Freelance Grant Writing: Rates And Others

My phone rang a couple of weeks ago, and the other person on the line requested that I come and meet the head of a local NGO for a grant writing job. When I sat down with the director, he kept telling me stories about the organization and his extensive experience in running it. However, the one thing they needed was a freelance grant writer and international relations officer to be able to attract funds. Good talk, right? Indeed, it was until we started a conversation about the rate offered. The leader of the organization wanted me to write my contract and my own payment terms. Weird, but go on. He said I will receive the percentage I request for every penny and intervention I bring to the NGO. Is this a good offer? Let me tell you more in this blog post about freelance grant writing rates and other important stuff.

Also, I will discuss some perks that can help you decide on the proper freelance grant writer rates.

So, let’s get to the bottom of this.

Here’s how our 2-minute read will follow.

Why Was The Director’s Idea A Bad One For A Freelance Grant Writer?

Not just bad. But a horrible one.

Receiving a percentage of whatever deal I bring to the organization does not take into account the numerous hours I will spend on this. Freelance grant writers conduct calls, meetings, presentations, and visits that might/might not end with writing a real concept note or proposal later. How can I not be repaid for these hours? This is in addition to the research and writing process that takes a lot of time before final submission.

Do you want to know what was my response to this offer? If we can ever call it an offer, though. I definitely refused the idea. As I explained, this offer does not account for the hours of work spent with potential grantors to land just one call!

The best way to pay freelance grant writing rates is through an hourly one. This is the commonly used one, too.

So, if you agree, let’s talk more about this.

Freelance Grant Writing Rates

Rates

So, how to set your hourly rate as a freelance grant writer?

Well, this depends on many factors. Some are related to you as a personal expertise, and others have to do with the grant you are writing. For example, your experience and track record will help set your rate. Freelance grant writing rates for beginners start between $25-$50 per hour. $50-$75 per hour is a typical range for intermediate experienced grant writers, with $75-$150 per hour for more senior and advanced grant writers.

The complexity of the grant proposal that you are writing will also help you determine your rate. That’s why you must understand the task at hand and know all the details about it before setting your rate.

There is another way of calculating this. Some freelance grant writers choose to charge a flat fee for a complete grant proposal. This fee can usually range from $500 to $5,000 (again, depending on the proposal’s complexity).

More About The Freelance Grant Writing Rates

I know that you are probably into the job already since you are researching the topic. I will tell you a couple more perks I found helpful to share while working in the same area.

1. Enjoying Flexibility: you can easily set your own hours and work from the Maldives.
2. Every Grant Is Different: You will get to work with different organizations, teams, and projects. This makes grant writing so engaging and fun.
3. You Can Actually See The Impact of Your Work: I know I told you that you spend a lot of time to land yourself a grant. However, this does not mean it’s not a rewarding job. You can directly see the impact of your work by maintaining the careers of people inside the organization every day. And, of course, you see how communities are enjoying a better life because of your work and writing.

Final Thoughts

If you find yourself doing a really good job in your freelance grant writing work, I strongly encourage you to open an entire business revolving around this. If you enjoy your time only as a freelance, then don’t think about it. But if you want to take this to the next level, we will be here to support you in making that happen. For putting together a business plan or pitch deck for your grant writing business, check out these downloadable pitch decks and business plan templates on Albusi’s website. These will give you an idea to write your elevator pitch, problem statement, the solutions that you are proposing, financial projections, and investment asks for your business. Also, the Albusi team can craft a one-of-a-kind pitch deck just for you! This is another exceptional service to entrepreneurs that you should check out. The linked page will tell you more about what our previous clients say about this service.

And, if you need to talk more about your idea with professionals, you can always contact one of our freelancers. They will help you with everything you need to plan for your business and help you pitch it to others, too.

Happy learning!

---

Meet The Author Of This Article