Finding a good quality grant writer should be one of the first tasks addressed during any grant application. 

Because without good writing, you probably won’t submit a strong application. Your application could end up being confusing, lacking in detail, or even downright messy. And that could mean you miss out on that critical funding your business needs.

In this guide, you’ll find out everything you need to know about what you should look for when hiring a grant writer, and what you should expect when working with one. 

What is a grant writer?

A grant writer is a professional writer who specialises in writing grant proposals. They research, write, and submit proposals that secure grants (funding) from governments and other funding bodies including corporations and foundations. 

A grant writer may work as a freelancer, writing proposals on behalf of a list of clients, or be employed by an organisation to write its grant submissions. 

Grant writers who are employees often work for not-for-profit or educational organisations, or in other organisations that rely on grants, programs, and other funding opportunities.

Some grant writers may specialise in a specific area, such as government grants, education, or grants for organisations in technical industries such as medicine or healthcare.

Grant writer vs. grants consultant—what’s the difference?

Grant writers use a variety of terms to describe their services. 

In addition to ‘grant writer’, you will also find the terms ‘grant consultant’, ‘grant specialist’, ‘proposal writer’, and other variations in use. These terms are often used interchangeably. 

Many individuals and agencies who offer grant writing as a service prefer to use one of the above titles as they are less restrictive than the term ‘grant writer’. 

For example, at GrantHelper, we offer grant writing services, but our consultants are also able to assist you with a variety of other activities related to grants, including project management, strategy, reporting, and business case development. 

Why do I need a grant writer?

Businesses usually hire professional grant writers because they want funding, but are not able to allocate sufficient time and resources toward developing a grant proposal.

Writing grant proposals is a time-consuming process. 

Each proposal must follow set rules about style and content, meet a set of eligibility criteria, respond to specific assessment criteria, and be written in a compelling manner that persuades the target audience or funding body. 

As a business owner, the benefits of hiring a professional grant writer include:

• Finding grants that you otherwise would not 
• Having more time to work on other priorities in your business
• Submitting a professionally written proposal that is more likely to succeed
• Peace of mind that your proposal will comply with all eligibility and success criteria 
• Someone to help you to identify and address shortcomings in your business case
• An additional resource to help with planning, coordination, and budgeting during the proposal process

How much do grant writers cost?

Exactly how much you can expect to pay for a grant writer or consultant depends on a lot of factors. 

Key factors include the size of the grant, the scale of the project being funded, and the amount and complexity of information that the grant writer needs to gather and communicate.

There is no set price, as each project and grant application is a dynamic process. But as a rough guide, in Australia, you might expect the fee to be anywhere between $500 – $5,000 for a small grant application, while a consultant’s fee could be over $20,000 for a successful submission for a large project.

Grant writer fees: hourly vs. project 

Most grant writers charge either based on a project rate or an hourly rate. Here are the differences between the two.

A freelance grant writer in Australia who charges an hourly rate can charge anywhere between $50 – $300+ per hour (excl. GST), depending on their level of experience and track record. 

If a writer is charging solely by the hour, they are more likely focused on smaller submissions. An hourly rate is also more common when the grantee (the organisation seeking funding) has a clear strategic direction, and wants to hire a writer solely to handle the writing, rather than providing assistance with coordination and strategic guidance.

A grant consultant who specialises in writing submissions for complex state and federal grants and provides strategic guidance as part of their service, is more likely to charge on a project basis than an hourly rate. 

Grant writers who work on larger projects usually work to a project fee rather than an hourly rate, because it provides more scope for the writer/consultant to act as a strategic partner who can take responsibility for coordinating a submission from end to end. 

An hourly rate, while simple, can lead to the perception of overcharging on the client’s side. There are numerous ‘un-charge-able’ tasks and hours that go into a successful submission, and a project fee allows for a broader engagement between consultant and client that is not measured on an hourly basis.

How do grant writers and consultants charge for their services?

Most grant consultants charge at least some of their fee upfront. 

