Finding Free Money!

Organizations such as nonprofits need funds to keep going. One way they obtain funding is by applying for grants from government departments and agencies. The success of a grant application depends very much on how it is written, which makes the role of grant writer an important one.

As an independent grant writer, you will work with various organizations to help them secure the money required. You will use your writing skills to showcase the work of the organization and justify the funding.  

What is a Grant Proposal?

A grant proposal is a request for financial assistance or investment in a project. Individuals in many industries, such as education, science and art, write grant proposals to obtain funding for their projects. 

Investors who fund grant proposals, known as grantors, rarely do so for financial gain but do so to promote the ideas, issues or goals of the organization seeking the grant. A grant proposal:

Grant Writing Niches

There are many sectors where funds are regularly granted. You may find yourself working in any of the following niches:

Education

Education grant writers write for local elementary, middle, or high schools, colleges, and technical schools.You might write grants to fund:

An example of an educational grant would be to secure funding for opening a community school.

Environmental

Many environmental grant writing jobs will come from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The goal of environmental grants is to help protect the environment. Projects requesting a grant should promote environmental stewardship and awareness.

The EPA itself supports thousands of grants per year. An example of an environmental grant would be to help conserve a wetland.

Health

The purpose of health grants is to promote the physical and mental health of individuals within a community. Health grants can be at a local and national level and come from services such as the U.S. Department of Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Food and Drug Administration.

Health grants can be research or program based. An example of a health grant would be a smoking cessation program.  

Housing

Housing grants help ensure that low-income families have proper and adequate housing. This could entail:

These are generally government grants from the Department of Housing and Urban Development. An example of a housing grant could be funding a low-income mobile home park.

Homelessness

Homelessness grant writing covers the basic needs of those desperate for food, shelter, and personal hygiene items. An example of a homelessness grant would be funding a warming shelter for homeless people in a cold area.

The need for this kind of grant has grown substantially in the last few years. This means there are many opportunities for you to write grant proposals in this sector.

Animal Welfare

Our furry friends need a little extra help too! Animal welfare can mean a lot of different things, including:

An example of an animal welfare grant would be a free spay and neuter program.

Arts and Culture

Art and culture grant writing covers projects related to:

An example of an arts and culture grant would be to finance the opening of a Latin dance center.

Human and Civil Rights

Everyone has the right to be treated equally and human and civil rights grants are here to help. They cover things like disability rights, racial and gender equality justice system reform, and public welfare.

An example of a human and civil right grant writing job would be a mentorship program to help lessen youth incarceration.

Research and Public Policy

Advances in medicine depend on quality research, which is expensive. Public policy grants are often funded by private foundations and promote advocacy for certain groups.

An example of a research grant would be for a doctoral student to complete their dissertation research.

International aid and Development

Many times international aid and development grants are used to help communities in developing countries. This may include providing emergency supplies and medical help.

An example of an international aid and development grant writing job would be transportation and distribution of supplies to an area that has been hit by a natural disaster.

Business

Many ventures need some funding help to get off the ground. Business grants may be used to fund enterprises such as:

As a grant writer you can specialize in one specific type of grant writing or you can go broad. If a particular niche matches your personal view of the world, you can certainly specialize in that sector. But keep an open mind—profitable grant writing jobs come from surprising sources.  

An Under-the-Radar Income Strategy

If you’re looking to make a six-figure—or even seven-figure income—then becoming a copywriter is undoubtedly your best option. Many people have used copywriting to turn their lives around, going from struggling to thriving double-quick.

You could level up like copywriter Justin Goff. Entrepreneur Magazine reports that Justin became a multi-millionaire in a few years. He’s in demand because his writing helps companies scale their businesses to new heights. Yet not so many years ago, his life was challenging, and making a living in Austin was hard. Justin says:

"For me, it was brutal. I was living in a $250 a month apartment, sleeping on a blow-up mattress in the middle of the living room. It was me and my two dogs and nothing else."

From there, the only way is up. Good freelance grant writers can easily charge $150 an hour, or charge a high fee per application

Federal grant writing fees can be as high as $8,000—$10,000 per grant, depending on the grant requirements. For example, grant proposals to the Departments of Defense, Energy, and Commerce usually pay very well.

Remember, the organization may be gifted millions of dollars as a result of your work. So it’s a no brainer to pay you $10,000 to secure the money. 

Here’s how typical earnings for grant writing stack up:

As always, though, there is no ceiling on how much you can earn.  If you graduate to the top tier of the grant writing world, then you’ll find that organizations will pay whatever it takes to hire you.

The Secrets of Success 

Grant writing is much easier when you have a proven procedure to follow. Follow the steps below and you’ll be on your way to writing grant proposals that win millions in funding:

Include a cover letter

A cover letter acts as an introduction and describes the:

This section includes general details about the project and its funding goals but does not go into too much detail. Other sections of the grant proposal will cover each topic in more depth. Address this section to a specific individual who is expected to be the grantee.

