Libraries Offering Grant Writing Workshop
Syracuse University Libraries is offering a grant writing workshop on Tuesday, February 18, 2025 from 1 to 2:30 pm in Bird Library’s Hillyer Room. The workshop will be hosted by Linda Dickerson Hartsock, Advisor for Strategic Initiatives at Syracuse University Libraries. Throughout her career as an economic and community developer and nonprofit executive, Hartsock has successfully written and secured over $75 million in federal, state, regional and foundation grants.
The grant writing workshop is open to all Syracuse University affiliates, including faculty, staff and students, and is designed for anyone seeking to navigate the grant application process with confidence. Hartsock will provide invaluable insights into finding funding opportunities, crafting compelling proposals, building partnerships and increasing chances for success. Topics will include:
- Enhance Grant Writing Skills: The essential elements of a well-written grant proposal, including structure, tone and content.
- Understand Funder Priorities: How to identify and align projects with the priorities and criteria of potential funders, increasing the likelihood of success.
- Develop Strategic Thinking: Foster an entrepreneurial mindset to identify problems, create opportunities and position projects as solutions that funders want to support.
- Explore Funding Opportunities: How to find tools, databases and develop strategies to search for funding sources and opportunities.
- The Mechanics of Grant Writing: Step-by-step guidance on developing a project scope, budget and sustainability plan, as well as meeting grant guidelines and requirements.
- Build Competitive Proposals: How to craft compelling narratives, demonstrate measurable outcomes and highlight the impact of projects to make proposals stand out.
- Foster Collaboration: Build partnerships to strengthen proposals and meet funder expectations for scalability and impact.
- Understand the Review Process: Insights into how grant reviewers evaluate proposals, enabling participants to anticipate reviewer expectations.
- Post-Grant Strategies: Plan for long-term success by focusing on defining and tracking outcomes, ensuring sustainability and building relationships with funders.
- Boost Confidence and Motivation: Gain knowledge and tools to approach grant writing with confidence, clarity, and creativity.
By the end of the workshop, participants should have a solid foundation in grant writing and the resources to pursue funding opportunities effectively. Handouts will be provided. Space is limited, so those interested should RSVP by emailing Orangeinnovation@syr.edu.
About Linda Dickerson Hartsock:
In her previous role at Syracuse University, she served as a grant administrator, overseeing the implementation of more than $40 million from complex external funding sources through the Connective Corridor initiative.
Before joining Syracuse University, as a former senior member of Empire State Development, Hartsock collaborated with several governors to design and administer programs such as the $1 billion Upstate Revitalization Fund, $350 million Regional Blueprint Fund, $115 million City-by-City Investment Program (now the Downtown Revitalization Fund), and the $100 million NYS Innovation Investment Fund. She has also contributed as a grant reviewer for state agencies, providing her with a unique perspective on what makes proposals successful.
Dickerson has worked across sectors, from researchers applying for technical and scientific grants, to creatives applying for individual artist grants. In addition, she is former Chairperson of the Central New York Community Foundation, which manages and distributes $434 million in assets through grants.
Her collective experience has equipped her with the expertise to craft winning proposals—ranging from microgrants to complex multi-partner, multi-million-dollar initiatives. Since joining Syracuse University Libraries, she has helped students secure more than $4 million in competition prize winnings and more than $150 million in external equity funding to help commercialize their venture ideas.