Is it wise to hire a grant writer?
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What do you know about grant writing?
The question I find most people asking is, “Should I hire a grant writer, or should I just do it myself?”
So, I’m going to list some tips and requirements to go through in answering this question.
Should I hire a grant writer?
If you asked yourself, “Should I hire a grant writer?”, First of all ask yourself, do I actually have the time to write a grant? It’s really not just a simple write-up. Hence, this is why there are people who specialize in grants. In order to produce a quality proposal, which is required in our competitive world, a great amount of hours must go into it. Whether you need a state or federal grant proposal, below is a list of the proposed hours you would have to put in before answering the question “should I hire a grant writer”.
- How many pages are allowed in the grant? Times that by approximately 2-3 hours of writing, editing and proofreading per page.
- Put aside approximately 1.5-2 hours to read and outline the grant application guidelines.
- You will need at least 5-6 hours to write a budget and complete the budget forms.
- You will spend around 5-6 hours obtaining letters of support, job descriptions and resumes.
- Plan on spending about 1-2 hours completing the grant forms.
- Set aside an additional 5-6 hours doing a final review of all of your paperwork to submit your proposal.
Again, I cannot stress enough that we live in a very competitive world, and writing a grant should not be rushed. It is important to make sure it is written correctly and submitted by the guidelines. Are you a good writer? If you are able to articulate your grant-related goals and objectives in your writing, then give it a go.
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If not, hire a professional. Basically, if you want to do it yourself, you must be detail-oriented, have sufficient time to put into it and good writing experience.
If you do decide to hire a professional grant writer, be proactive in following a few tips:
1) Be sure to get a copy of their resume and at least one or two samples of grants they have written. Also, ask the award status of the grants they did write, i.e. was the grant awarded?
2) If your grant is federal, ask if they have experience in this type of grant proposal, as federal is more involved than state.
3) Discuss pay. Is their rate a flat fee? Do they work hourly? How much per hour? Most times a fixed rate is best. Hourly fees can really add up on a job such as this.
4) Find out about the writer’s turnaround time. Do they have sufficient time to work on your project mixed with their other workload? Will they be able to get it back to you when needed? You do not want a grant proposal rushed, but you do want to know that they are working on your project daily.
5) Be sure to keep in touch with your writer and give them as much information as possible.
I hope this information helps in answering the question, “Should I hire a grant writer”? Whether you do, or decide to write it yourself, good luck! Go for it!
Article Written By Kelly Martin View Her Profile Here
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