Grant writing is one of those activities for which there are many - how to - books. The real dilemma for novices - or even those of us with a few grants under our belt - is which book to adopt as our handy desk reference, its well-thumbed pages peppered with highlighter and sticky notes. Getting Funded: The Complete Guide to Writing Grant Proposals by Mary Hall and Susan Howlett fits this role perfectly.

The latest update of a classic on the subject, this 2003 edition provides an excellent overview of all aspects of grant writing, beginning with the most important steps of assessing the grant-applying organisation's readiness and capacity for taking on the project and securing the necessary funding.

Each of the 13 chapters is well written and organised by sub-headings that assist the grant writer to quickly locate and digest guidance at the applicable step in the long process of developing and writing a fundable grant application.

Most of the chapters include a checklist that serves as a summary of the chapter as well as a handy reference tool for ensuring all issues have been addressed.

What I especially appreciated about this book was its continual reminder that the process of developing a project and writing a grant proposal is in itself a valuable learning experience. If it weren't so difficult to write a winning proposal, if funders didn't require such a high showing of competence and commitment, money would surely be easier to come by, but there is no guarantee that we would be spending it wisely.

The process of grant development and writing, from budgets to case statements for our organisations, drives us in the non-profit world to ensure that our projects make the best and highest use of grantor funds to serve the needs of our communities. I highly recommend Getting Funded as the best resource available to help achieve this goal.
 

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