Grant and Proposal Writing Services

Throughout this page, which functions as WordWoven’s one-stop shop for grant writing and proposal writing, we’ll cover everything you need to know about these modes of writing from their definitions and value to our pricing of these services. Moreover, we’ll cover how to hire the best team (or freelancer) for your proposal or grant needs.

What Is Proposal Writing?

Proposal writing is the process by which an argument or “pitch” is drafted for the purpose of persuading its intended audience, which usually involves persuading the target audience to supply a certain allotment of funding for a given purpose or project.

As this definition implies, there are a wide range of projects that fall under this umbrella, the most major of which is grant writing.

Proposal Writing Examples

This is a large category of writing encompassing many formats and types, but can be distilled as follows. While each has specific objectives, they overlap in their goal of securing funding for a specific purpose.

Business Proposal Writing

This includes but is not necessarily limited to investor proposal writing, partnership proposal writing, mergers and acquisitions proposals, or shareholder proposals. Moreover, items like résumés and cover letters also fall under this category of proposal writing.

Research Proposal Writing

Usually organizations in scientific, medical, technical, or engineering industries write proposals to secure funding for research they believe will be vital to solving relevant problems and growing their organizations. However, unlike standard grants, these proposals usually offer something more detailed in exchange for the funding than the findings of their unique research.

Grant Writing

Grant writing also falls under the proposal writing umbrella. Depending on the grant producer’s goals, a grant can fall under either the business or research proposal categories outlined above. However, given its unique importance to this category of writing, we’ve devoted a unique section of this page to explaining it below.

What Is Grant Writing?

Grant writing is the process of drafting a written argument that accompanies the application for a financial grant. These applications are usually sent to non-profit foundations, trusts, and government organizations. While applying for financial grants is most common among 501c3 non-profit organizations, any individual or organization can draft and submit a grant for funding. Similar to technical writing, grant writing may also rely on visual communication elements to support the argument for receiving grant money. Why is grant writing arguably the most difficult form of persuasive content to master in the modern world of commerce?

The answer is simple: unlike copywriting, when wielded by less able practitioners, uses cheap persuasive tricks that promise instant gratification to the consumer, whereas grant writing asks for investment in a certain cause, charity, or program without providing immediate value to the target audience. In addition to requesting long-term investment from funding sources, grant writing asks for larger sums of money than typically involved in most consumer purchases.

Foundations that receive proposals for funding of nonprofit organizations are also inundated with too many grant requests to read each with care, which places immense importance on the expertise of the grant writer you hire. Grant writing is distinct from fundraising because the latter of these terms is much broader, and involves any process by which money is secured for a specific cause.

Grant Writing Examples

The below types of writing fit into the grant writing category.

Non-profit Grant Writing

This involves a non-profit organization, usually classified as a 501(c)(3) for tax purposes, writing a request for a grant to a specific foundation. This is also sometimes referred to as “foundation grant writing.”

Federal and Government Grant Writing

The key difference between these kinds of grants is having the government or specific federal entity as the potential funding source. As the name implies, these are compiled and sent to federal and or government agencies to request funding for a specific project or purpose.

Corporation-based Grant Writing

Corporations are classed differently as tax entities by the IRS than 501(c)(3)s, and therefore usually require different strategies and funding amount requests than their non-profit grant writing counterparts. Essentially, this is when a corporation asks another corporation for a specific amount of funding, which serves as a segue into our next section on proposal writing.

Elements of Effective Grant Writing and Proposal Writing

However, if you choose to “go it alone,” and work without the help of a professional grant writer or proposal writer for your project, take a moment to read the below sections that will dramatically increase your chances of success. Below are some examples of the argument-based strategy WordWoven staff have built into documentation for proposal and grant projects.

First propounded by Doctor Robert Cialdini in his landmark work on persuasion entitled “Influence: the Psychology of Persuasion,” these timeless principles, while simple, oftentimes require an on-page bravura from an experienced grant writer or proposal writer to execute successfully.

Authority

While a sound argument establishes direct authority, speak to your expertise in the areas for which you’re attempting to persuade others or secure funding in the form of a grant.

Social Proof

People will look to the principles and actions of others to determine their own course of action. Rely on customer testimonials, the positive experiences of previous grant donors to your cause, and other trust-establishing symbols like certifications or accreditations to convey your arguments in writing.

Commitment/Consistency

People like to be consistent with the things they’ve previously said and done. Get the prospect to say “yes” to you as much as possible before making the official “ask” in your written proposals and grants.

Reciprocation

People will do what you want them to do if you do what they want you to do first. Adhere carefully to foundations’ policies for grant applications before sitting down to draft the document, and answer questions throughout your proposal that you know will be relevant to the involved decision makers.

Scarcity/Urgency

Use the elements of time and how resources shift on its continuum to establish a sense of urgency. Be holistic and thorough in the data you provide, but ensure you leave several cliffhangers in the process.

