Nonprofits: Should You Hire a Professional Writer for Your Fundraising?
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You may wonder if he or she can be paid from funds received. The answer is, in a word, no. This practice is unethical and, in many places, illegal. Grant writers should be paid for their time and effort by the hour or by the project, whether or not the funding is received. The grant writer’s fees usually must be paid from your organization’s other resources, such as donations, reserves, etc.

How much will hiring a grant writer cost? Fees for an individual grant writing assignment typically range from about $2,500 to $7,500, based on the complexity of the proposal and the amount of time needed to complete it (usually several weeks), not on the amount being requested. “Rush jobs” will generally demand a higher fee, as in any industry.

Consider it money well spent. It may well make the difference between funds received and funds not received.

Other considerations: besides being a good investment, hiring a writer can help you avoid legal trouble. (And that, ultimately, is a very good investment.) For example, charities sometimes “borrow” copyrighted material from print sources and websites without permission; even changing some of the content can constitute copyright infringement. A professional writer will be unlikely to have a problem with this because he or she will, first, be more familiar with copyright law, and second, be disinclined to do so because writing is what a writer does!

Maybe you could do the writing yourself. But why would you want to? If you’re not a writer, you should be spending your time on your primary job function, and leave the writing to a writer.

About The Author Lisa J. Lehr is a freelance writer with a specialty in business and marketing communications. She holds a biology degree and has worked in a variety of fields, including the pharmaceutical industry and teaching. She is also a graduate of American Writers and Artists Institute (AWAI), America’s leading course on copywriting. Contact Lisa J. Lehr Copywriting www.ljlcopywriting.com, Lisa@ljlcopywriting.com for help with your business writing needs. This article © Lisa J. Lehr 2005.

Nonprofits: Should You Hire a Professional Writer for Your Fundraising?
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Additional Resources

category - Grants for Nonprofits

Medical Tropical Research Laboratory Program Infectious Disease Research Award
AFRIMS has recently announced the WRAIR Medical Tropical Research Laboratory Program(MTRLP) Infectious Disease Research Award(IDRA), a funding opportunity which solicits proposals that aim to tackle basic, preclinical and clinical research of emerging infectious diseases in Thailand and a certain region in Southeast Asia.

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Family Planning Services Grants
OPHS has recently established a funding opportunity entitled Family Planning Services Grants, a program wherein the OPHS, along with the HHS, will award grants to eligible individuals who seek to operate voluntary family planning services projects that would provide family planning services to everyone who desires to avail of such services, including low-income families in under-served areas.

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Democracy, Human Rights, Rule of Law, and Freedom of Expression and the Press for Europe and Eurasia
The Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor Affairs has recently established a funding opportunity entitled Democracy, Human Rights, Rule of Law, and Freedom of Expression/Press for Europe/Eurasia, wherein they are seeking applications and proposals that aim to develop projects promoting democracy, human rights, rule of law, and freedom of expression/press in Europe and Eurasia.

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2012 Scallop Research Set-Aside Program
The Department of Commerce, in cooperation with the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), has recently established a project entitled 2012 Scallop Research Set-Aside Program.

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