Winter 2026Project: Grant Research Report
Portland State University
This project was my first exposure to anything related to grants. I knew nothing about grants and was surprised by the strategic thinking required behind every successful grant proposal. I found the amount of analysis behind searching for funding opportunities to be immense, and I often felt overwhelmed. However, understanding that the core of this work was analytical helped me understand that I had to become a mini-expert on both my chosen organization's needs and the unspoken values of potential funders. The persuasive case for the "best choice" grant was built on a careful synthesis of a funder's mission, past giving history, and ideological leanings, demonstrating that effective grant writing begins long before a single word of the proposal is written. This assignment honed my ability to translate a broad idea into a targeted, well-researched funding strategy.
Competencies
Research
Written Communication
Subject Matter Familiarity
Audience Awareness/Analysis
Technologies
Google Docs
Search Engines
Grant Databases
Citation Management Tools
Personal Characteristics
Independence/Initiative
Analytical/Critical Thinking
Detail-Oriented
Learning
Winter 2026Project: Letter of Inquiry (LOI)
Portland State University
Writing the Letter of Inquiry was my first attempt at writing for a real-world funding audience. I found this process to be transformative in understanding what rhetoric looked like in this context. This wasn't just about being clear; it was about being strategic. Having to further analyze my own writing choices and justify them to those who would be providing us feedback helped us understand our stylistic choices. Does this tone work? Are we making appropriate writing choices for the funder we chose?Competencies
Written Communication
Audience Awareness/Analysis
Editing
Client/Customer Communication
Oral/Verbal Communication
Technologies
Google Docs
PDF Readers
Style Guides
Personal Characteristics
Detail-Oriented
Problem Solving
Creativity
Learning
Winter 2026Project: Drafting Core Grant Sections (Problem Statement, Goals, etc.)
Portland State University
This assignment was where the grant proposal truly came to life. Moving from the LOI to a cohesive grant was difficult, and when responding to the feedback provided, I was able to see my weaknesses in writing grants. For me, this process, though iterative, showed me a need to edit further to ensure that I was not redundant. My tendency to be verbose had me leaning towards redundancy. The editing process of this complete grant allowed me to further analyze my message and ensure I would not be tiring out the grant funders. This process solidified my ability to manage and execute a complex writing project from the ground up.
Competencies
Content Development/ Content Management
Written Communication
Project Planning/ Project Management
Editing
Technologies
Google Docs
Project Management Tools
Style Guides
Personal Characteristics
Detail-Oriented
Flexibility
Time Management/ Deadlines
Leadership