How to Become a Grant Writer?

Do you have a passion for the writing? You have a writing skill or are you a creative writer? If you like to write, are highly organized, and enjoy working for a good reason, grant writing can be the right career for you. A grant writer can work as an employee or freelancer.

There are several ways to become a Grant Writer and the most important talent of any Grant Writer is excellent writing skills. Potential grant writers should be college graduates with strong research and communication skills, and writing experience.

The majority of Grant Writers have a Bachelor’s degree in English, Journalism, Communications or Marketing. Below you will find the valuable information and guidance to understand that “How to Become a GrantWriter?”

Career Requirements

• If you’re a strong technical writer with a passion for charity, nonprofit grant writing can be a worthwhile field to explore.
• A bachelor’s degree is required for most grant writing positions and a writing-intensive major, such as English, journalism, communications or marketing, is often pursued by aspiring grant writers.
• Previous grant writing experience is important to most employers.
• Additionally, these professionals should be detail-oriented, possess good communication and computer research skills, and have experience with productivity software.

Steps to Become a Grant Writer

Grant writers typically have a bachelor’s degree, and at least two years of writing experience is a common minimum requirement. Follow all these given steps to become a Grant Writer:

• Step 1: Earn a Bachelor’s Degree: Any undergraduate program that involves heavy use of writing and persuasive tactics gives grant writers the ability to practice this skill. Apart from the writing aspect, coursework in journalism, public relations, marketing or English programs can also provide other useful qualifications for this type of position.
• Step 2: Take Courses in Grant Writing: Many colleges and universities provide certificate programs in grant writing, which cover beginning, intermediate and advanced proposal writing, as well as identifying potential sources of grant funding for a project. These professional development certificates are designed to help novice and current grant writers attain a strong set of skills they can immediately put into practice. These certificate programs are often offered at least partially online or as individual classes designed as crash courses on specific grant writing topics.
• Step 3: Acquire Grant Writing Experience: Whether you’re seeking a full-time job or want to be an independent grant consultant, building your area of expertise will help you find work and target your professional development. Most employers require a minimum of two years of grant writing experience. This is the case for even part-time and temporary positions. 
• Step 4: Gain Industry Experience: To become a grant writer, you should first gain a significant amount of nonprofit experience. Grant writing involves speaking competently about the inner workings of the nonprofit and its programs, so you want to make sure you’re well-versed in these areas. In addition to grant writing experience, many employers look for grant writers who have familiarity with the industry in which they are writing grants to fund.
• Step 5: Join a Professional Association: Eligible grant writers can find jobs in a variety of settings, including charities, healthcare facilities, schools, and research institutions, conservation organizations and housing associations. Many professionals also practice on a freelance basis. After gaining vast work experience, some grant writers move into self-employment by starting their own grant-writing businesses. Membership in a group for grant writers may permit an individual to gain access to more training and job opportunities. It also permits individuals to attend conferences and network with other grant-writing professionals.

Degree Level	Bachelor’s degree
Degree Fields	Any writing-intensive major such as English, journalism, communications or marketing
Experience	Previous grant writing experience important
Key Skills	Detail-oriented; communication, writing, and computer research skills; use of productivity software
Salary	$43,718 (2016 median for grant writers)

How Much Do Grant Writers Make?

• Entry-level grant writers in smaller markets may charge between $30 and $40 an hour.
• But in bigger markets, on more sophisticated projects, and as you gain experience, fees can climb to $70 to $100 an hour.

Qualities of a Good Grant Writer:

Grant writing is the process of developing a broad application for funding from a specific entity. If your organization is looking for a grant author, then you should look for special qualities in those people who give you interviews for the situation. Here are some things to look for:

• Practical thinking
• Knowledge
• Creativity
• Persistence
• Organization
• Personable
• Conscientious