Usually, only a small application would be charged as a single fee (paid upfront). Larger grant applications tend to be charged based on a mixture of an upfront fee and a success fee—up to 10%—dependent on securing the grant. 

A mixed fee with some contingent on success provides the client with certainty that the consultant is going to do their best to win, as both the risk—and the reward—are shared by both parties. 

While it is not common for a consultant to charge their entire fee upfront, some do. In this case, you should exercise caution, as no grant submission is guaranteed to succeed—no matter how good the consultant or their previous record of success.

Ultimately, the best grant writers for your business are those who can provide some flexibility to meet your requirements and are willing to invest their time and share in some of the risk. This is how we work here at GrantHelper.

How long does it take to write a grant proposal?

All grant proposals take significant time and effort to prepare, but some take longer than others.

The type of grant, the level of competitiveness, and the amount of information that is readily available to the grant writer are all variables that influence how long the writer will need to create a submission.

Some grant submissions are small, only a few pages long, and might take the writer a few days to prepare. 

Bigger proposals, such as a government grant proposals, often require 40 hours’ work—or more. It’s not unusual for some grant proposals (such as nationwide grants for large commercial or industrial projects) to take weeks or even months of work, and more than 100 hours to complete.

Different types of grants also require different amounts of time to prepare. 

A competitive grant process accepts submissions from eligible organisations, and then reviews the submissions to determine the most suitable candidates for investment. These submissions can require many weeks to research and write a proposal that includes a unique business case, technical details, a budget, and project plan. 

On the other hand, there are entitlement grants that usually require less time and research. This type of grant is scored against a predefined set of inputs relating to industry, activities, or size and type of business. 

And of course, if your grant writer is already familiar with your business, they’re likely to be more efficient when writing your submissions, because they can skip the “getting to know you” phase that is required when working with an organisation for the first time. 

Can you include a grant writer’s fee in your project budget?

No, you cannot include your grant writer’s fee in your project budget. 

All grants are very specific about what activities are eligible for funding, and what funds may be used for. Before you apply for a grant, ensure you familiarise yourself with the eligible activities as outlined in the grant’s application guidelines.

General administrative costs, day to day operating expenses, or regular fees that are part of doing business are almost never included among the activities eligible for grant funding. 

Most grants are about business and supply-chain growth, the creation of new jobs, or innovating within a sector to bring about impactful change—they are not designed to plug gaps in cashflow or support a business’s everyday activities.

How do you become a grant writer? Do you need a degree to be a grant writer?

There are many different paths you may choose to take to become a grant writer—there is no set formula or educational journey that you need to follow. But there are a few key skills and certifications that most professional grant writers share.

First, you’ll need to convince an organisation that you are the most suitable person to take on the challenge of writing their grant submission—whether as an employee, or in a freelance capacity. If you have relevant experience in a current or previous role, you may be able to leverage this to take an opportunity to write a proposal.

There are no formal education requirements to be a grant writer, but you will probably need some training in English, marketing, business development, communications, or a related field. 

Job postings for grant writers typically require applicants to hold a bachelor’s degree as a minimum, or an equivalent level of experience in grant writing or a related discipline. 

A postgraduate degree is not required but will be beneficial. Larger and more complex grant projects tend to require a higher degree of analytical, financial, and project management skills from the writer.

Other certifications from professional writing industry bodies may also be beneficial. 

Here are some of the most common ways people start their career as a grant writer:

• Earn a tertiary qualification in English, communications, public relations, or marketing. This is typically a bachelor’s degree, but other qualifications may also be accepted. A technical qualification will be advantageous in some sectors.
• Develop experience writing grants and build a portfolio of grant writing work. This could include freelance writing, or volunteer work with a not-for-profit organisation, or an internship.
• Gain certifications in grant writing by doing a writing course in person, or online. Grant writing courses are a popular choice for people who are already tertiary qualified and want to build further knowledge in grant writing.
• Develop a specialisation in a specific area or industry of work. Many grants are offered only to specific sectors, industries, or types of businesses. Grant writers who are expert in a specific area of knowledge are in demand in such cases; a grant writer who has a specialisation will be able to quickly gather technical information and understand the broader context within which the grant is offered.

