This is an anytime, anywhere online video training. As soon as you enroll, you will have instant access to the recorded training and can watch from any Internet-connected device, on your own schedule, as often as you like.


Five-star student reviews:

5 star rating

Take your grant writing to the next level!

Debra Sandler

Valuable tools and information to take your grant writing to the next level. Provides insightful look into the world of funders/grant reviewers and how you can make your proposal stand out above the rest.

Valuable tools and information to take your grant writing to the next level. Provides insightful look into the world of funders/grant reviewers and how you can make your proposal stand out above the rest.

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5 star rating

Can't wait to use my new tools!!

Robin Daviet

I am so overwhelmed with how much I have learned today. The information Maryn provided gave me insight into my mistakes. It also gave me the tools to correct those errors. I am anxious to begin putting her lessons into practice for my organiza...

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I am so overwhelmed with how much I have learned today. The information Maryn provided gave me insight into my mistakes. It also gave me the tools to correct those errors. I am anxious to begin putting her lessons into practice for my organization.

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5 star rating

Learn from this master!

Shawn Watson

Maryn is both knowledgeable and generous. Don't write a word on your proposal until you've listened and learned from this master!

Maryn is both knowledgeable and generous. Don't write a word on your proposal until you've listened and learned from this master!

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5 star rating

This old dog learned a ton of new tricks!

Barbara Gorzinski

Maryn Boess is at the top of my list of people who can teach this old dog a lot of new tricks. I've been a successful grant writer for more than 25 years and I learn something new and actionable every time I participate in her training programs. I...

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Maryn Boess is at the top of my list of people who can teach this old dog a lot of new tricks. I've been a successful grant writer for more than 25 years and I learn something new and actionable every time I participate in her training programs. In the span of 90 minutes she covers a wealth of information--with the authority of someone who is both a grant writer and a grant maker. Her teaching style is wonderfully personable, the handouts and tools are powerful and simple at the same time. I highly recommend this course and Grants Magic U!

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5 star rating

Helped me understand the grant maker, and my role as well

Kathy Haskins

I'm new to the grant writing world, and this course completely changed my perspective of the grant maker. Thanks so much!

I'm new to the grant writing world, and this course completely changed my perspective of the grant maker. Thanks so much!

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5 star rating

Best grant course yet

LaShawn Graham

This has been the best grant course I've experienced thus far. Great job and very entertaining.

This has been the best grant course I've experienced thus far. Great job and very entertaining.

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5 star rating

Lots of aha moments here

Marie Wludyka

Thank you for such an excellent course. I had many aha moments which is a good thing. Looking forward to start writing grants with the other volunteers at our organization. Maryn is excellent.

Thank you for such an excellent course. I had many aha moments which is a good thing. Looking forward to start writing grants with the other volunteers at our organization. Maryn is excellent.

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5 star rating

My one-word review

Alice Mannette

Just one word: Phenomenal!!!!!!!

Just one word: Phenomenal!!!!!!!

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5 star rating

Wonderful!

Rachel Browne

As always, Maryn is clear, enthusiastic, and wonderfully helpful in teaching better grantwriting skills. This course was particularly helpful in helping me understand the grantmakers better and see the process through their eyes. Thank you, Maryn!

As always, Maryn is clear, enthusiastic, and wonderfully helpful in teaching better grantwriting skills. This course was particularly helpful in helping me understand the grantmakers better and see the process through their eyes. Thank you, Maryn!

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Make no mistake about it: Grantseeking is a people-driven process. And key to your success is the grantmakers themselves - the people who make the decisions about awards from corporate, foundation, and government sources.

But who are these people? How do we connect with them? And what do they want from us, anyway?

Being a grantmaker isn't as easy as you might think. In this lively session, I'll pull from my own grantmaking experience (and that of dozens of other private and public program officers, reviewers and decision-makers) to give you a realistic, behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to create funder relationships that are authentic, high-integrity . . . and that work for you. 

We’ll pull back the curtain on the realities of life as a grantmaker – and what your proposal is really up against “on the other side.” You'll learn what grantmakers love, what makes them grumpy—and how you can be sure you're delivering what they really, really want, every time!

