Starting Strong: Your First Steps Toward Major Grants

A Practical Guide to Building Grant Success for Schools and Education-Focused Nonprofits
Part of the Strategic School Fundraising Series

If you're leading a charter school, private school, or education nonprofit and are ready to pursue larger grants—but you're not sure where to begin—this book is your starting point.

Starting Strong is a clear, actionable guide for K–12 schools and mission-driven education organizations that want to move beyond classroom-level grants and small donations to secure substantial, sustainable funding. Whether you're seeking foundation support, state or federal grants, or major gifts, this book will help you build a strong foundation for grant success.

Inside You'll Discover:

✔️ How to assess your school's grant readiness
✔️ Steps to align your initiatives with funder priorities
✔️ Strategies to identify and evaluate the right grant opportunities
✔️ Tips for developing your first large-scale grant proposal
✔️ Real-world case studies from schools that started small—and won big

Written by experienced grant writer and charter school leader Peggy Downs, founder of Granting Your Vision, this guide draws on a proven track record of helping schools secure millions in grant funding.

Whether you're launching a new school, expanding academic programs, or seeking funding for facilities, Starting Strong gives you the clarity, tools, and inspiration to take that first bold step toward major grants.

Real Results Include:

Perfect For:

Don't just apply for grants—build a winning strategy.
Get your copy of Starting Strong today and take your first confident step toward major funding success.