What skills do you need to be a professional grant writer? What abilities should you look for in a grant writer?

To become a grant writer, you’ll need to have more than an education. Experience is critical as well—remember, while writing is key to the role, it’s important that you can, and want to, do more than write. 

A grant writer also needs to be a good researcher, have strong organisational skills, be able to work to deadlines, and obtain specific information from multiple sources. 

Other administrative capabilities of a grant writer include planning project timelines, assisting with project coordination, and defining budgets and milestones for a grant project.

GrantHelper Pro Tip

The best grant writers offer a balance of education and experience in a broad range of industries (with the exception of technical writers who specialise in one area only). They have an aptitude for written and verbal expression and enjoy capturing and filtering information in a methodical manner. They know details are critical, and they’re organised and able to work to deadlines. Other good signals include the ability to be adaptable to the unique needs of each client and grant project.

Some of the skills you should look for in a grant writer include:

• Great written communication skills: More than just good grammar and spelling (though these are important), a good grant writer needs to be able to write persuasively and present a compelling narrative
• Research skills: Research and information gathering are central to each grant proposal. Grant writers either already know the subject at hand, or they’re quick to get to work on research so they can build the necessary understanding
• Attention to detail: Grant proposals always have a set of rules that need to be followed, and specific details that need to be included in the submission
• An ability to understand complex information and instructions: Each grant comes with its own set of instructions and guidelines, and they need to be understood both quickly and fully
• Project management and strong organisational skills: Grant submissions need to be submitted on time and with all the mandatory information and documentation 
• Interpersonal skills: Asking questions and building relationships are important skills when getting all the information together for a grant submission
• Persistence and resilience: The most experienced grant writers will have written or contributed to many submissions that were not successful across the span of their career. The ability to learn from unsuccessful submissions is key to being a good grant writer
• Financial and analytical aptitude: Many grants require a lot of work on budgets and forecasting, so look for a grant writer who can help with these tasks 
• A strategic mindset: A grant writer who can take a step back to look at the big picture and help craft a cohesive application from start to finish will be a big benefit to your business.

The GrantHelper approach

At GrantHelper, grant writing is at the core of what we do. To date, we’ve written or consulted on hundreds of applications. And a common factor across every single one is the need for a strong business case—and a narrative—that convinces the grantor that your business is a good one to invest in.

We work with our clients as a strategic partner as well as taking on all the writing requirements. We get to know our clients’ businesses deeply. Because without a deep knowledge of your subject matter, you can’t write a strong business case. 

GrantHelper’s 7-step grant application process is a structured and proven approach, ensuring each submission is well-thought-out, thorough, and comprehensive, thereby significantly increasing every client’s chance of success.

And that’s what good grant writing is all about.

Are you searching for an experienced grant writer?

GrantHelper works with businesses of all sizes to help them find, and win, grant opportunities. Enquire today to find out how GrantHelper can help your business succeed with government funding.

Final thoughts

Our Insights showcase some of the grant-winning methods we employ at GrantHelper, and they will help you create a stronger grant application. But no matter how well prepared you are, winning grants takes time—something we know many business owners and directors just don’t have. And that’s why we’re here to help.

GrantHelper can assist with your organisation’s next grant application, no matter what stage of the funding journey you’re at.

I need help applying for grants

Check out our How to Prepare Before You Apply insight to help you reduce the stress levels when you apply for a grant.

Check out our How to write a successful grant application to learn some time-saving tips to make the grant writing process easier.

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Is your business eligible for this government grant? Or perhaps you’re not sure and want to know more?

GrantHelper offers a range of government grant services, helping businesses of all sizes to discover, apply for, and win the best grant opportunities. We can help you with anything from finding the right grants, to writing your application, formulating an ongoing grant strategy, and more.

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