Writing for Writing Grants
At our recent WriteSPACE Special Event on “Writing for Writing Grants,” special guest Professor Karim Khan from the University of British Columbia joined me for a wide-ranging conversation about why professional development for writers is so important and how you can sharpen your own writing style -- and get someone else to pay for it!
Our discussion focused mainly on academic and professional writers seeking funding in support of advanced writing courses such as the Stylish Writing Intensive. However, Karim’s advice could easily be adapted by any kind of writer applying for any kind of funding. Here’s a brief summary of his key points:
Be creative about where you look for funding. Research grants, travel funds, teaching and learning enhancement grants, and even philanthropic gifts are all potential sources of support.
Consider stitching together funding from more than one source and/or offering to cover some of the cost yourself. (In many countries, professional development activities are tax deductible.)
Frame your funding request in terms of the benefits not just to you but also to the funder -- for example, “This course will better equip me to draft that strategic plan you wanted me to help with” (good for the department) or “This course on stylish writing will help me increase the outreach and impact of my research” (good for the institution and the world).
Promise to bring something back -- for example, after attending the Stylish Writing Intensive you could offer to run a writing workshop for the graduate students in your department.
Ask the facilitator of the event that you’re applying for to send you a letter of invitation or recommendation in support of your application. (Contact me if you would like me to provide you with such a letter for the Stylish Writing Intensive and/or WriteSPACE membership; I’d be delighted to do so!)
In the second hour of the live event, we walked participants through a series of prompts designed to help them craft a strong application, whether for writing development funding or for any kind of grant. You can replicate the workshop on your own by playing the second half of the video, and responding to the prompts yourself.
Warm thanks once again to Karim for a useful and stimulating event!
A recording of this WriteSPACE Special Event is now available for members in the WriteSPACE Library.
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