Hiring the wrong grant writer can cost your nonprofit thousands in lost funding opportunities. Get it right, and a skilled professional can dramatically increase your award rate and free your team to focus on programs. Here's exactly how to find and hire a grant writer who delivers real results.
Understand What You Actually Need
Before posting a job listing or reaching out to freelancers, get clear on your scope. Grant writing services fall into a few distinct categories:
- Freelance grant writers – Independent contractors who work project-by-project or on retainer
- Grant writing consultants – Often more experienced, they may also provide strategy, prospect research, and funder relationship guidance
- Grant writing agencies – Teams that handle research, writing, and reporting across multiple clients
- In-house grant writers – Full-time staff hires, best when you have a consistent pipeline of 10+ applications per year
If you're submitting fewer than six grants annually, a freelancer or consultant is almost always more cost-effective than a full-time hire.
Know the Realistic Costs
Grant writing fees vary widely, but here are ballpark figures to work with:
- Per-project rates: $500–$5,000+ per grant application depending on complexity, funder type, and required attachments
- Retainer arrangements: $1,500–$6,000/month for ongoing support, prospect research, and reporting
- Hourly rates: $50–$150/hour for experienced writers; rates above $200/hour are common for specialists in competitive federal grants
Important: Avoid any writer who charges a percentage of the grant award. This is considered unethical by the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) and is a red flag in the industry.
Where to Find Qualified Candidates
You don't have to search blind. Here are the most reliable places to look:
- Mercoly – Lets you compare and find trusted Grant Writing Services providers in one place, saving you hours of vetting
- Grant Professionals Association (GPA) – Their member directory lists credentialed grant writers by specialty and location
- LinkedIn – Search "grant writer nonprofit" and filter by location or remote; look for profiles with verifiable nonprofit clients
- Idealist and NonprofitJobs.org – Good for posting if you want applicants to come to you
- Referrals from peer organizations – Ask other nonprofits in your sector who they use; warm referrals tend to surface the best candidates
What to Look for in a Grant Writer
Not every writer with "grant writing" in their bio is a strong fit for your organization. Evaluate candidates on these criteria:
Sector experience: A writer who specializes in arts funding may struggle with federal health grants. Match their background to your funding priorities.
Win rate context: Ask for their success rate, but understand it in context. A writer with a 40% win rate on highly competitive federal grants may outperform one with an 80% rate on small local foundations.
Sample work: Request anonymized writing samples. Look for clear, compelling narratives that directly address funder priorities—not generic boilerplate.
Funder knowledge: Good writers understand specific funders, not just grant writing in the abstract. Ask which foundations or agencies they've worked with most frequently.
Turnaround and communication: Missed deadlines kill grant opportunities. Ask how they manage their client load and whether they'll flag capacity issues early.
How to Vet and Interview Candidates
Once you have a short list, run a structured interview. Cover these areas:
- Walk me through a recent grant you wrote from start to submission. Listen for their process, not just the outcome.
- How do you handle a funding priority that doesn't perfectly align with our programs? Strong writers know how to frame authentically without misrepresenting your work.
- What do you need from us to write a strong application? A professional will have a clear answer—meeting time, program data, financials, a logic model.
- Have you ever declined a project? Good writers turn down poor fits; this signals professionalism and self-awareness.
Ask for two to three references from past nonprofit clients and actually call them. Ask specifically about missed deadlines, responsiveness, and whether they'd hire again.
Set Up the Engagement Properly
Once you've selected a writer, protect both parties with a clear contract. It should include scope of work, deliverable timelines, revision rounds, ownership of written materials, confidentiality terms, and payment schedule.
Start with a single-application trial project before committing to a long-term retainer. This gives you real evidence of their work quality with low risk.
Finding the right grant writer is a process, but the upside—more funding, less staff burnout, stronger funder relationships—is well worth the investment.
Start comparing vetted grant writing professionals today on Mercoly and find the right fit for your nonprofit's funding goals.