CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, CHICO

Department of Health and Community Services

 

Grantwriting (HCSV 279-01 and 02)

Course Syllabus

Spring 2005

 

INSTRUCTOR:           John Cannan, Foundation Director

                                    Emergency Services Foundation

                                    541 Jefferson Street

                                    Red Bluff, CA  96080

                                    Phone:  (530) 209-4554

                                    FAX:    (530) 527-4106

                                    E-mail: jdcannan@sbcglobal.net

 

OFFICE HOURS:       Wednesdays, 1 to 3 p.m.

 

OFFICE:                      Butte 622        

 

CLASSES                   Mondays, 3 to 5:50 p.m. and 6 to 8:50 p.m.

 

TEXTS:                        All required:

           

John Cannan (2002)

Grantwriting: Curriculum and Class Handouts

CSU, Chico, Bookstore

 

                                    Klein, Kim (2001)

Fundraising for Social Change

Chardon Press

 


COURSE OBJECTIVES

 

By the end of the one semester course, each student will:

 

1.                  Become familiar with nonprofit organizations and how they operate.

 

2.                  Know how to research corporations, private foundations and other funding organizations.

 

3.                  Understand how funders operate charitable giving programs.

 

4.                  Become familiar with project planning.

 

5.                  Be able to name and describe the components of a typical grant proposal.

 

6.                  Develop a grant proposal that will include all of the following sections: summary, needs statement, introduction, objectives, methods, evaluation, future funding and budget.

 

7.                  Make presentations to the class on a grant and on other nonprofit management topics.

 

8.                  Know basic procedures for conducting a needs assessment or a survey.

 

9.                  Learn about fundraising methods other than grantwriting.

 

10.              Understand the basics of developing a diverse funding plan.

 

11.              Know techniques to recruit volunteers and maintain a volunteer program.

 

12.              Understand the basics of how boards of directors operate.

 

13.              Be introduced to planned giving and charitable remainder trusts.

 

14.              Be exposed to many of the fiduciary requirements of nonprofit organizations.

 


COURSE OUTLINE

Jan. 26

Introductions.  Overview of course.  The nonprofit sector and nonprofit organizations.

 

Feb. 2

TBA

READING:                  Klein: Chapters 1, 2 and 3 assigned

           

Feb. 9

Organizations that fund.  Planning activity.  Sample foundations and philanthropists.

READING:                  Klein: Chapters 4, 10 assigned

ASSIGNMENT           Five nonprofit descriptions due

 

Feb. 16

Nine Steps to Grantwriting. Components.  The proposal summary.  Summary activity.

READING:                  Klein: Chapters 13 and 14 assigned

ASSIGNMENT           Project ideas due

 

Feb. 23

35-point quiz.  Problem statements and needs assessments.  Group writing activity.

READING:                  Klein: Chapters 11 and 12 assigned

ASSIGNMENT:          Summary due

 

March 2

Trip to the library.  Research.  Using the internet.  The organizational introduction.

READING:                  Klein: Chapters 17, 18, and 22 assigned

ASSIGNMENT:          Problem statement due

 

March 9

The objectives and methods sections.  Working with volunteers. Direct mail.

READING:                  Klein: Chapters 5 and 37 assigned

ASSIGNMENT:          Organizational introduction due

 

March 16

No class for Spring Break.

 

March 23

Boardsmanship.  The evaluation section.  Annual campaigns.

READING:                  Klein: Chapters 6, 7 and 8 assigned

ASSIGNMENT:          Objectives and methods section due

 

March 30

The budget and future funding sections.  Income diversification.  Fundraising methods.

READING:                  Klein: Chapters 9 and 15

ASSIGNMENT:          Evaluation due

 

April 6

Money and philanthropy.

READING:                  Klein: Chapters 29, 30 and 31 assigned

ASSIGNMENT:          Budget and future funding section due

 

April 13

Planned giving.  Careers in philanthropy.

READING                   Klein: Chapters 33, 34 and 35 assigned

ASSIGNMENT:          Three funders assignment due

 

April 20

Presentation of grant proposals. Evaluate proposals.  Review for final.

READING:                  Klein: Chapters 35 and 39 assigned

ASSIGNMENT:          Final proposals due

 

April 27

Presentation of grant proposals.  Evaluate proposals.  Review for final.

 

May 4

Presentation of grant proposals.  Evaluate proposals.  Review for final.

 

May 11

Presentation of grant proposals.  Evaluate proposals.  Review for final.

 

May 18

Final, grants returned
DUE DATES AND POINT VALUES

 

Feb. 9                          Five nonprofit descriptions                                5 points

           

Feb. 16                        Project ideas                                                    5 points

 

Feb. 23                        35-point quiz                                                    35 points 

Summary                                                          20 points

 

March 2                       Problem statement                                            20 points

 

March 9                       Organization introduction                                  20 points

 

March 23                     Objectives                                                        20 points
Methods                                                           20 points

 

March 30                     Evaluation                                                         20 points

 

April 6                          Budget                                                             20 points

Future funding                                       20 points

 

April 13                        Research on three funders                                 10 points

 

April 20                        Final proposal                                                   100 points

 

April 20 and 27, May 4 and 11

            Presentation on proposals                                 50 points

Class evaluations                                              15 points

 

May 18                        Final                                                                 100 points

 

 

During the semester              Talk on nonprofits                                 20 points

Each student will give a presentation on a news article about a nonprofit issue, a funding organization, a nonprofit organization or another topic pertaining to our class studies.  The presentation should be three to seven minutes.  Your date will be assigned by the instructor.

 
Scale for final grades

500 to 450                   A

449 to 400                   B

399 to 350                   C

349 to 300                   D

Below 300                   F


Late assignments

All assignments are due on the date listed.  Assignments submitted within 24 hours of the due date will receive no more than half credit.  Assignments submitted after that will receive no credit.  The exception to this is class presentations, which can be given for half credit or less one week after the due date.

 

Absence, tardiness

If you cannot attend class, please call the instructor.  Your grade may be reduced by 10 points if you miss more than two sessions.  A fourth absence will reduce your grade by 15 points.  Tardiness counts as one-half an absence (two “tardies” equal one day absent).  You may be dropped if you miss more than four sessions or if you miss two or more sessions from Jan 29 to Feb. 26.

 

 

Other special instructions

 

Description of five nonprofits

Give nonprofit name and a brief description of the mission (one or two sentences).  An easy assignment.

 

Research on three funders

Give name, address, phone, contact person, internet information, amount (funded yearly or total endowment), fields of interest and area commonly funded.  The funder must make grants in Northern California.