Come prepared for surprises and "aha!s" - and a whole lot of powerful take-aways you can put to work in your own grantseeking ... right away.

Your big take-aways:

  • Know what grantmakers really want most of all in the whole wide world – as organizations and as individuals ...

  • Know what it means to “think through the grantmaker’s eyes” – and understand the reality of challenges that program officers and review teams face in their decision-making

  • Know the “Four Keys to Persuasive Proposals” – and how each connects with the reader’s own personal sense of purpose

  • Through a role-play exercise, learn by first-hand experience how a proposal makes a good or bad first impression in just a few seconds – and why

  • Learn about the three Powerhouse Proposal Sections that must pull their own weight - and then some! - for your proposal to work

  • Understand the principle of limited mental energy and how it applies to the choices we make in crafting our proposals

  • Along the way we'll bust a myth or two ... you'll meet my friend Grumpy Grantmaker ... you'll learn about the 12-12-Scenario ... you'll be introduced to The Systematic Proposal Buzz-Phrase Synthesizer ... and much, much more!

Curriculum:

TOTAL VIDEO TIME:  1 hr. 54 min.

Video 1 (14:20)  

  • Perspective is Everything: The Three Big Frameworks
  • Practice: What Are You Seeing?
  • The Grantsmanship Game

Video 2 (12:43)

  • More Context: Who Do We Mean by the "Grantmaker"?
  • The Grantmaker's Mission (It's Not What You Think!)
  • Thinking Through the Grantmaker's Eyes

Video 3 (13:03)

  • The Simple Truth
  • Reality Check: What Are We Up Against?
  • The 12-12-12 Scenario and Your Pocket Grants Advisor

Video 4 (13:51)

  • The Power of "Persuasion" - What Does That Mean?
  • What Grantmakers Really Want Most of All in the Whole World
  • Let's Talk About Relationships ...

Video 5 (13:30)

  • Four Keys to Proposals that Work
  • Bonus Key: The "E" Factor
  • You Be the Grantmaker! - A D-I-Y Exercise
  • Lessons from the Winning Edge

Video 6 (7:41)

  • Storytime: What Really Happened with Proposal A and Proposal B
  • The 30-Second Rule, in Two Parts

Video 7 (10:27)

  • The Five-Finger Rule of Successful Grantsmanship
  • Three Power-Planning Tools
  • The Magic Wand Grant Proposal Worksheet
  • Secret Code-Breaker Cheat Sheet
  • The Bottom-Up Logic Model

Video 8 (8:30)

  • Proposal Powerhouses
  • How to Construct a "Vision Bridge"
  • The Issue Statement
  • The Outcomes Statements
  • The Summary

Video 9 (9:55)

  • ... But What About the Writing?
  • The Golden Rule of Good Writing
  • The Best Grantwriting Advice I Ever Got
  • The Theater of the Reader's Mind
  • 10 Keys to Effective Writing
  • "Me"-First vs "Message"-First
  • The Systematic Proposal Buzz Phrase Synthesizer

Video 10 (9:32)

  • The 8 Qualities of Exemplary Proposals (from a Grantmaker)
  • What Have We Covered?
  • Putting It Into Practice

Meet Maryn!

Maryn M. Boess

Founder/Chief Magic-Maker

Over her 35+-year nonprofit career, Maryn Boess has been an on-staff grantwriter; a grants consultant (winning $42 million for her clients over 10 years); a grants trainer; a grants reviewer, author, speaker, mentor and coach; and – starting in 2006 - even a grantmaker. This 3-D background brings a unique insider's perspective to the practical, inspiring trainings on healthy, successful grantsmanship she shares with thousands of people each year through GrantsMagic U (Go.GrantsMagic.org).

A true dual-citizen of the grants world, Maryn may be the only person holding membership in both Grant Professionals Association (for grantseekers) - and Grantmakers for Effective Organizations (for grantmakers). In 2020, Maryn became just the second inductee into the international Grant Professionals Class of Distinguished Fellows, in recognition of her long history of contribution to the field.

Accepted Continuing Education Credits:

MAKING FRIENDS WITH FUNDERS (1 hr. 54 min. viewing time) is accepted by the following credentialing institutions for professional Continuing Education (CE) points: