Writing A Proposal

Government grants are commonly compared to loans. Many claim the only difference is the money does not need to be repaid. Essentially, you get free money from the government. Government grants are available for individuals, but are typical reserved for state and local governments, colleges and universities, non-profit organizations, and small businesses. Regardless of which category you fall into, you will soon find another difference between government grants and loans. That is the application process.

Each year, the government and many private groups handout billions in grant money. Many individuals and organizations want and need this money. For that reason, the competition is strong. Rarely, can a grantor choose winning recipients based on a standard application. All grants vary, but most require a traditional application, as well as a written grant proposal. Each grantor will outline, in detailed, what should be included. Often times, you need to explain yourself or your organization, the need for financing, what you intend to do with it, and how your need for money ties in with the grantors purpose.

If grant writing is unfamiliar to you, this will likely be a nerve-wracking experience. Luckily, there are many resources available to help. Yes, there are how-to books and other guides available online or in bookstores, but there is a much easier step. That involves hiring a professional grant writer.

Grant writers are easy to find online. To get started, perform a standard internet search. Your search results will show a number of options. There are large companies that specialize in writing grants. They employ many writers. You will also find individual grant writers who operate on a freelance basis. Choose either method, but private freelance writers are likely to produce the best results. With them, you should do more that just fill out a standard form. You should communicate directly with your freelance grant writer through email or over-the-phone. Since grantors want to know about you or your organization and the reason for need, a grant writer must first gather this information directly from you.

When hiring a writer, you want to see samples of their work. Unfortunately, this is difficult with grant writers. Grant writers are bound by confidentiality. They want to share a winning grant proposal with you, as it showcases their skills, but most are unable to do so. A grant writer may have a generalized sample listed on their website or provide detailed information on their format or how they intend to write the proposal. Although you cannot see actual examples, ask to see other works. Look around the writer’s website. Do you notice a large number of errors? If so, this is a sign you may want to look elsewhere.

It is common for grant writers to charge a thousand dollars or more for a grant proposal. This is often due in part to the time and research needed to create a winning document. Some grant writers charge varying fees depending on the type of individual or organization seeking the grant, as well as the type of grant. Although this seems like a large cost, it does improve ones chances of receiving funding. When gauging fees, be sure to take the number of grants available, as well as the funding allotted. It may be in your best interest to research grant writing and do it yourself if the grant is for $5,000 or less or if a limited number of grants are available.

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