You're looking for the best grant training courses and I'm going to share with you some of the best grant training programs available (from a grant pro). As an experienced grants professional and Founder and CEO of Grant Frog, I personally know every instructor and organization on this list and recommend their grant training courses. Each one brings their unique expertise to their grant training programs and each are genuine, committed grant professionals who care about the work. You can't go wrong with learning grants from any of these pros.
Here are 12 of the best grant training programs available, covering everything from introductory grant writing, specialized tracks on federal funding, compliance, and major foundation grants, and comprehensive GPC credential prep. And when you're ready to manage your grants like the pros, start a free trial of Grant Frog, grants management software helping organizations track their grants program, find funders and grants, and work with their team in one place.
Grant Training Programs
1. Spark the Fire Grant Writing: Cohort-Based Certification
Allison Jones, Founder of Spark the Fire Grant Writing is a pro in the grants world. She's incredibly supportive of organizations learning grants, and she's been a believer in Grant Frog since day one. That generosity of spirit is exactly what comes through in her grant training and teaching.
Allison Jones, M.Ed., GPC, has been teaching grant writing since 2003, and Spark the Fire is a recognized names in the field. The flagship Certificate in Grant Writing covers the full grants lifecycle: prospect research, organizational readiness, strategy, budget development, proposal writing, funder relationships, grants management, and reporting. It qualifies for 24 GPCI and CFRE education points.
There's also a Freelance Grant Writing Business Course for experienced writers ready to go independent. Both courses run as interactive cohorts with weekly Zoom sessions, so participants work through material alongside peers rather than watching videos alone.
Spark the Fire named Grant Frog one of the best grant prospecting and research databases of 2026, a recognition worth noting if you're evaluating grant tools alongside your training.
- Full grants lifecycle curriculum (research through reporting)
- Weekly live Zoom cohort sessions so you learn alongside peers rather than watching videos on your own
- 24 GPC/CFRE education points (Certificate course)
- Freelance business track for writers going independent
- Approved by the Grant Professionals Certification Institute and CFRE International
| Specialty: Full grants lifecycle certification and career development
| Best for: Nonprofit staff and freelance grant writers seeking a comprehensive, cohort-based certification
| Pricing: Certificate in Grant Writing: $1,497
2. Unlock-Grants: Self-Paced Grant Writing Course
Carolyn Caldwell has been doing this work for a long time, and it shows in how she's structured the Unlock Grants course. She was also a guest on the Grant Frog grant pro mini series, where she talked about her favorite thing about grants.
Unlock-Grants is a self-paced online course built by Carolyn Caldwell, GPC, CFRE, and GPA Approved Trainer, with 25 years of experience distilled into an 8-module curriculum. Most students finish in about four weeks, spending roughly 90 minutes per week on material that covers the full grant writing process from funder research through reporting.
For organizations with operating budgets under $1M, two team members can enroll together, which is a strong value for smaller shops. The course qualifies for GPC and CFRE education points, and students get lifetime access plus expert proposal review.
- 8-module self-paced curriculum (~5+ hours total content)
- Templates, workbooks, and quizzes throughout
- Lifetime access to course materials
- Expert proposal review included
- GPC and CFRE continuing education points
- Option to purchase individual modules separately
| Specialty: Self-paced online grant writing education for busy nonprofit staff
| Best for: Organizations that need flexible, self-paced training they can finish on their own schedule
| Pricing: Full course: $499 (2 seats for orgs under $1M budget) | Individual modules: $75 each
3. DH Leonard Consulting: Monthly Lunch Series
Diane H. Leonard, GPC, RST, leads DH Leonard Consulting, an established grant consulting and training firm and has for many years. Since 2006, Diane and her team have secured more than $180 million in competitive grant awards for clients and trained over 100,000 professionals in grant writing and nonprofit capacity building. I was a speaker and presented at her one-day online conference, Learn Grants, where you can learn about grants in 10-minute modules. Grant Frog has also sponsored her monthly Lunch and Learn Grant Training series where once a month you can learn about grants in one hour sessions.
DH Leonard offers multiple training topics: grant readiness, research, storytelling, budget development, funder relationship building, and proposal writing.
