Rating: 
Summary: good, basic overview but don't use alone
Review: I am a consultant, grantwriter, and trainer who specializes in technical assistance and training for HIV/AIDS services. I provide a copy of this workbook to participants in my grantwriting ("Bringing Home the Money!) workshops, because it's a good, basic overview of many of the different parts of the request for funding proposal. What's most useful about Carlson's book is that it provides a summary for participants and another way of explaining some of the things I teach. There are also good worksheets included in Carlson's book, designed to help first-time grantwriters grapple with the different proposal elements. Carlson also includes a CD-ROM with different forms that can also be helpful. However, there are important limits to Carlson's book, thus the caveat in my review title that you NOT use this book alone. 1. Carlson's book is very general. For certain funders or funding areas (such as in HIV/AIDS), grantwriters need to include and be very familiar with things like public health data and certain standardized evaluation methods. You will not get that kind of information or guidance in Carlson's book. 2. Some of the sections lack sufficient details that can help first-time grantwriters better understand the concepts. For example, the budget and budget justification section are weak. She does not provide any explanation for "priority/target populations," a concept important to HIV/AIDS and other public health programs. 3. Carlson starts off with a good premise: Helping grantwriters understand the writing of a good proposal by having funders--the people who would actually read and decide on your proposal--speak about what makes good and bad proposals. It's a great idea and one that is the backbone to my own workshop. However, it is a thread that Carlson quickly drops and doesn't bother to integrate into the entire workbook. 4. Finally, the different elements are presented in such a way that they remain disintegrated, separate, fragmented from each other. In reality, a good proposal (i.e., one that is most likely to be funded) includes all the required elements (abstract, description of need, work plan, goals and objectives, evaluation, etc.) that are written well, are strong in content, and all work together in an integrated way. To Carlson's credit on my last point, I should note that very few writers of grantwriting books and guides have succeeded in showing the latter, although I think it's one of the best signs of a well-written, strong, viable program. In summary, then, this is a good first place to start if you're new to grantwriting or need a refresher. But definitely use it in conjunction with a great workshop and/or other grantwriting resources that are available.
Rating:
Summary: good, basic overview but don't use alone
Review: I am a consultant, grantwriter, and trainer who specializes in technical assistance and training for HIV/AIDS services. I provide a copy of this workbook to participants in my grantwriting ("Bringing Home the Money!) workshops, because it's a good, basic overview of many of the different parts of the request for funding proposal. What's most useful about Carlson's book is that it provides a summary for participants and another way of explaining some of the things I teach. There are also good worksheets included in Carlson's book, designed to help first-time grantwriters grapple with the different proposal elements. Carlson also includes a CD-ROM with different forms that can also be helpful. However, there are important limits to Carlson's book, thus the caveat in my review title that you NOT use this book alone. 1. Carlson's book is very general. For certain funders or funding areas (such as in HIV/AIDS), grantwriters need to include and be very familiar with things like public health data and certain standardized evaluation methods. You will not get that kind of information or guidance in Carlson's book. 2. Some of the sections lack sufficient details that can help first-time grantwriters better understand the concepts. For example, the budget and budget justification section are weak. She does not provide any explanation for "priority/target populations," a concept important to HIV/AIDS and other public health programs. 3. Carlson starts off with a good premise: Helping grantwriters understand the writing of a good proposal by having funders--the people who would actually read and decide on your proposal--speak about what makes good and bad proposals. It's a great idea and one that is the backbone to my own workshop. However, it is a thread that Carlson quickly drops and doesn't bother to integrate into the entire workbook. 4. Finally, the different elements are presented in such a way that they remain disintegrated, separate, fragmented from each other. In reality, a good proposal (i.e., one that is most likely to be funded) includes all the required elements (abstract, description of need, work plan, goals and objectives, evaluation, etc.) that are written well, are strong in content, and all work together in an integrated way. To Carlson's credit on my last point, I should note that very few writers of grantwriting books and guides have succeeded in showing the latter, although I think it's one of the best signs of a well-written, strong, viable program. In summary, then, this is a good first place to start if you're new to grantwriting or need a refresher. But definitely use it in conjunction with a great workshop and/or other grantwriting resources that are available.