Liking

If people like you and you build a rapport with them, they are far more likely to do what you’re asking them to do. Use empathy to mirror the prospect in any way you can: commiserate and rejoice accordingly, emulate their demeanor and personality in the tone of your writing to establish a bond born in similarity.

Never begin your proposal or grant addressing the wrong person, because the sweetest sound in any language (and therefore, the sweetest thing to read on paper) is a person’s own name. This will help prime your audience to believe something will be in it for them to continue reading your proposal or grant. Remember to speak in the terms of benefits that will come from granting your requests, not the jargon or various features that will be involved.

Signs You Need a Grant Writer or Proposal Writer

Like most modes of writing, grant writing and proposal writing are essentially arguments. Strong arguments and effective rhetoric aren’t just about logic; skilled grant writers and proposal writers also rely on tactful use of emotion, timing, and organization to successfully secure funding and persuade their audiences. While these skills take seconds for any audience to recognize in a written work, producing writing to these intended effects requires years (often decades) of writing practice. While organizations vary in their needs, the below signals usually indicate it’s time to hire a grant writer or proposal writer for your business.

You’ve Submitted Grants or Proposals without Success

While we encourage companies to attempt submitting a grant or two for help, sometimes a third proposal submission does the trick, and 1-2 failed grants or proposals have been instructive and sufficient as a feedback loop for success on a third submission. However, if you’ve submitted 3 or more grants or proposals and are yet to hear back within a month or secure sufficient funding, it’s probably time to hire a professional to help you craft a compelling visual and written argument.

You Don’t Know How to Present an Argument for Your “Ask”

You may have an inkling that you have plenty of statistics and arguments upon which you can draw to craft a proposal, but you aren’t sure how to represent that data as a written argument. A professional grant writer or proposal writer can provide you with a time-saving template for numerous, future proposals, or craft unique arguments specific to securing funding from one targeted source.

You’re Unsure Which Sources to Target for Your Funding Initiatives

Just as skilled proposal writers and grant writers can help you craft compelling written and visual arguments, they can also help you identify funding sources in alignment with the objectives of your brand.

Grant Writing and Proposal Writing Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

If you still have questions about our grant and proposal writing services after reading this section, please fill out the quote form at the bottom of this page to get in touch with us.

Where Do I Find Grant Writers and Proposal Writers?

If you want to know how to get a freelance proposal writer or proposal writing agency to complete grants or other proposals without busting your budget, you’re in the right place. WordWoven staff are equipped to help with any kind of proposal writing, grant writing included.

How Much Do Grant Writers and Proposal Writers Cost?

Like most other writing agencies and freelance writers, professional proposal writers and grant writers usually work on a cents-per-word price model. Since many grant writers and proposal writers work remotely in the post-Pandemic world, the cents-per-word price model has become standard.

Some grant writers and proposal writers work on contingency fees pending success of proposals and grants they write, but only as additional incentives to recoup after receiving pay for either a flat hourly rate or cents per word.

What Are Common Pricing Structures for Grant Writing and Proposal Writing Agencies?

Proposal writing pay structures usually follow either the aforementioned cents-per-word price paradigm. However, our pricing model is structured on an hourly rate (and listed at the end of this page). For nonprofits classified as 501(c)(3) organizations, WordWoven may offer grant writing services on a sliding fee scale.

Still have questions? These are the most common questions our prospective clients have about our writing services. Keep scrolling to view our up-to-date pricing for grant or proposal writing projects in the next section of this page.

Our Grant Writing and Proposal Writing Prices

Unlike some of our other writing services, WordWoven prices its services for proposals and grants on an hourly basis given the breadth and depth of various companies’ needs. With each invoice, there will be a detailed record of how each hour was spent on the project itself, so you know we’re holding ourselves accountable for production. While we compose grants and proposals designed to make secured funding as likely as possible, neither WordWoven nor any of our competitors can guarantee a certain success rate for submitted proposals or grants.

Boilerplate Grant/Proposal (Usable for 1 Year): $70 Per Hour

This involves the creation of a generic reusable proposal template that can be submitted to a range of different funding sources. While this template can be used for more than a year without additional invoicing, we recommend updating data and statistics for your proposals annually, thereby creating demand to create a new proposal or grant, or at least update an existing proposal to include new data. Typical project duration is 15 hours, making for an average invoicing amount of $1,050.

Grant/Proposal for Targeted Funding Sources: $80 Per Hour

This is the best option if you have only 1-3 prospective funding sources to target for your proposals or grants. This warrants a slightly higher rate per hour given the customization of data, written arguments, and visual arguments necessary to ensure a strong success rate for your proposal or grant. Total project costs for this option usually take 20 hours to complete, for a total invoicing of $1,600.

Grant and Proposal Writing Consulting (Click Link Below for Details)

If you’re interested in having a content consultant for your grant or proposal writing process, visit our marketing consultant services page today. This service is recommended for non-profits and businesses who’ve already hired a grant or proposal writer, but are yet to see results from the investment.

Visit our Marketing Consulting Services Page