Turning a Team of One into a Team of Many� with Artificial Intelligence (AI)
State Budget Department�Grants Management Office
Mark Gordon, Governor | Kevin Hibbard, Director
Dru Palmer, Grants Integration Manager
Christine Emminger, Administrator for the Grants Management Office
Diana Cabriales, Deputy Administrator for the Grants Management Office
June 23, 2026
Session Objectives
Explore how AI can be integrated into an organization’s grant writing strategy as a human-based system
Craft effective prompts to support grant writing and related tasks
Explore practical ways AI can be used to analyze grant opportunities, help with grant writing, and strengthen existing grant applications
What is Artificial Intelligence?
3
What is Generative AI?
Generative AI (Gen AI) is a type of artificial intelligence technology that uses machine learning — a process where an algorithm learns patterns from large amounts of data — to produce various types of content, including:
Images
Text
Audio
Data synthesis
Code
And more
Free AI Resources
AI Tool | Description |
Gemini | Built into Google; strong for tasks integrated with Google. |
Built into Microsoft tools; strong for tasks integrated with Microsoft (Outlooks, Teams, Edge, Sharepoint, etc.). | |
Known for its flexible writing, coding, and problem-solving. | |
Claude | Strong performance in long-form writing and understanding of nuance. |
Focuses on providing accurate, citation-backed answers by combining learning capabilities with real-time web search. |
Free AI Training Resources
Training Resource | Description |
Helps organizations use AI for nonprofit fundraising, focusing on best practices to maximize positive community impact. | |
Offers public professionals AI-focused learning, teaching responsible, evidence-based applications to improve public services. | |
Online Courses | Coursera, Google Cloud, Local Infrastructure Hub, etc. |
Integrating AI as a Human Based System
What are the Benefits of Using AI for Grant Writing?
Simplify jargon & inaccessible language
Synthesize research
Think of AI as your writing assistant!
Develop or strengthen frequently used language
Develop a standardized process
Staff capacity
Expand Capacity
Lower Barriers to Applying
Enhance Writing
Build Long-Term Capacity
“Bad writing can ruin a good project idea. Good writing cannot save a bad project idea.”
More Responsibility Using AI
Data, Confidentiality & Safety
Impact on Resources
AI Governance Policy
Ensuring a Human-Based System
What we DON’T know
What we DO know
Crafting Effective Prompts
What is a Prompt?
A prompt is an instruction or input to an AI system to generate a response. The clearer your prompt, the better the AI’s answer.
Today we’ll use prompts to:
Summarize NOFOs
Strengthen an existing grant application
Help write grant applications
5-Step Framework
Facts/References
Can you attach references? NOFOs, previous grants, etc.
What is your Task?
Creating a budget? Strengthening a draft?
What is the Context?
Who is your audience and their priorities? What is your tone?
Edit & Iterate
Adjust your prompts based on your evaluation.
Evaluate
Is this output what you wanted? What are some strengths or weaknesses?
Demonstration: Less Effective Prompt
“Summarize the Safe Streets for All NOFO”
What’s missing?
Output: Less Effective Prompt
Higher levels of uncertainty and information overload
I’ve only assigned a Task
No reference is included
No context is given tailoring this to my needs
Demonstration: Effective Prompt
I am a local municipality interested in applying for a Planning & Demonstration Grant to develop an Action Plan. Summarize the NOFO I have uploaded/linked in a way that is relevant to me (using this internally for my team to help us apply). Use the language reflected in the NOFO so I understand the funder's priorities/messaging.
Make a checklist of requirements for the full application and a template for the narrative portion that we can use internally to prepare for the application. Include all attachments necessary in bullet form.
Task
Context
Reference
Output: Effective Prompt
Add to the checklist how each part will be scored based on the evaluation criteria in table form. DO NOT hallucinate information not found in the NOFO.
Iterate
Evaluate
Practical Usage of AI in Grant Writing
Prompt: Drafting a Grant Application
Task: Develop a draft
Reference: the NOFO, Fact Sheet
Context: writing style, location, organizational background
Evaluate the output
Iterate
Help me develop a Project Need draft less than 300 words for the FY26 EPA Brownfields Job Training grant. I am a new workforce development nonprofit in Dubois. Use this article about the Former Sawmill Redevelopment to help me create an initial draft tailored to the NOFO’s requirements. Keep the tone professional and concise but not formal.
Do not hallucinate; tell me where I need to provide more information for the maximum score.
Prompt: Strengthening an Existing Grant Application
Task: Assess my draft
Reference: the NOFO, existing grant draft
Context: task relevance (internal use vs external-facing), tone
Evaluate the output
Iterate
Please take the grant I have uploaded and objectively assess it against the uploaded NOFO requirements. Be straightforward about how the grant I uploaded compares to the NOFO requirements and upfront about its weaknesses. Then tell me five things I can do to make this grant stronger and more aligned to the NOFO. Bold all recommended changes.
Activity: �Creating a Prompt
Activity
Instructions:
Grant Opportunity
Funding Agency: National Endowment for the Arts
Program Name: Grants for Art Projects (GAP)
Scan the QR code to access the NOFO
Discussion Questions
Did anyone experience AI hallucinations?
What were the areas the AI was helpful for?
What were the areas that couldn’t be replaced by AI?
State Budget Department�Grants Management Office
Email: sbd-grants@wyo.gov
Website: https://sbd.wyo.gov/grants
Kevin Hibbard, Director, Wyoming State Budget Department
Christine Emminger, Administrator for the Grants Management Office
Diana Cabriales, Deputy Administrator for the Grants Management Office
Email: dru.palmer@wyo.gov
Dru Palmer, Grants Integration Manager
Governor’s Office�Grants Management Initiative
Hagerty Consulting, Inc