This group has received numerous complaints, ranging from unprepared, unprofessional personnel, to using material copied from the internet which would be freely available anyway, to bad customer service and not refunding people's money for a variety of reasons. They have received over 20 complaints at the Better Business Bureau as can be confirmed here: http://www.labbb.org/BBBWeb/Forms/Business/CompanyReportPage_Expository.aspx?CompanyID=13211147

Please be careful when choosing their services.

Danger!

At the present time, the company is advertising for new instructors to replace people who are refusing to teach because of non-payment. The person that your advance "welcome packet" says will be your instructor may not be the one you get.

I sent off an e-mail form to the Grant Institute indicating I was interested in attending. I received an immediate statement requesting payment. I called the company and indicated I was not sure I would be able to attend, but just wanted to indicate I was interested. They said to send payment once I decided to come. I was unable to attend, so I called over a month in advance and let them know I would not be attending. It has been a year and today I got another e-mail statement saying that if I didn't pay $595 they would be turning me in to the credit bureaus. Am I legally required to pay them? I never signed anything or agreed to pay them and definitely did not attend their workshop.

I responded a couple times to an email to sign up for their workshop and never got a response. I ended up calling their office and talked with some of the most unprofessional people I've ever talked to. They couldn't even give me a phone number or voicemail to the guy in charge of the workshop. They said the only way to communicate with him was by email (that he doesn't respond to).

They said he works in the office there, but there is no way to communicate with him and they don't remember the last time he was in the office. Huh!?

No you're not required to pay. You didn't sign any contract and you gave them plenty of notice anyway.

If they call again, tell them you're going to report them to the better business bureau and cite that they already have 22 complaints with the BBB.

OR just ask for the manager/owners phone number and they'll make some excuse and hang up. Frauds!!

I cannot comment on the quality of the Grants Institute training sessions. However, their customer service is absolutely a shambles. A number of us traveled to a grants class in Las Vegas in November 2007, the instructor did not arrive and the class was cancelled. No problem so far. However, getting a refund for the class fee and travel funds has not been forthcoming in over three months and I have made weekly contact with them in an attempt to get a refund. I would be careful about doing business with this group. It would seem that there is no one in charge.

Camai

I wrote a post that ended up here for some reason, but you can follow the link to Grant Writing Confidential's posts about the general uselessness of grant writing training.

There is a category on the site for reviews here

Write a review on The Grant Institute

I just drove two hours to Detroit to 3 day seminar by The Grant Institute. Not only did they not show, they never informed participants that they cancelled it. I called and asked and they said they sent me an e-mail. I never received it, so they blamed it on my e-mail filter. Ironically, I have received e-mail from them before - an invoice. It does not sound as if they will refund my money - they say will reschedule the meeting. I obviously do not want to drive back after this experience and feel I am in for a fight, judging by these other posts. Other folks had driven 13+ hours from northern Michigan (Upper Peninsula). DO NOT GIVE THIS GROUP ANY MORE MONEY. They appear fraudulent.

I responded to one of their ads for faculty. They called me with 2 days notice to travel to Boston to conduct a three day workshop. I jumped in, booked my flight, got to the hotel. Long story short - another instructor did not show up, the registration check in was a mess, so called on-site coordinatin support was useless or gone, the materials were so bad I spent the first night redoing everything and did manage to make the class participants satisfied. I submitted my invoice to the company for my time and all my costs (as agreed upon in the contract) and I have received nothing. NOTHING! They will not return my phone calls or emails. I heard from participants how unorganized and uncommunicative they had been. I so regret getting involved with them and fear I will never see my $5,000+.

do you know where/how they are advertising for new instructors, how they find them?

