Source: Melinda Sinn, 785-532-5888, sinnpio@k-state.edu
News release prepared by: Jared Betts, 785-532-2529, betts290@k-state.edu

Monday, Aug. 24, 2009

K-STATE OFFERING COURSES ON GRANT WRITING AND FUNDRAISING THROUGH DISTANCE EDUCATION

MANHATTAN -- Kansas State University will offer the distance education courses, Grant Writing: Finding the Elusive Dollar, EDACE 786, and Fundamentals of Nonprofit Organization Fundraising, EDLST 502, in the fall 2009 semester.

Both classes begin in September and both classes look at numerous resources for raising money for an organization.

The grant-writing course is for people interested in writing grants in a variety of fields, including community initiatives, state and volunteer agencies and all levels of education.

"When funding is restricted, grant writing is seen as a way to bring money into an organization," said Beverly Page, funding specialist for K-State's vice president for research. "Notably, demand for grant writers in an unstable economy is high due to such restrictions, but demand also is high during a stable economy due to a liquidity of funds."

Basic concepts to be covered include the research of funding sources, generation of new ideas, establishing credibility, assessing needs, formulating a budget, evaluation design, program and sustainability plans, and dissemination strategies.

"Throughout the semester we teach our students the essentials of building a grant proposal. The semester-end project is a culmination of the things they've learned, and they use their knowledge to draft a legitimate grant proposal, a proposal that could potentially be sent to an agency for approval," Page said.

Nozella Brown, former student in K-State's grant-writing course and currently a K-State Research and Extension agent, has had recent success at grant writing.

"I was awarded a mini-grant that was a little less than $10,000 and was part of a larger five-year National Institutes of Health grant through the University of Kansas. My grant, which judges scored fourth out of the 10 awarded grants, did not need any revisions before acceptance, and I attribute my success to the things I learned in K-State's grant-writing course," Brown said.

Participants may take the course for either three graduate or undergraduate credits. Course delivery is offered through K-State Online and TELENET 2, a statewide educational video teleconference network.

The fundraising course teaches students the knowledge and skills necessary to establish a nonprofit organization's development and fundraising plan. Completion of the course will ensure students have the techniques to sustain community initiatives and nonprofit organizations in facing economic and financial hardships.

"Nonprofit organizations are increasingly dependent on philanthropic support. As a nonprofit leader responsible for securing resources required to accomplish your mission, students will learn the essential principles and techniques of nonprofit fundraising, particularly in this time of fiscal challenges," said Olivia P. Collins, course instructor and director of the American Humanics/nonprofit leadership focus in K-State's School of Leadership Studies.

Areas of fundraising to be covered include diversity in philanthropy, motives for giving, leadership strategies, creating a sustainable fundraising plan, social media, reporting and accountability for fundraising, ethical dimensions of fundraising and fundraising as a profession.

Molly Hamm, a K-State senior in English with a minor in nonprofit leadership, has extensive experience with fundraising.

"My involvement with fundraising for the K-State Proud Campaign has helped dozens of K-State students to continue their education through Student Opportunity Awards," she said. "Because I've had training and experience in fundraising throughout my time in college, I feel more confident knowing that I have an attractive skill which nonprofit employers seek but which few college graduates possess."

The course is available for three undergraduate credits and course delivery is completely online.

More information about both courses and online enrollment is available at http://www.dce.k-state.edu/courses/

More information about the university's distance education programs is available online at http://www.dce.k-state.edu or by contacting the K-State Division of Continuing Education at 1-800-622-2578 or information@dce.k-state.edu.