This winter, the Grant Centers successfully hosted our second installment of the “Essentials of Grant Writing” Microcredential Course.
Developed and instructed by Co-Director Priscila Santos, this eight-week introductory course guides participants through each step of the proposal development process, from identifying funding opportunities to assembling competitive packages for submission. This course is offered annually each fall for a limited number of students through WVU Online.
This month, we connected with Jennifer Schwertfeger, a member of the 2024 “Essentials of Grant Writing” cohort, to reflect on her experience.
For more than a decade, Jennifer Schwertfeger has been independently cultivating her grant writing skills. Schwertfeger, a retired science educator, is a former Science Coordinator with the West Virginia Department of Education’s Office of PK-12 Academic Support and a former Program Manager for the STEAM Technical Assistance Center (STEAM TAC) at West Virginia University.
“As a former high school science educator, I began applying for small community foundation classroom grants nearly 15 years ago,” Schwertfeger said. “These project proposals focused on promoting STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) learning, encouraging teachers to incorporate these concepts into content lessons.”
Throughout her career, Schwertfeger applied for — and received — various grants to increase students’ access to “hands-on, experiential learning opportunities in STEM fields.”
“My projects included a STEM Learning Lab for Special Education students, the purchase of computer data collection probeware for experiment analysis, and a plant growing station for genetic studies,” Schwertfeger said.
Last summer, during the annual STEAMposium educators’ conference in Roanoke, West Virginia, Schwertfeger said she had the opportunity to connect with the Grant Centers’ team and learn more about the Essentials of Grant Writing course, which had “sparked her interest.”
“Prior to the WV Grant Resource Centers grant writing course, I had no training in grant writing, I learned through experience,” Schwertfeger said, adding: “In 2024 I retired from WVDE and felt it was the perfect time to enroll in the course to broaden my grant writing skills and to learn more about proposal writing for larger federal, foundation, and non-profit grants.”
Through the microcredential course, Schwertfeger said she aimed to strengthen her understanding of the proposal development process, identify funding opportunities to support local projects, and keep her writing skills “sharp.”
“The course content was thorough, highly organized, and filled with helpful resources,” Schwertfeger said. “I attended each weekly virtual class, where the lessons were explained in depth, and I received plenty of one-on-one attention from the instructor.”
In addition to receiving tailored support from Santos, Schwertfeger said she was also able to connect with and learn from other members of the cohort.
“I had the opportunity to interact with class members from various professions, exchange project feedback, and share ideas and experiences with grant writing,” Schwertfeger said.
For Schwertfeger, the course provided many beneficial — and empowering — tools that will assist her in future grant writing endeavors. But one exercise in particular made a strong impression.
“The most valuable element I added to my grant writing tool kit was the experience of writing a mock application, understanding the specialized components and requirements, and how to find quality sources of proposal writing support,” Schwertfeger said. “I gained a wealth of knowledge, resources, and confidence to pursue funding opportunities that will hopefully benefit my community.”
Overall, Schwertfeger said she would describe her experience with “Essentials of Grant Writing” as “overwhelmingly positive.”
“I would absolutely recommend this course to anyone interested in learning more about the grant writing process and funding opportunities available to address urgent needs and problems facing our communities,” Schwertfeger said.
Essentials of Grant Writing course description:
“Essentials of Grant Writing” is an eight-week virtual course offered by the West Virginia Grant Resource Centers through the West Virginia University (WVU) eCampus Learning Academy. The course starts October 14, 2024, with students completing one weekly online module. This introductory course provides course takers with an opportunity to gain or improve grant writing skills so they can develop competitive grant proposals.
This course focuses on the pre-award phase of the grant life cycle. Course takers will learn how to successfully find and analyze funding opportunities, create grant checklists, write project narratives, develop budgets and budget narratives, fill out application forms, and develop complete application packages for submission. This course is designed to provide course takers with the tools and knowledge to write compelling, strong grant proposals on behalf of eligible applicants.
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