- Training topics across the full grants lifecycle
- Public sessions and private custom organizational trainings
- Agile for nonprofits track covering practical project management for grants teams
- Live delivery (in-person or virtual)
- Approved trainer for the Grant Professionals Association
| Specialty: Custom organizational grant training and team capacity building
| Best for: Organizations wanting custom, private team training or grant professionals building broad, career-spanning skills
| Pricing: Lunch & Learn series (6 sessions): $239.99; Custom - contact for a quote.
4. HayDay Services and Training: Comprehensive Training
Amanda Day, GPC, and Kimberly Hays de Muga, GPC, bring more than 50 years of combined grants and fundraising experience to HayDay Services. Together they've trained more than 20,000 grant seekers and raised millions of dollars for nonprofits and government agencies. Grant Frog had a booth next to them at the GPA national conference and they are exactly the kind of genuine, knowledgeable, amazing people you want in your corner. Plus, they're just fun to be around! Both Amanda and Kimberly were featured on the Grant Frog grant pro mini series, where they shared their favorite thing about grants from their decades in the field.
Amanda's background is in local government grants administration, with deep expertise in federal funding for first responders, infrastructure initiatives, and community engagement programs. Kimberly's work spans health, human services, and education organizations. Together they've built HayDay into a training and coaching practice that also hosts the popular Fundraising HayDay podcast, which ranked in the top 5 of Feedspot's best fundraising podcasts.
HayDay offers tailored training and keynotes, one-on-one coaching, and The Grant Mechanics, an expert grant review service, plus free audio courses and downloadable resources for grant seekers at every level.
- More than 50 years of combined grants and fundraising experience
- Trained more than 20,000 grant seekers
- Both hold the GPC credential
- Federal funding expertise (first responders, infrastructure) and private foundation expertise
- The Grant Mechanics: expert grant review service
- Tailored training, keynotes, and one-on-one coaching
- Fundraising HayDay podcast: practical content for grant professionals
| Specialty: Practical grant writing training, coaching, and grant review by veteran grant professionals
| Best for: Grant writers and nonprofit staff looking for training grounded in real-world experience across both federal and private foundation funding
| Pricing: Custom; see haydayservices.com for current offerings
5. Susan Schaefer: Major Foundation Grant Strategy
Susan Schaefer, CFRE, founder of Resource Partners LLC, focuses on a specific niche: major private foundation grants. With this, she focuses on something unique: building the organizational presence and credibility that makes major funders pay attention to your organization. Her Major Gifts Roadmap course is designed for grant professionals and organizations who are ready to step into their most valuable foundation partnerships and learn how to attract major grants from foundations. It mixes cohort learning with personalized coaching sessions, guided by a fellow grant seeker who has spent a career securing awards from the largest foundations.
Before founding Resource Partners, she was part of the UNCF team that designed the Gates Millennium Scholars program, a $1.6 billion initiative funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Her consulting work builds in-house capacity for development teams targeting significant foundation awards. She also writes the Major Grants newsletter documenting practical lessons from her work securing large grants. It's a useful ongoing resource for organizations going after six- and seven-figure asks.
- Major Grants Roadmap Course: a course that shows how organizations step into their most valuable foundation partnerships.
- Consulting focused on major private foundation grants - Major Gifts Engine, Major Gifts Action Plan
- Major Grants newsletter on Substack: free monthly practitioner insights
- Co-edited resources including The Nonprofit Consulting Playbook
- Best suited to development teams targeting six- and seven-figure foundation awards
| Specialty: Major foundation grant strategy and building organizational presence to attract large funders
| Best for: Development teams ready to move upmarket and build a strategy for pursuing major private foundation grants
| Pricing: Major Grants Roadmap Course: $3,995 for organizations and up to 3 participants | Major Grants newsletter: free
6. GrantWin Consulting and Academy by Patrice Davis: Federal Grant Training
Patrice Davis, Founder of GrantWin Consulting, is a pro when it comes to federal grants compliance. If federal funding is part of your organization's strategy, or you want it to be, this is the training that will actually prepare you for what comes after the award letter. She's also such a genuine, kind-hearted person and a pro on all you need to know about federal grants.
Patrice Davis brings 15 years of federal grants experience, including time at the CDC evaluating grant continuation applications, to GrantWin Academy, which she launched in 2021. The academy offers masterclasses, boot camps, and a subscription program covering federal grant basics through advanced compliance. Patrice has personally administered over $200 million in federal, state, and county grant funding, and the curriculum reflects that depth.