I too was a faculty member (first timer) a while back. My experiences were quite similar to those of you who have been badly taken by the Grant Institute. Please let the Better Business Bureau in Los Angeles as well as the Attorney General's Office in Sacremento know of your experience. From the information I have, The Grant Institute's cookie is beginning to crumble. Their president AJ is losing or has lost his LA restaurants, thought by many to be the place where workshop money is going or has gone. Further, as you might be aware, they have done this to a great number of previous faculty and more recent faculty. I believe that I saw the listing I answered on a non profit jobs site and also and I may be incorrect, however, I also believe I saw the listing on a philanthropy job site. I would also encourage you to contact The Non Profit Times to share your experiences. While I was able to be compensated, it took a great deal of pressuring PP at The Grant Institute. The most unfortunate part of this scam is that so many individuals in this country and Canada really need and wish to learn about grant writing and outfits like this just don't care about anything but the money. Please know that I am launching a new workshop for resource development opportunities in June 2008 known as The Resource Building fellowship Workshop. It was in development over a year prior to my one time engagement with The Grant Institute and after my experience with them and doing the same as mentioned in the post of having to rework an entire curriculum to accommodate the participants, I saw great validation for the very personal, high quality approach that we are now taking. Anyone interested in learning more about the Workshop, our 2008-2009 schedule and what we will be offering is invited to contact bettemammone@giftofjohn.com. Anyone who has had an unsatisfactory experience, been cancelled or driven miles for a workshop that never occured will receive a special consideration discount from The Resource Building fellowship Workshop! You will have an experience that will completely nullify the nonsense of The Grant Institute. In the meanwhile, I encourage you to contact The Non Profit Times. Please know that it isn't our intent to take advantage of the bad times of any business, however, it is quite obvious to many of us that outright and blatant disregard and financial improprieties have occured with the GI. If we appear opportunist in any way, please know that our true intentions are to demonstrate how, when presented appropriately-with the highest degree of customer service and niceities--that the unsung heroes of fund development and philanthropy can have a professional development experience that will leave them and their colleagues (and ultimately their organizations) with a very positive view and reinforcement of what can happen when they are treated professionally and provided with a higher level of knowledge that will truly impact their ability to attract funding dollars for their organizations and institutions!

Yes, this is very similar to my experience with The Grant Institute:
Contacted two days prior to the workshop.
Did not come through with promised support services for myself and for the attendees. Had to take specific action in order to attempt to appease the participant's expectations, and negotiate with the venue.
Has failed to return any phone calls or e-mails since the day before the class started, no money, no responce(s) to numerous e-mails and phone calls to call me.
Several disgruntled attendees, numerous complaints.
Class canceled by the attendees as a group, early, discussed as a whole the end of the second day, due to expressed concerns and requests for refunds, due to problems and complaints and lack of support by the TGI.
Attended the last day of class, met with them as a group, still willing to provide instruction, including giving my class the opportunity to contact me for free consultation, to attempt to help alleviate the problems caused by TGI.
Have yet to hear a word, or any other form of communication, back, by The Grant Institute, to any e-mails and/or phone calls made to them, since the first day of teaching the class. My number is 801-915-1290.

Try more like 40 or 50 (or more?) complaints with the BBB.

Somehow I got on their email list and can't seem to get off. I have sent 6 unsubscribe emails and have tried calling but no one answers the phone. This organization is very unprofessional.

Sharing this article to those who may be interested!

http://www.nptimes.com/08Jun/npt-080615-2.html

http://www.nptimes.com/08Jun/npt-080615-2.html

I don't know if this will help anyone, but here is the information of the person who pays the bills:

Patty:ppatchrint@gmail.com
cell number: 626-824-2978

Checked out the BBB and their info is old:
Current address: 1059 S. Broadway St. L.A. CA 90015
Current phone number: 213-765-0554.
current website:www.thegrantinstitute.com

I too got scammed by this company.

https://listserv.temple.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind0805&L=net-gold&T=0&F=P&P=44566

Weber State University

http://www.complaint.tv/the_grant_institute_alaska_nonprofit_grants_seekers_lose_30k-1930.html

The Grant Institute Complaint
Alaska Nonprofit Grants Seekers Lose $30k - Professional Grant Writing 101 Workshop June 11-13 08