On Saturday, June 30, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., there will be a grant-writing class at the Selma-Dallas County Public Library.

Tuwanna Williams, owner of TN Williams & Associates, LLC, will be teaching the class, and will explain the importance of grant writing, business and receiving grants.

Williams has been writing grants since 2003, and started her business in 2005. 

“It’s really important to know how to write a grant, to be able to obtain the funds,” Williams said. “There are a lot of reasons as to why a grant can be received, though it is not a simple process. Understanding the grant-writing process is vital to receiving a grant.”

According to Williams, due to her own past experiences while working for a non-profit organization, she recognizes the importance of grants and wants to spread her knowledge to as many people as possible.

“I always worked with non-profit organizations, and working with non-profit organizations, there is always a need for funding,” Williams said. “Because of that, I became that go-to person to those to find financial resources. Grant-writing was a product of finding out where the money was.”

Williams said her client contacted her and informed her about Selma. Learning that Selma is predominately African-American and financially unstable aligned with Williams’ goal to aid minorities in receiving finance and owning businesses. 

“Selma is a very historic town; it’s predominantly African-American,” Williams said.

“There are issues in the African-American community with reading. Reading is really integral to the grant-writing process. Before you can even write, you have to read and research. I really want to put an emphasis on that.”

Williams is highly devoted to writing grants and teaching others about grants. She hosts grant-writing classes in many locations across the country.

“I absolutely love it. I am an anti-poverty advocate,” Williams said. “I try to make sure my family is secure, and I try to make sure other families are secure.”

Williams said grants are distributed based on whether an individual or business has little or no resources, and compares its likeness to a scholarship.

“A grant is similar to a scholarship. It’s like a scholarship to expand on what you’re already doing,” she said

For more information on grant-writing and TN Williams & Associates, LLC, visit www.oursocialsuccess.com.