Start a Grant Writing Business

Thousands of small nonprofits want grants but have nobody who can write them; few writers ever learn the format.

1. 1

   Learn the grant format

   Take a short course through Candid or a similar provider and study two or three actually funded proposals. The structure is learnable in weeks, not years.

2. 2

   Pick a nonprofit sector

   Youth programs, arts, or health. Funders, language, and outcome metrics differ by sector, and specialists get referred while generalists get skipped.

3. 3

   Write one portfolio proposal

   Do one proposal for a local nonprofit at a starter rate. Win or lose, you now have a real writing sample and a reference.

4. 4

   Price per proposal or retainer

   Typical rates run $1,500 to $5,000 per foundation or federal proposal, or a monthly retainer for a grants pipeline. Never work on commission; AFP ethics rules prohibit it and funders frown on it.

5. 5

   Build a funder research habit

   Learn Candid's Foundation Directory, Grants.gov, and your state's grant portals so you bring opportunities to clients, not just words.

6. 6

   Land retainer clients

   Pitch 10 nonprofits whose Form 990s show grant income but no development staff. A monthly pipeline retainer beats one-off proposals for everyone.