“What is grant writing?” You may ask. This is a type of writing where a writer helps complete applications for an individual or an organization with the goal of securing funding, usually from nonprofits. During the grant writing process, you can expect to do research on the organization, researching the subject and proposal, formatting the work, editing and proofreading, and finally submitting the grant application. This is considered a fulfilling line of work because you help secure funding for organizations in need!
While many grant writers do have degrees, you can still become one with little to no experience! Some organizations prefer you to have a bachelor’s degree or higher to become a grant writer, but this is not a hard and fast rule. There are courses you can take to pursue a certification, build a portfolio, and land clients!
Long gone are the days of needing to sit in an office for grant writing as this is a great option for freelancers. You can enjoy the flexibility of working when and where you want, and for multiple organizations if you please. Choosing the freelance path allows you to be your own boss and take on the projects you are truly passionate about.
Another great benefit of this hustle is that you can make it your main gig. Grant writers can make $52,000 a year or more, depending on the organization they sign up with! With this being said, beginner freelance grant writers can charge around $35 per hour for their services. Imagine you spend 10 hours a week doing grant writing on the side, that’s an extra $1400 a month!
Continue reading to learn how to become a grant writer!
Step one: Get your degree or take classes. As a grant writer, you need to have the skills to do technical writing. Some organizations looking to hire you will require you to have at least a bachelor’s degree, but some will accept a certification. Acquiring this knowledge will help give you the skills needed for successful writing!
Step two: Earn a certification. This step is of course only necessary if you don’t have a degree! You will finish coursework and then a final exam to earn your certification. Completing this step isn’t mandatory for finding a grant writing job, but it will give you the upper hand over those who do not have one.
Step three: Secure an internship. While this is also not a necessary step into becoming a grant writer, having an internship will give you the hands-on experience that many people want you to have before securing a job. This can make you more appealing to potential clients, so try to get an internship if you can!
Step four: Create your portfolio. How else can you get clients without showing off your talents? Having a portfolio allows potential clients and employers to see what your writing looks like and what you can bring to the table. They will assess your writing to see if they want to hire you for their project. You can send your portfolio along with your resume when applying for positions.
Step five: Determine your preferred type of employment. As a grant writer, you have the ability to freelance instead of belonging to an organization! This step is merely you doing research on companies you may want to work for, or deciding to work for yourself as a freelancer.
Step six: Apply for positions. Once you’ve decided if you want to work under an organization or work as a freelancer, you can start applying to jobs! If you want to work under a company, you can use sites such as Indeed to apply. If freelancing is more up your alley, you can use sites such as Upwork to land gigs! Here is an example of what getting paid on Upwork would look like:
Step seven: Advertise your expertise. Although you may be applying to jobs, it never hurts to get the word out about your services! Not only can you create a professional website, but you can also make social media accounts to increase your exposure across various platforms.
Tips
Grant writing brings in plenty of money if you have the time and skills to do the work. As a freelancer, you can take in as much work as you want, but many times the hard part is simply finding it! You can do this by connecting in life and online with people who work in nonprofits as these types of companies usually need the services of a grant writer.