We do workshops like these regularly.  We have learned:

1. lengthy descriptions of search procedures or even demonstrations of searches
put most folks to sleep.  Even though it's a big part of what grants offices
do, it's just not very interesting.  Better, we have found, to summarize the
search capabilities we have and get on with it.

2. working on specific examples works well. Sometimes we ask the folks
attending what sorts of projects they're interested in and use them as instant
case studies.  Frequently we'll talk for a while about the first stages of
proposal writing, then break the folks into small groups to agree on a project
and write a 1 sentence description.  We'll talk about the structure of the
proposal--need, plan of operation, evaluation, budget--and ask the groups to
outline their objectives.  If it's a long workshop, we'll ask them to sketch
out their evaluation plans and budget as well.  We've had several proposal
funded which began in these workshops.

3. Following up is important.  We have all experienced the workshop
phenomenon--get fired up about a new idea in a workshop, but as soon as we
return to our everyday routines, the idea fades away.  Calling participants who
had hot ideas a week or two after the workshop and offering to help them
develop a proposal sometimes helps keep the idea alive.

Bill Campbell
Director, Grants & Research
University of Wisconsin-River Falls
xxxxxx@uwrf.edu