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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.
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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.
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Nonprofits: Should You Hire a Professional Writer for Your Fundraising?
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Additional Resources
category - Grants for Nonprofits
Northern Rocky Mountain Science Centers offers funding to Rocky Mountain Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit Program
Department of Agriculture: Technical Assistance and Training Grant
United States Agency for International Development: Citizen Engagement and Elections Project in Mongolia
Zambia Economic Resilience Program for Improved Food Security
Follow @topgovtgrant
Social Entrepreneurship
Spotlight
Is Corporate Philanthropy Dead?
Senay Ataselim-Yilmaz, Chief Operating Officer, Turkish Philanthropy Funds, writes that philanthropy often solves the very problems that stems from market failure. Some social issues, however, cannot be tackled by questioning the return on investment.
