Course Overview
This practical training is designed to strengthen your ability to write strong, fundable proposals, manage donor grants effectively, and produce professional reports that support sound decision-making.
It is ideal for professionals working in NGOs, government institutions, universities, colleges, and research organizations who are involved in resource mobilization, grant oversight, or reporting.
Who Should Attend
- Executive Directors
- Grant Managers/Officers
- Project Coordinators/Officers
- University and College Administrators
Organizations are encouraged to send both program and finance staff for better learning outcomes.
Course Objectives
- Increase access to donor funding by enhancing proposal writing and fundraising skills
- Build the capacity to manage donor grants in line with contractual terms and conditions
- Improve the ability to produce clear, persuasive, and actionable reports that support decision-making
Key Benefits
Participants will:
- Gain the skills to develop grant-winning proposals
- Confidently respond to calls for proposals
- Provide in-house training on proposal writing upon return to work
- Improve grant management, reporting, and donor compliance
- Understand and contribute to donor-specific budgeting processes
- Lead and coordinate proposal development in consortia
- Prepare professional project reports in a timely and impactful way
- Navigate audits, grant closeout, and other critical processes successfully
Course Content
- Proposal Development: Background, Problem Statement, SMART Objectives, Activities, Outputs, Outcomes, Budget, and Work Plan
- Fundraising Strategies: Traditional and Online Methods
- Pitching Skills for Donor/Stakeholder Meetings
- Evaluating Proposal Submissions
- Cascade Training Techniques for In-House Teams
- The Grants Management Cycle
- Budgeting: Allowable/Disallowed Costs, Direct/Indirect Costs, Cost Share
- Grant Awards and Contracts: Types, Review, and Implementation
- Internal Controls, Tracking Tools, and Donor Compliance
- Office Administration, Procurement, and Asset Management
- Staff Issues: Timesheets, Travel, Per Diems, and Motivation
- Co-Financing, Partnerships, Multi-Donor Funding, and Grant Audits
- Principles of Professional Report Writing
- Data Collection and Analysis for Reporting
- Writing and Delivering Reports
- Developing Reporting Strategies for Donor Relations and Retention