Rating:
Summary: good, basic overview but don't use alone
Review: I am a consultant, grantwriter, and trainer who specializes in technical assistance and training for HIV/AIDS services. I provide a copy of this workbook to participants in my grantwriting ("Bringing Home the Money!) workshops, because it's a good, basic overview of many of the different parts of the request for funding proposal. What's most useful about Carlson's book is that it provides a summary for participants and another way of explaining some of the things I teach. There are also good worksheets included in Carlson's book, designed to help first-time grantwriters grapple with the different proposal elements. Carlson also includes a CD-ROM with different forms that can also be helpful. However, there are important limits to Carlson's book, thus the caveat in my review title that you NOT use this book alone. 1. Carlson's book is very general. For certain funders or funding areas (such as in HIV/AIDS), grantwriters need to include and be very familiar with things like public health data and certain standardized evaluation methods. You will not get that kind of information or guidance in Carlson's book. 2. Some of the sections lack sufficient details that can help first-time grantwriters better understand the concepts. For example, the budget and budget justification section are weak. She does not provide any explanation for "priority/target populations," a concept important to HIV/AIDS and other public health programs. 3. Carlson starts off with a good premise: Helping grantwriters understand the writing of a good proposal by having funders--the people who would actually read and decide on your proposal--speak about what makes good and bad proposals. It's a great idea and one that is the backbone to my own workshop. However, it is a thread that Carlson quickly drops and doesn't bother to integrate into the entire workbook. 4. Finally, the different elements are presented in such a way that they remain disintegrated, separate, fragmented from each other. In reality, a good proposal (i.e., one that is most likely to be funded) includes all the required elements (abstract, description of need, work plan, goals and objectives, evaluation, etc.) that are written well, are strong in content, and all work together in an integrated way. To Carlson's credit on my last point, I should note that very few writers of grantwriting books and guides have succeeded in showing the latter, although I think it's one of the best signs of a well-written, strong, viable program. In summary, then, this is a good first place to start if you're new to grantwriting or need a refresher. But definitely use it in conjunction with a great workshop and/or other grantwriting resources that are available.
Rating: 
Summary: One of the best books of it's kind
Review: I found this book well written, concise, and full of excellent information. The workbook format guides the reader to elaborate and define their proposal ideas. It also guides the reader to identify the important concepts that will link the critical sections of the proposal narrative. Well done! I plan on recommending this book highly.
Rating:
Summary: Winning Grants: Step by Step
Review: I found this to be an excellent resource, both as a review for experienced writers and as a tool to teach beginners. The sample worksheets are an excellent way to get the writer to think about different aspects of the proposal that he or she may not have thought about, and the snippets of information from interviews with funders is extremely insightful.
Rating:
Summary: Winning Grants: Step by Step
Review: I found this to be an excellent resource, both as a review for experienced writers and as a tool to teach beginners. The sample worksheets are an excellent way to get the writer to think about different aspects of the proposal that he or she may not have thought about, and the snippets of information from interviews with funders is extremely insightful.
Rating: 
Summary: It wasn't worth a dime
Review: I hated it I wasted my money and time. Not one grant did I recieve. Don't make the same mistake i did.
Rating:
Summary: Straightforward - great for beginners and experts alike
Review: I have been writing grant proposals since 1986. We can all use pointers and this book has tools for everyone. I use it to get over a writer's block or find a new way to present information. I have also used it to teach a Proposal Writing class. The students found it very useful for beginners. There are so many books on this subject and I find this to be one of the most useful and a great value.
Rating:
Summary: Winning Grants is a real winner
Review: I have used Carlson's book as a required textbook in a program funding and grant writing course I have taught for the last two years. Both my students and I find Carlson's book to the point, comprehensive yet concise, and well organized (gee...rather like a grant proposal). I particularly like the sample proposal in Section C. My only real concern is that Carlson does not spend much time on writing Letters of Intent. In my experience, more and more foundations are requiring this prior to accepting a long proposal. Overall, though, an excellent book.
Rating:
Summary: "Winning Grants" is a Winner
Review: I read "Winning Grants" by Mim Carlson from the perspective of a grant funder and a grant writer. I found the book to be an easy-to-read workbook for developing a quality proposal. The worksheets are helpful and having them on the CD in electronic format is a huge asset. The book seems touches on all of the key essentials for grant writing. I will recommend it to the novice grant writers that I work with.
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