Episode Details

Oh yes, I just typed the F-word. Yep, the one that makes most grant writers shiver in their sleep.

No, I am not cussing. But maybe this word should be a bona fide swear word.

Free.

I know it haunts you.

It’s interesting that as a grant writer your skills can have one of the biggest impacts on increasing funding for nonprofit organizations, however you will still be serenaded by nearly every nonprofit (not to mention individuals looking for that magic grant to fund a college degree) to write grants for free.

This has always puzzled me. Grant writers have technical writing skills to find and secure funding and in many cases millions of dollars for nonprofits.

However, many organizations seek out grant writers and some guilt them into writing for free or giving away all their knowledge at no cost. Or that nonprofit is caught up with poverty mindset that asking for free is their go-to comfort zone place (that’s an entire article in itself!).

Here’s the thing. There is a time and place for the F-word. Yep.

Free can be a pathway at times, but not all.

So, if you are:

• haunted by giving away your grant writing services for free,
• not sure when to start charging prices for your grant writing services, or
• constantly get people asking you out on a coffee or zoom date to just real quick go over some grant-related questions, then keep on reading.

Chances are, if you are in any of the categories above, you are feeling undervalued.

You might be wondering why you don’t get paid well when you see those hundreds, or millions of dollars in grants come in the nonprofit door.

Or you might be wondering how in the world you can make it as a grant writing consultant when you feel like no nonprofit can pay you for your services.

If you are in a position where you get an amazing wage or charge well, then kudos for you!

But I wanted to address this issue as I have seen way too many grant writing consultants play jump rope over the ever-changing line of boundaries, not sure where to land or how to stop jumping.

I was once there. (Check out my story on how I transitioned into freelance grant writing).

When to Write Grants for Free

Okay, okay. I hear you yelling the B-word… Not that B-word. Geesh! The ‘But’ word…

There is a time and place when a grant writer can do free. But these are few and limited.

• When you are building grant writing skills
• When you designate one or two grant writing gigs at your own discretion

So, let’s break these down a little bit more.

You May Volunteer When You are Building Grant Writing Skills

If you have no experience, then writing grants is one of the best things yo