Golden Belt Community Foundation will be hosting a one-day grant writing workshop from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. on March 30, at the Front Door Community Center on 1610 10th Street in Great Bend. This workshop is available to area non-profit organizations who wish to learn more about the skills needed to successfully submit and obtain grants.
Attendees can expect to hear Leslie Z. Paige, M.S., Ed.S., FHSU Office of Scholarship and Sponsored Projects Coordinator, speak on many topics in this full agenda. Writing grant proposals can be challenging. This full day workshop is designed for novice as well as experienced grant seekers looking to polish existing skills. Participants will learn about the grants process, including strategies to find federal and non-federal funding sources, a comprehensive approach to proposal development, and strategies for increasing the competitiveness of proposals. The workshop will use a combination of discussion and hands on activities for the participants.
Participants will learn how to:
• Identify and target sources for potential grants.
• Research potential funders with a “good fit” for your organization.
• Understand requests for proposals, and interpret guidelines.
• Use logic models, project work plans and appropriate timelines.
• Build the basic components of proposals.
• Determine when to contact program and grant officers – and what to say.
Much of the information provided at the workshop will be applicable to anyone interested in writing their first grant proposal, as well as for those who have written grants before and who hope to improve their chances for success.
The foundation is excited to bring a speaker of Paige’s caliber to Great Bend. “As a community foundation, our board feels it is important to help build the capacity of our local non-profit organizations. One way that we felt this could be accomplished is by hosting a grant writing workshop locally. We hope that organizations attending will be encouraged and excited to seek out additional grant opportunities,” Christy Tustin, Golden Belt Community Foundation Executive Director.
To register for this event, individuals may call 620-792-3000 or email gbcf@goldenbeltcf.org. Cost for the event is $75 per participant and includes lunch. Payment must be received by March 16, to secure reservation. Seating is limited.
About the Speaker
Leslie Z. Paige has worked with grants for over 20 years as a K-12 educator, grant director, and federal grant reviewer. Since 2003, Paige has facilitated all grant submissions for Fort Hays State University, and provides professional development and works closely with faculty, staff, and administration to help develop competitive proposals. The number and amount of funded grants for FHSU have grown significantly under her leadership. She has conducted over a hundred presentations at a local, state and national level on successful grant seeking, strategic planning, and other topics.  
Golden Belt Community Foundation
At $19 million in total assets and more than 158 funds under management, Golden Belt Community Foundation has been connecting people who care to causes that matter since 1996. Golden Belt Community Foundation exists to provide non-profit organizations in central Kansas with a permanent source of support and to serve as a vehicle for charitable giving for donors. GBCF serves the counties of Barton, Pawnee, Rush, and Stafford.  For more information about Golden Belt Community Foundation, call (620) 792-3000 or visit their website at www.goldenbeltcf.org.