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EXPLORE THE BUSINESS OF GRANT PROPOSAL WRITING
By Gail R. Shapiro, Ed.M, and Carla C. Cataldo, M.P.P.
Many professional writers are asked to help charities write
proposals for grants. How do you get started as a professional
proposal writer?
Most of us began by volunteering to raise funds for a non-
profit organization with which we already were involved.
Others started by answering an ad for a grant writer. (Note:
this term often is used incorrectly. The one who writes the
proposal is a “grant proposal writer,” the one who gives the
money writes the grant). Many times, little or no compensation
is offered by small or start-up non-profit organizations
asking for proposal writing help. You obviously can choose
to volunteer your time, either to get more experience in
learning how to write proposals, or because you love the
mission of the organization.
But for those who dream of becoming a paid professional in
the field, it’s important to understand that grant proposal
writing is not simply creative writing. It takes training,
as well as technical knowledge, both in non-profit management
as well as in the “business” of your client’s organization.
It can also require knowledge of the funders in your particular
geographic area, as well as each one’s specific focus and
priorities.
Most grant proposal writers are hired by non-profits, schools,
and agencies. Many others are free-lance consultants working
for a regular group of clients or taking occasional assignments.
Beware of offers to pay you a percentage of monies raised!
Working on a percentage basis (or small fee plus percentage)
not only is not advantageous either to the client or the writer,
but it also violates the Code of Ethics of the Association of
Fundraising Professionals (www.afpnet.org), to which many of
us belong. It is unlikely that a professional who cares about
advancing philanthropy and donor-based fundraising would work
on a commission basis. In addition to being unethical, it
devalues your time and skills.
Most proposal writers charge by the project or by the hour, as
it is difficult to tell ahead of time how long it will take to
prepare a proposal, particularly if one has not worked before
with a particular client. Much depends on what the client
already has prepared, how cooperative they are about getting
information to the writer in a timely way, whether this proposal
is a top priority for them, and so on.
Before you accept even a volunteer position as a proposal writer,
be sure that the program or project for which the client is
requesting funds is fully developed, has a feasible budget, and
a good evaluation component. Developing this material is the
duty of the program staff who will be implementing the project
or program. Missing any one of these components means that, in
addition to being a proposal writer, you will be expected to
serve as: program developer, evaluation specialist, and maybe
even budget developer.
An experienced proposal writer normally has some knowledge of
all these components and skills. If you are called upon to do
more than write the proposal itself, make sure you are properly
compensated. If you don’t have experience in these areas, then
volunteering with a NPO may be a good place to start one’s
career. Keep copies of all proposals you write, even those that
are not successful. You can learn as much from failures as from
successes.
Always be mindful of your client’s confidentiality and proprietary
information – grants are competitive, and the agency most likely
will not want their work shared with others.
While the field is competitive, there is always room for good
people in any profession. If you are not directly involved in
providing vital services to a specific population to help them
improve or change their lives, or in making your community more
livable or beautiful, or in protecting our environment, then
obtaining money for those who do this work is a great contribution
to make to the world. We wish you well in your endeavors.
Carla C. Cataldo and Gail R. Shapiro
Excerpt adapted from:
Get That Grant, The Quick-Start Guide to Successful Proposals
BIO
Gail R. Shapiro, Ed.M, and Carla C. Cataldo, M.P.P., offer
consulting services to non-profit organizations. Together
they have 55 years of experience writing successful proposals
in education, health, human services, transportation, the arts,
and other fields. They have taught hundreds of students
nationwide how to write polished, winning grant proposals.
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