Include an Executive Summary

This section describes the details of the organization or individual asking for funding, including the mission of the organization and how the current project fits into that. 

Executive summaries don’t provide much detail, but instead seek to summarize the entire grant proposal. For example, this section could illustrate how a biomedical company's current research on stem cells fits into its overall mission of treating spinal injuries.

Describe a Statement of Need

The statement of need section of a grant proposal outlines the problem the organization is attempting to solve. This section is the first to provide in-depth information about the issues in question. 

Grantees want to see that their money goes toward a worthy cause, so this section acts as a primary motivator for investors. Spend extra time here to highlight why the funding is so necessary.

List Objectives and Goals

This section details the positive outcomes of the project if it achieves its funding goals. It explains the need for funds by associating them with desired outcomes.

Include in-depth information in this section. Be specific about how solving this issue contributes to society or benefits a group in need. Additionally, this section can include details about future funding your organization may need to achieve these goals.

Describe Methods and Strategies

Next, discuss the proposed course of action and explain how this solves the stated problem. This section outlines the methods and strategies that the organization will use to accomplish the objectives. 

Investors want to know how the organization will use their funds, so they can determine if funding will produce a good outcome. For example, if you plan to use the money to create a new water purification system, detail the plan to create the system.

Detail an Evaluation Plan

Grantees expect you to be accountable for the progress of your project. An evaluation plan details how you’ll ensure the money is spent appropriately. This section shows investors there is a realistic timeline for the project and that you are using their funds as intended.

Include a budget

This section includes a detailed list of all the items the grantee is funding and how much money is allocated to each item. A budget section can include a table or a written description so long as it thoroughly details each planned expense. 

Correlate the items included in the budget section with the methods and strategies listed earlier in your grant proposal. For example, if a grantee invests $4,000 in your biological research organization, a budget could show that you plan to spend $1,000 on employee wages and the other $3,000 on research expenses.

Detail Organizational Information

The last section of a grant proposal includes information about the organization requesting the grant. Organizational information includes the names, backgrounds and positions of each participant in the project as well as a detailed history of the organization.

Wow the Grantor!

Follow these strategies and you will be able to make a great impression on behalf of your client organization. That will lead to funding of projects that might otherwise be shelved.

Insider Tactics

When writing grant proposals, you need to use every tactic at your disposal to help win the funding. Here are some proven strategies to help you get the right result:

Ensure Eligibility

It would be heartbreaking to start or submit an application only to realize that the organization is ineligible. Clear this hurdle early by researching the funding providers guidelines to identify what deems eligibility. 

Ensure all the criteria are met before applying. If you’re still unsure after reviewing the application details, contact the grant organizer as they’ll have a representative ready to assist you.  

Research the Funding Body

Competition for grants can be intense. To increase your chances of success, do extensive research into the funding providers and previous recipients of that particular grant. 

This helps identify why previous grants were awarded. You may even see examples of the types of proposals likely to be successful. Understanding the driving forces behind a funding body will influence your case for support. 

Start Early

The longer you have to prepare for a grant application, the better your submission will be. Set a realistic timeframe for each section and gather your assets ahead of time. The whole application process will be easier if you’re proactive and organized. 

Get your first draft written as soon as possible, so you have plenty of time to gather feedback from leaders at the organization. This phase can really slow things down, so don’t leave it to the last minute. 

Set Realistic Goals 

Every organization would like to receive tens of millions of dollars in funding for their projects. In practice, that’s unrealistic. Set a sensible goal for the amount of money sought, in line with how the funding organization usually operates.

On the other hand, you should not set your sights too low. There’s no point in raising funds if the organization is still short of the money needed to reach its goals. You need to find the right balance for each situation.

Focus on the Budget

In any grants application, the budget section receives a great deal of scrutiny. So ensure that your budget proposal makes sense. 

A well-developed budget highlights how achievable your goals are and where the funding income will be applied. List all sources of income, with matching income/expenditure totals. Ensure your budget is detailed and that everything outlined will be used in your project. Grant providers want to see the funds benefiting the community, wherever possible. 

Write the Proposal with Passion

Even though grantors are often rather dull organizations, that doesn’t mean you need to write a dull grant proposal. 

Put yourself in the shoes of a grants reviewer who assesses many applications. A case filled with enthusiasm will stand out from mundane applications, getting the attention it needs to succeed.

Revise Carefully

Your goal is to develop a clear and concise application that communicates your project or idea effectively. Spelling or grammar errors, waffling sentences or vague ideas could hinder your overall application. 

A fresh set of eyes will always assist with these types of things and identify key points you may have omitted. So hand your application over to a trusty source for review. Take the resulting feedback on board and rewrite as necessary. 

Change the World

As a grant writer, you not only make good money, you can make a real difference in the world, too! Your grant proposals will bring in funds that may change many people’s lives for the better. 

So if you are looking for a writing niche that’s both personally and financially rewarding, this may be it! Who knows what you may be able to accomplish as a successful writer of grant applications.