Sample Grant Proposal^{2nd edition}

• How they Charge: Most grant services will charge an upfront fee for the writing of the grant proposal and there is good reason for this. Most grants have provisions that do not allow for the grant writer to be paid with the proceeds of the grant money. If you find a grant writer that wants to charge you on a contingency basis, meaning they will get paid if you secure the grant, be sure that the provisions of the grant allow for that.
• Experience: This point is paramount. You have to be sure that you are getting a seasoned grant writer. A grant writer that has been in the game for a while will be well tuned into the world of grant writing and will thus know exactly what the Government does and doesn’t want to see on the grant proposal. Be sure to ask the grant writer you are considering to furnish you with examples of their past work and also ask for a couple of references.
• Knowledge of the Field: Along with general knowledge on how to write a grant proposal, you need to also be sure that your grant writer is well versed in the field that the grant you are trying to obtain is in. For example, if you are seeking a grant in the aviation field you will need to find a grant writer who has done grant proposals in this specific field. Simply hiring a grant service with lots of experience will do you little good if none of that experience applies to what you need.
• Turnaround Time: Remember that your group is not the only group that is going to be trying to get the grant money you seek. For this reason you will want to find a grant writer who will have your grant proposal written for you in a timely manner. Haste makes waste, as they say.

Grant writers are in abundance these days so it pays to do your homework before you hire. By finding an experienced and well versed grant writer to prepare your grant proposal for you and your organization you will be giving yourself the best possible chance of landing the grant money you seek.