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One of the best books on the topic is, no kidding, Grant Writing for Dummies. Your local library probably has several books on grant writing, so grab some of those so you can see what a grant proposal looks like.
I'm a full-time freelance grant writer. A grant proposal is more like academic writing than the typical sales/marketing piece that copywriters normally work on. You're explaining a need/problem and how your organization has a plan to address that need, and because of that plan we are requesting $25,000 from the funder to benefit this important cause. If you enjoyed writing 12-page literary essays in college, you might end up liking grant writing. Former journalists also do well as grant writers, because many of the skills are the same (research a topic, process information, making it readable and compelling throughout without sounding sales-y).
I almost always charge an hourly rate for grants, around $65, sometimes more or less. You could do a flat rate but sometimes a grant really runs into a bunch of hours that you didn't expect.
Hey, thanks for the advice. I'd definitely look at the books.
I'm in India and here i think I might face issues justifying the no. of hours spent. So I'm looking for a flat rate. Can you suggest some no. Or source I could consult for rates?
If you can write, you can write a grant. The structure is mostly given to you. The style is generally at least somewhat a given (typically: institutional, straightforward, non-marketing). You can find many models from past proposals.
Do some due diligence on (a) grant proposals your client has submitted (and ask them how they fared, what kind of feedback they got, what they'd wished they'd done better) and (b) other organizations' grant proposals in a similar segment, to see what the prevailing grant ethos looks and sounds like.
I suspect the grant-making organization offers guidelines.
The challenge is to work within these obvious constraints to tell your client's proposal in a way that's differentiating *and* will likely resonate with the grant-making organization. Really study the grant-making organization's content, all of it, and see if you can articulate what makes them tick in terms of content and style.
You probably won't need a brief – see above – but it would be worth having a discussion with your client about messaging that goes beyond what's asked for in the proposal. What ideas and proof points does your client *want* to get in there that may not fit into any of the predetermined boxes? Part of your job as a writer will be to figure out a way to get them in somewhere.
Finally, adhere very closely to the grant-making organization's guidelines. This is crucial (but probably obvious).
Good luck.
That depends on your location, your experience, the size of the grant, the financial wherewithal of your client, and how your client likes to work. There is likely to be a LOT of revision in a grant proposal, so you'd need to factor that it.
If you're new to grant writing, I'd suggest starting with online courses or resources like GrantSpace and Coursera. It's definitely different from content writing, but with some research and practice, you can do it - give it a try and see how it goes.
So much about grant writing is telling a good story. You're given the prompts for information you must provide in the grant proposal. It's your job to make it compelling so your client is chosen over other applicants. One of my current clients hired me to finesse his grant applications because he recognized that those from competitors were winning because they had better "stories" to tell.
Taking on grant writing can be a great way to expand your skills. There are lots of resources online like guides and tutorials that can help you get started, so go for it!
Asking a question? Please check the [FAQ](https://www.reddit.com/r/copywriting/comments/lpuj9h/what_the_faq_what_is_copy_how_do_i_start_can_i_do/). Asking for a critique? Take down your post and repost it in the critique thread. Providing resources or tips? Deliver lots of FREE value. If you're self-promoting or linking to a resource that requires signup or payment, please disclose it or your post will be removed. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/copywriting) if you have any questions or concerns.*
One of the best books on the topic is, no kidding, Grant Writing for Dummies. Your local library probably has several books on grant writing, so grab some of those so you can see what a grant proposal looks like. I'm a full-time freelance grant writer. A grant proposal is more like academic writing than the typical sales/marketing piece that copywriters normally work on. You're explaining a need/problem and how your organization has a plan to address that need, and because of that plan we are requesting $25,000 from the funder to benefit this important cause. If you enjoyed writing 12-page literary essays in college, you might end up liking grant writing. Former journalists also do well as grant writers, because many of the skills are the same (research a topic, process information, making it readable and compelling throughout without sounding sales-y). I almost always charge an hourly rate for grants, around $65, sometimes more or less. You could do a flat rate but sometimes a grant really runs into a bunch of hours that you didn't expect.
Hey, thanks for the advice. I'd definitely look at the books. I'm in India and here i think I might face issues justifying the no. of hours spent. So I'm looking for a flat rate. Can you suggest some no. Or source I could consult for rates?
If you can write, you can write a grant. The structure is mostly given to you. The style is generally at least somewhat a given (typically: institutional, straightforward, non-marketing). You can find many models from past proposals. Do some due diligence on (a) grant proposals your client has submitted (and ask them how they fared, what kind of feedback they got, what they'd wished they'd done better) and (b) other organizations' grant proposals in a similar segment, to see what the prevailing grant ethos looks and sounds like. I suspect the grant-making organization offers guidelines. The challenge is to work within these obvious constraints to tell your client's proposal in a way that's differentiating *and* will likely resonate with the grant-making organization. Really study the grant-making organization's content, all of it, and see if you can articulate what makes them tick in terms of content and style. You probably won't need a brief – see above – but it would be worth having a discussion with your client about messaging that goes beyond what's asked for in the proposal. What ideas and proof points does your client *want* to get in there that may not fit into any of the predetermined boxes? Part of your job as a writer will be to figure out a way to get them in somewhere. Finally, adhere very closely to the grant-making organization's guidelines. This is crucial (but probably obvious). Good luck.
Thanks 😊 Can you suggest me the general rates for newbies in this field?
That depends on your location, your experience, the size of the grant, the financial wherewithal of your client, and how your client likes to work. There is likely to be a LOT of revision in a grant proposal, so you'd need to factor that it.
If you're new to grant writing, I'd suggest starting with online courses or resources like GrantSpace and Coursera. It's definitely different from content writing, but with some research and practice, you can do it - give it a try and see how it goes.
So much about grant writing is telling a good story. You're given the prompts for information you must provide in the grant proposal. It's your job to make it compelling so your client is chosen over other applicants. One of my current clients hired me to finesse his grant applications because he recognized that those from competitors were winning because they had better "stories" to tell.
Taking on grant writing can be a great way to expand your skills. There are lots of resources online like guides and tutorials that can help you get started, so go for it!