Excellent Grant Writing Certification Online Course

This comprehensive online grant writing course teaches students the finer points of grant writing, enabling proposals and applications to become more competitive. Students will complete the following: 

• Design a program/project,
• Learn how to research Foundation, Corporate, and Government grant opportunities,
• Gather statistics and write the Problem Statement,
• Complete pre-writing exercises for the Project Narrative
• Prepare Budgets and Budget Narrative for Foundation Grants and Non-Construction Government Grants
• Learn the Professional Standards and Code of Ethics

The emphasis of this online grant writing course is on program/project support and general operating grants. Construction grants, research grants, scholarships, and fellowships are outside the scope of this course.

All work is individual study and self-paced, making it ideal for students who learn by reading and are detail-oriented.

Students receive course materials and assignments as an email attachment from the online instructor. If a student has any questions about the reading material or section assignments, they can email the instructor for assistance. 

Most students spend at least 50 hours over 4-6 weeks to complete the 6 course assignments. Students are strongly encouraged to thoroughly read the section material before beginning any section assignment. The proposal writing techniques covered may require multiple revisions to meet the competency-based standard, and budget assignments may need to be resubmitted until they are correct. Therefore, we highly recommend that students begin working on assignments shortly after purchasing the online course.

Students have 90 days to complete all of the online assignments, starting from the date of purchase. A 90-day extension is available should a student need additional time for any reason, and this extension may be purchased up to one year after the original purchase. Students can purchase up to two extensions if needed.

Course materials and assignments are provided one section at a time, with one section needing to be completed before the next section's materials and assignments are released to the student.

A Certificate of Completion documenting contact hours is provided after all assignments are completed.

Guidelines for the Certified Grant Writer Exam are as follows: 

• The student will take the exam on the requested date between 8 AM and 8 PM. The AGWA Membership must be active.  Exams can be scheduled on any day.
• The online CGW Exam takes about 5 hours to complete.  All 5 sections of the exam must be taken on the same date.
• The maximum attempts to pass all 5 sections of the exam is 3 attempts.
• If a student does not complete all of the 5 sections, then the sections not attempted on that day will receive a grade of “0” and this will count toward the three maximum attempts to pass the exam.
• If a student does not take the exam on the scheduled date, then this “no show” will count as one of the three maximum attempts to pass the CGW Exam.
• Passing the exam:  All sections must earn 80% to pass, except the Ethics section must earn 90% to pass.
• When taking the exam you will need the following: 
  • 1)  Laptop computer with a working (enabled) USB port and installed Microsoft Word software for the Writing Sample Section, (other software is not acceptable) and
  • 2)  Handheld calculator
• The minimum age to sit for the CGW Exam is 21 years old by the date of the exam.
• Completion of the Program Development and Proposal Writing online course as well as the Certified Grant Writer Review are required to register for a location/date to sit for the CGW Exam.
• Only current members of American Grant Writers’ Association may sit for the Certified Grant Writer® exam.
• 5 Sections of the Certified Grant Writer Exam
  • ​Program Development and Proposal Writing
  • Researching
  • Professional Ethics
  • Budgeting
  • Writing Sample

You will select from one of the following:

• Credit card or debit card
• ACH Bank Transfer (electronic check)

We accept Visa, Mastercard, Discover, and American Express.  We also accept Google Pay.  If you want to pay with a check, it will be processed as an ACH bank transfer.

If the student name is not on the form of payment, then provide the student's name and e-mail in the "Notes" section of the checkout page.

If you have already completed the Program Development and Proposal Writing course, then you will receive the CGW Review and CGW Exam.

If you have already completed the Nonprofit Grant Writing or Government Grant Writing course, then you will receive necessary Course Materials and Assignments to complete.  Next you will receive the CGW Review and Exam.

Price:  $300.00 per person

Earning your credentials through a nationally recognized body provides an undeniable edge in the competitive non-profit and government sectors. Choosing the right program ensures you master compliance, budgeting, proposal architecture, and the reporting standards funders expect.

• Demonstrated Credentialing Excellence: Employers look for rigorous training benchmarks that prove you can handle substantial funding requests.
• Comprehensive Skill Assessment: Our framework tests real-world application, ensuring you possess the exact writing stamina required by top foundations.
• A Respected Network: Joining the American Grant Writers Association connects you with an elite community of specialized professionals across the country.

Ready to advance your career? Contact our support team today to learn more about registration information and course packages.

Securing your credentials is just the first step in a lifelong path of specialized professional excellence. Maintaining high ethical and operational standards sets industry leaders apart.

• Adherence to Ethical Codes: Certified professionals pledge to maintain transparency, preventing conflicts of interest in funding applications.
• Long-Term Career Viability: Possessing a formal grant writing certification signals to municipal, corporate, and private donors that your proposals are built on sound data.
• Resource Libraries: Access ongoing updates, specialized research databases, and standard revision guidelines to stay ahead of changing grant criteria.

Don't wait to elevate your fundraising capabilities. Invest in your professional development and earn your premier grant writing certification to start winning more competitive funding for your organization.