- On-demand masterclasses, boot camps, and live training sessions
- Federal Grants Simplified subscription for ongoing access to training and resources
- Topics: finding federal grants, application writing, grant management, compliance
- Recipient-centered curriculum developed by working grant managers
- Designed for nonprofits, local agencies, and municipalities
| Specialty: Federal grants compliance and post-award grant management
| Best for: Nonprofits, local governments, and municipalities pursuing or already managing federal grant awards
| Pricing: Individual courses and subscription plans available; see grantwinconsulting.com for current rates
7. Grant Professionals Association (GPA): Certification and Community
The Grant Professionals Association, or lovingly known as the GPA, is essential if you're serious about a career in grants. I'm a GPA member and approved GPA mentor, I've presented at the national GPA Grant Conference and Grant Frog has had a booth at the national conference. GPA is the largest professional association for grant professionals in the U.S. Membership includes access to GrantSchool, with live and on-demand webinars, recorded conference sessions, and exclusive virtual events. It's also your path to the GPC credential: GPA oversees the GPC exam through the Grant Professionals Certification Institute, the gold-standard grant writing certification in the field.
The people and the community is what makes it irreplaceable. Joining your local chapter is just as important as the national membership. The relationships you build through GPA are worth more than any single course. I have a microlearning grants training through the GPA — "9.5 Unique Ways to Find Grants and Funders". For those wanting structured, year-long training, GPA offers three comprehensive programs: Next Level Grant Training, Next Level Federal Grant Training, and Next Level Grant Management Training.
- GrantSchool: live and on-demand webinars, recorded conference sessions, virtual events
- Three year-long programs: Next Level Grant Training, Next Level Federal Grant Training, Next Level Grant Management Training
- GPC exam access through the Grant Professionals Certification Institute
- Member community, weekly e-newsletter, and reduced conference registration fees
- Membership categories for all career stages: professional, entry-level, student, retiree
- Local chapters across the country: find yours and get involved
| Specialty: Professional community, local chapter network, and GPC certification
| Best for: Grant professionals at any stage who want a career-long professional home, GPC certification support, and ongoing community
| Pricing: Annual memberships are $235/year. GrantSchool included with membership.
8. GrantStation: Grant Training and Funder Research
Many people know GrantStation for the funder database, but their education is top-notch. Alice Ruhnke, an experienced grant professional, leads the education program, and she brings a real depth of knowledge to it. She was a guest on the Grant Frog grant pro mini series and knows all things grants.
GrantStation members get 100+ live webinars, in-depth on-demand courses, and a resource library with templates and examples. Topics span grant writing fundamentals to organizational development, with many sessions qualifying for GPC and CFRE continuing education credits. Individual webinars are also available à la carte if you don't want a full subscription.
- Funder research database with searchable grants and foundation data
- Online Learning Academy: 100+ live webinars + on-demand courses + resource library
- Templates and downloadable examples included
- GPC and CFRE continuing education credits on many sessions
- À la carte webinar option if you don't want a full subscription
| Specialty: Online grant education and funder research database
| Best for: Nonprofits that want funder research and continuing education in one subscription
| Pricing: Database membership: $199/year (2-year: $299) | Online Learning Academy: $549/year
9. Boyd Grants Academy by Allison Boyd/Boyd Grants Consulting
Allison Boyd, GPC, Founder of Boyd Grants Consulting, brings nearly 20 years of grant writing and project management experience to Boyd Grants Academy. Allison Boyd is based in Houston, TX and founded Boyd Grants Consulting, a premiere grant consulting firm. She served as President of the Grant Professionals Certification Institute board of directors from 2014 to 2018 and received GPA's President's Award in 2018.
Boyd Grants Academy is built for self-paced learning, with on-demand courses across grant prospecting, proposal writing, grant management, and compliance. You can subscribe for full catalog access or purchase individual courses. For those who want ongoing peer connection, the Grant Builder Collective is a community membership with bi-weekly sessions and shared accountability built in.
