Nonprofit Proposal Development

1. Nonprofit Essentials: The Development Plan (The AFP/Wiley Fund Development Series). Linda Lysakowski; Wiley: Hoboken, New Jersey; 2007; 240 pages. Provides a practical step-by-step road map on how to develop and implement a nonprofit fundraising plan with resources, tips, techniques, and examples. The focus is on organization-wide involvement with staff, board members and volunteers.
2. The Foundation Center’s Guide to Proposal Writing (Fifth Edition). Jane C. Geever; The Foundation Center: U.S.; 2007; 271 pages. The author provides detailed instructions on preparing successful grant proposals. Interviews with 40 grant makers supply insights on their priorities and preferences. The focus of this book is primarily on obtaining foundation and corporate funds.
3. The Only Grant Writing Book You’ll Ever Need: Top Grant Writers and Grant Givers Share Their Secrets (2nd edition). Ellen Karsh & Arlen Sue Fox; Carroll & Graf: New York; 2006; 416 pages. This well-written, updated and expanded second edition provides vital, comprehensive, step-by-step information for anyone seeking grants. The authors have received millions of dollars in grant funding. Written in a reader-friendly style with humor included.
4. Grantwriting Beyond the Basics: Proven Strategies Professionals Use to Make Their Proposals Work (Book 1). Michael K. Wells; Portland State University; 2005; 128 pages. The author has been working with nonprofits for over 30 years and has helped them raise over $50 million. This book details current trends, strategic grantwriting, grant management, and where to find more information and resources.
5. Grant Writing for Dummies. Beverly A. Browning. Wiley Publishing: Hoboken, NJ; 2005; 360 pages. This guide shows how to research funding options including government grants, complete application forms, make the case for your request, and recycle a rejected proposal. The author has received $80 million in grants with two decades of experience.
6. How to Write a Grant Proposal (Wiley Nonprofit Law, Finance and Management Series). Cheryl Carter & James Aaron Quick; Wiley Publishing: Hoboken, NJ; 2003; 360 pages. The authors provide step-by-step guidance to writing effective grants. The book contains numerous case studies, examples of complete proposals, and a CD-ROM with guide sheets and templates that can be downloaded, customized and printed.
7. Getting Funded: The Complete Guide to Writing Grant Proposals (4th edition). Mary S. Hall & Susan Howlett; Continuing Education Press: Portland, OR; 2003; 180 pages. Offers an overview of all aspects of grant writing with techniques and checklists to make a case to encourage a grant maker to support your cause. Chapters include planning, assessing, developing the idea, selecting the funding source, writing the proposal, writing the statement of need, procedures, evaluation, personnel, budget, and submission.
8. The “How To” Grants Manual, (Fifth Edition). David G. Bauer; American Council on Education and Greenwood Publishing Group, Inc., 2003; 282 pages. This edition has 50% new information including 21 pages of government, foundation and corporate grant resources. Sections include getting ready to seek grant support; and public/government, private/foundation, and private/corporate funding opportunities.
9. Grant Writing: Strategies for Developing Winning Proposals (2nd Edition). Patrick W. Miller; 2002; Author: U.S.; 270 pages. Eight chapters in this second edition include guidelines for preparing applications, 75 illustrations and examples, 130 review questions, 13 exercises on writing and budget development, and 70 resources, including web sites. The focus is primarily on winning competitive federal grants, but the general techniques are useful for everyone.
10. Winning Grants: Step by Step, (2nd Edition). Mim Carlson; Jossey-Bass: San Francisco, CA; 2002; 128 pages. The author takes a workbook approach that simplifies the application process by breaking it down into basic, general steps. The book explains how to research funders, write a letter of intent, and evaluate a proposal through the funder’s perspective. A CD-ROM with worksheets and examples of winning proposals is included.
11. Finding Funding: The Comprehensive Guide to Grant Writing (2nd Edition). Daniel Barber; Bond Street Publishers: Long Beach, CA; 2002; 288 pages. This revised resource covers how to find funding from the government, foundations, and corporations with samples of successful proposals and internet funding strategies. A disk with hundreds of funding sources, sample letters, budgets and templates is included.
12. Demystifying Grant Seeking: What You REALLY Need to Do to Get Grants (2nd edition). Larissa Golden Brown & Martin John Brown; Jossey-Bass: San Francisco, CA; 2001; 224 pages. This book is both for the novice (to be lead through the entire process) and the experienced writer (to track activities and streamline operations). The grant cycle is described in five parts: learning about your organization and funders, matching your needs with the funder’s interests, inviting the funder to invest, following up, and evaluating the process.
13. Storytelling for Grantseekers: The Guide to Creative Nonprofit Fundraising. Cheryl A Clarke; Jossey-Bass: San Francisco, CA; 2001; 144 pages. Clear, knowledgeable guidebook, providing tips and techniques found in storytelling to help write compelling grants. Additional chapters include finding and cultivating appropriate grant makers, forming a budget, and packaging your proposal.
14. Writing for a Good Cause: The Complete Guide to Crafting Proposals and Other Persuasive Pieces for Nonprofits. Joseph Barbato& Danielle Furlich; Fireside: New York; 2000; 332 pages. Written in an entertaining but informative style with useful information, interesting tips, practical advice, and many examples. This book covers all aspects of proposal writing, organizing material, interviewing people, thank-you notes, and a section on a down-and-dirty- proposal, when you have to cram two weeks of work into two days.

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