How much does grant writing cost?

How writers usually charge

• A flat fee per proposal, based on length and complexity
• An hourly rate, often for editing an existing draft
• A monthly retainer for organizations applying continuously
• A separate fee for research and finding programs

Fee structures to avoid

A percentage of the award is widely treated as improper, and most public funders will not let you charge grant funds for it.

Also avoid anyone who guarantees you will be funded. Nobody controls the decision except the organization offering the money.

When paying a writer makes sense

• A large application with a long narrative and many attachments
• A deadline you cannot realistically meet yourself
• A program you have lost twice and want reviewed by someone else

When doing it yourself works

For most small applications, the hard part is not the writing. It is knowing what each question is asking and what proof to put behind it.

That is what our workspace handles. It lists every question from the file, explains it in plain language, and builds a draft from short answers you give about your own work.

Common questions

How much does grant writing cost?

Independent grant writers commonly charge from a few hundred dollars for a small local application to several thousand for a large federal one, and many bill by the hour. Fees based on a percentage of the award are considered improper by most funders, so be cautious if anyone offers that. GrantsRUs Pro is a flat $29.99 a month or $250 a year and gives you guided tools to build the proposal yourself.