EfD Nigeria has strengthened the research capacity of its members through an intensive one-day Grant Proposal Writing training held on October 3, 2025.
The crash course, anchored by Yonas Alem, the Director of Academic Programs at EfD, was designed to equip researchers with practical skills for developing competitive grant proposals and securing research funding.
Yonas Alem emphasized the critical role of effective proposal writing in advancing research and promoting institutional growth.
He wished to see participants use the skills from the training to generate research grants that will advance their personal careers and strengthen EfD Nigeria’s contributions to policy and development research.
The training covered key elements of proposal development, including identifying funding opportunities, structuring research ideas, and aligning proposals with donor priorities. The highly interactive session allowed some of the participants to present their research proposals, receive feedback from Yonas Alem, and other participants.
Training was beneficial
Many participants described the training as beneficial, saying it had enhanced their understanding of how to translate research ideas into fundable projects.
One of the participants, Francis Nwafe, said that the training has increased his knowledge in proposal grant writing, especially the writing sequence.
“Yonas Alem gave us in-depth knowledge based on his experience,” Francis Nwafe said.
Nwafe revealed that after the training, he revisited a grant proposal he had submitted unsuccessfully last year and immediately noticed areas that needed improvement.
“After the training, I reviewed that proposal and saw a lot of differences between what I did and what I should have done. I am now reworking it, and I’m optimistic it will succeed this time,” he added.
The feedback from participants highlighted the immediate and practical impact of the training, with many expressing confidence that the knowledge gained would translate into successful grant applications and enhanced research productivity.