How To: Find Useful Training for Grant Writing and Management

In the latest episode of the Fundraising HayDay Podcast, Amanda and I may or may not have ranted about several things including a trend that really bothers us: the proliferation of grant training programs that promise the moon but deliver very little of substance.

To be clear, there are wonderful consultants and trainers doing excellent work in the grants field, and at HayDay Services, we like to include ourselves in that group. But when someone promises you’ll earn six figures from your kitchen table after just a few weeks of videos, my BS detector goes off like a fire alarm.

These programs don’t just damage the people who spend thousands of dollars on them. They hurt the agencies who hire folks thinking they’re getting a qualified grant writer, only to end up with someone who’s only seen a template or two. Then those grants don’t come through, money’s wasted, and it becomes even harder to justify hiring qualified grant professionals in the future.

What to Look for in Quality Grant Training:

• Realistic expectations and timelines – Any program promising quick riches or claiming you’ll be an expert after minimal training is selling you a fantasy, not education. Grant writing is a skill that takes practice and time to develop.
• Emphasis on strategic thinking, not just mechanics – Yes, grants follow formulas, but quality training teaches you how to assess opportunities, build relationships, and think critically about whether a grant is right for your organization.
• Acknowledgment of the learning curve – Even with 15 years of experience in federal grants, Amanda still had a learning curve when she switched to nonprofit grant writing. I had the reverse curve going from primarily foundation and corporate grants into state and Federal ones several years ago. Good training is honest about this reality.
• Practical pathways beyond the course – Quality programs should discuss how to gain real experience—through volunteering, apprenticeships, or entry-level positions—rather than suggesting you hang out your consultant shingle immediately.

Grant writing and management is absolutely a skill you can learn, but it’s also a profession that deserves respect and proper preparation.