- Self-paced on-demand courses covering prospecting, proposal writing, and management
- Monthly subscription for unlimited access to the full course catalog
- Individual course purchase option for targeted skill-building
- Grant Builder Collective: community membership with bi-weekly live sessions
- Taught by a former GPCI board president and active GPA member
| Specialty: Self-paced grant training rooted in active consulting practice
| Best for: Grant professionals who want flexible, self-paced training from a highly credentialed practitioner, with an optional community component
| Pricing: Monthly subscription: $50/mo (full catalog access) | Individual courses from $45 | Grant Builder Collective: $59/mo
10. iPlume Grant Essentials by Amanda Rogers: Grant Writing Workshops
Amanda Rogers is Founder of iPlume Grants, grants training and consulting firm. She's built a respected practice in the Canadian grant market and understands those funders and processes in a way that general grant writing training simply doesn't cover. Their hands-on, step-by-step programs teaches practical grant writing and funding application skills so learners gain the tools, confidence, and insight to write winning proposals.
Amanda spent 20 years in senior nonprofit roles before building a firm securing over $50 million for organizations and businesses. iPlume's primary offering is grant writing services, but they also deliver targeted training workshops.
- Grant writing training workshops (community and partnership-based delivery)
- Proposal development coaching
- Workshops designed for mission-driven and underserved organizations
- Grounded in active grant writing practice, with over $50 million in secured funding
- Based in Canada; well-suited to Canadian nonprofits and funders
| Specialty: Grant writing training for Canadian nonprofits
| Best for: Canadian nonprofits, particularly those working in equity-focused or community-based contexts
| Pricing: Workshop and service fees vary; $1,499 for full access
11. MyFedTrainer: Federal Grant Compliance Training
MyFedTrainer, led by principal Rachel Werner, focuses exclusively on federal grant compliance, specifically the Uniform Guidance (2 CFR 200) that governs how federal dollars must be managed. Rachel and her team have managed over $2.5 billion in federal grants, and the training reflects that operational depth. They keep us updated on the latest developments in federal grant compliance. Rachel was a guest on the Grant Frog grant pro mini series, where she discussed their federal grant training and her favorite thing about grants.
Options include a self-paced online boot camp (12 lessons, ~50 minutes each), a live instructor-led webcast covering 12 contact hours of grants management, and custom group training for teams of 10 or more. The curriculum is built for organizations that are already receiving federal funds and need to stay audit-ready: not just winning grants, but managing them correctly once the award comes in.
- Federal grant compliance training focused on Uniform Guidance (2 CFR 200)
- Self-paced online boot camp: 12 lessons, ~50 minutes each
- Live instructor-led webcast: 12 contact hours
- Group training for teams of 10+, live or virtual
- Serves nonprofits, universities, tribal entities, and local government
- Team has managed over $2.5 billion in federal grants
| Specialty: Federal grant compliance and Uniform Guidance (2 CFR 200)
| Best for: Organizations managing federal awards who need practical compliance training on Uniform Guidance and audit readiness
| Pricing: Grant Management Bootcamp - $700 - For Group training, contact myfedtrainer.com
12. Grant Frog: Grants Management Software
Grant Frog grants management software is more than just software, we show you what it means to build a successful grants program for your organization. It's where you put your training to work. Once you understand the grants process, you need a system to manage it: tracking deadlines, researching funders, organizing proposals and reports, and keeping your whole team aligned.
Grant Frog is grants management software built by a nonprofit grants director. Hannah Wiginton, Founder and CEO (that's me!), spent 15 years running grants programs before building Grant Frog to solve the problems no spreadsheet could fix. Inside the platform, you can:
- Search 200,000+ private, corporate, and community foundations via the funder intelligence database, sourced directly from IRS 990 data, with total grants given, average award amounts, and past recipients
- Never miss a deadline: automated email reminders go out at 60, 30, 14, 7, and 3 days before every grant due date
- Manage proposals and reports in one place with Grant Frog's grant proposal tools
- Collaborate across your team by looping in program staff, finance, and leadership with built-in teamwork features
Training teaches you how to write grants. Grant Frog gives you the system to track every funder, deadline, proposal, and report in one place so nothing slips through as your grants program grows.
| Specialty: Grants management software for nonprofits and educational organizations
| Best for: Nonprofits ready to manage their entire grants program in one place: funder research, deadlines, proposals, reports, and team collaboration
| Pricing: Essentials: $99/mo (1 user) | Professional: $199/mo (3 users) | Premium: $349/mo (8 users) | 14-day free trial
Ready to Put Your Grant Training to Work?
The grant training programs above will sharpen your craft and I'm glad to recommend each of these companies and grant pros. Grant Frog gives you the infrastructure to track your grants and manage your entire grants program, from the first funder search through final reporting. Start a free trial and see how it fits alongside the training you're already investing in.
