  to conduct six of the eight workshops their spring 2009 Recession-Proof Fundraising series.   

Two More Write Source Clients Win Kresge Challenge Grants

The Write Source is now seven wins out of eight submissions for challenge grants from the Kresge Foundation for various building projects of our clients over the past 16 years.  In 2008, both Westminster College in Salt Lake City, Utah and the YMCA of Greater Hartford in Connecticut received Kresge Challenge Grants. 

Westminster College is the latest recipient of a $1.0 million Kresge Challenge Grant toward their $30.0 million Make It Happen capital campaign to support the creation of the Meldrum Science Center.  The College submitted the proposal we helped design in September with the Kresge Foundation announcing the award in December.

In June 2008, the Kresge Foundation notified the YMCA of Greater Hartford that the proposal we created for their new facility in North Hartford, as part of their $15.5 million Second Century of Service  capital campaign, will receive an $850,000 challenge grant!  Previous clients winning Kresge Challenge Grants include the Blue Water YMCA in Port Huron, Michigan that received $800,000 in 2006 and Phelps Memorial Hospital in Sleepy Hollow, New York that received $800,000 in 2005.  Learn more about these projects by visiting our Grant Awards page.

Audioconference on Writing Tight has Largest Audience Ever!

The audioconference entitled Writing Tight: Secrets to Preparing Successful Online Grant Proposals conducted by Diane Gedeon-Martin of The Write Source, on June 10, 2008 for the American Association of Grant Professionals (AAGP) and Charity University yielded the largest audience ever since beginning the program in 2004.  A total of 68 sites from across the country with anywhere from one to 20 participants listened to the audioconference and followed the presentation materials. 

You can listen to the audioconference and receive the materials for a fee by visiting either the AAGP or Charity University websites then following the links.  Or go to our Conference Schedule page to order the pre-recorded session.

Online Grant Proposal Trends Featured in The Chronicle of Philanthropy

Based on the success of the Writing Tight: Secrets to Preparing Successful Online Grant Proposals audioconference conducted by Diane Gedeon-Martin of The Write Source and hosted by the Association of Fundraising Professionals last fall, The Chronicle of Philanthropy decided to explore this emerging trend.  The author of the article Grant Seeking Goes Paperless interviewed Ms. Gedeon-Martin for her candid view on the process, both pro and con.  .

Seeking Grants Just as Tough in 2010 as It was in 2003!

Ironically, the stock market drives the investment portfolios of foundations.  When the stock market is in flux, so are the number and size of grant awards.  The advice provided by Diane Gedeon-Martin in the article  Grants: Funding Requests are Flooding In published by The NonProfit Times in November 2003 is as relevant today as it was seven years ago! 

Audioconference on Writing Tight  has Third Largest Audience!

The AFP Audioconference conducted by Diane Gedeon-Martin of The Write Source, on September 6, 2007, entitled Writing Tight: Secrets to Preparing Successful Online Grant Proposals had the third largest attendance in the six-year history of their audioconference series.  There were 127 sites that participated with an average of 20 persons per site totaling an audience of over 2,500!  Listeners from across the United States and Canada followed the materials provided by Ms. Gedeon-Martin to learn how to trim the fat out of their writing to accommodate the slim formats of today’s online grant applications.  Visit our Conference Schedule page to order the CD package that includes the PowerPoint presentation from AFP.

“Cutting to the Chase” Article Showcases The Write Source President

In preparation of conducting the AFP Audioconference entitled Writing Tight: Secrets to Successful Online Proposals, Diane Gedeon-Martin provided her perspective of dealing with online applications.  Read the article Cutting to the Chase: Writing in the Online Age.

Write Source Grantseeking Methods Featured in Workbook

Diane Gedeon-Martin contributed to the Maximizing Fiscal Resources for the Community-Based Child Abuse Prevention (CBCAP) State Lead Agencies: A Guidebook and Tool Kit published in March 2007 by the Friends National Resource Center for CBCAP Programs, technical assistance series.  Please see pages 25 to 27 of the .pdf document.

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