The activities of this course will have the following objectives for its participants:

• To design and develop a proposal suitable for funding.
• To research possible sources of funding.
• To learn about the profession of Grants / Fundraising.
• To discuss how to manage a funded project.

Highlights/Samples of Course Work: During the course, I learned how to research the philanthropic network in order to determine a funder most likely to be interested in my proposed projects. The course reviewed government and private funding sources such as the Federal Register, the U. S. House of Representatives Federal Fund Express, and The Foundation Directory as well as criteria for evaluation. After reviewing the funder’s grant application guidelines, the coursework helped me prepare proposal components to funder specifications and complete two, submission-ready proposals. While creating the project plan and evaluation methods was complex, the most challenging component to address during the individual (PDF) and group (PDF) co-written, project proposal process was establishing the project’s budget and sustainability. The course illustrated that there are funding opportunities available to libraries and that successful proposals are the result of a well-coordinated team effort that draws on subject experts’ knowledge. The skills I gained are portable and applicable and will help pursue my goal in public relations and programming in support of the library’s role as keystone of the community.