Workshop To Help Professionals Use Data For Strong Grant Proposals

By Andi Anderson

A new workshop is being introduced to help individuals improve their skills in grant writing by focusing on the use of data. The program is designed to guide participants in finding and understanding the information needed to prepare strong and effective grant proposals.

Organized by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Community and Economic Development, the workshop will take place on June 4 in Ames. It will run from 9 a.m. to noon at the Alliant Energy Ag Innovation Lab. The event is suitable for grant writers, nonprofit staff, planners, local officials, and anyone involved in preparing project proposals.

One of the main challenges in grant writing is finding the right data to support ideas. This workshop aims to solve that problem by teaching participants how to collect and use different types of information. These include economic, demographic, social, housing, poverty, and health-related data. Participants will also learn how to access information at various levels, such as city, county, state, and census tract.

The session includes hands-on activities where participants will explore data websites and practice collecting information relevant to their projects. This practical approach will help them better understand how to interpret data and choose the most useful details for their proposals.

Sandra Burke, a sociologist and research expert, explained the importance of data in grant writing. She said, “Strong grant proposals are built on more than a good idea. They also need clear, relevant data that helps explain local conditions and why a project is needed.” She further added, “This workshop is designed to help participants find reliable data, understand what the numbers mean and choose the information that best supports their proposal.”

The registration fee for the workshop is 100 dollars, and participants must register before June 3. Attendees are required to bring a laptop with Wi Fi access to take part in activities.

Photo Credit: istock-dusanpetkovic