Nonprofits: Should You Hire a Professional Writer for Your Fundraising?
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You may wonder if he or she can be paid from funds received. The answer is, in a word, no. This practice is unethical and, in many places, illegal. Grant writers should be paid for their time and effort by the hour or by the project, whether or not the funding is received. The grant writer’s fees usually must be paid from your organization’s other resources, such as donations, reserves, etc.

How much will hiring a grant writer cost? Fees for an individual grant writing assignment typically range from about $2,500 to $7,500, based on the complexity of the proposal and the amount of time needed to complete it (usually several weeks), not on the amount being requested. “Rush jobs” will generally demand a higher fee, as in any industry.

Consider it money well spent. It may well make the difference between funds received and funds not received.

Other considerations: besides being a good investment, hiring a writer can help you avoid legal trouble. (And that, ultimately, is a very good investment.) For example, charities sometimes “borrow” copyrighted material from print sources and websites without permission; even changing some of the content can constitute copyright infringement. A professional writer will be unlikely to have a problem with this because he or she will, first, be more familiar with copyright law, and second, be disinclined to do so because writing is what a writer does!

Maybe you could do the writing yourself. But why would you want to? If you’re not a writer, you should be spending your time on your primary job function, and leave the writing to a writer.

About The Author Lisa J. Lehr is a freelance writer with a specialty in business and marketing communications. She holds a biology degree and has worked in a variety of fields, including the pharmaceutical industry and teaching. She is also a graduate of American Writers and Artists Institute (AWAI), America’s leading course on copywriting. Contact Lisa J. Lehr Copywriting www.ljlcopywriting.com, Lisa@ljlcopywriting.com for help with your business writing needs. This article © Lisa J. Lehr 2005.

Nonprofits: Should You Hire a Professional Writer for Your Fundraising?
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Additional Resources

category - Grants for Nonprofits

Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program High Priority Grant Opportunity
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has recently announced the Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program (MCSAP) High Priority grant, which enables the agency to provide funds to State agencies, local governments and organizations representing government agencies as they as train and educate qualified officers and employees in strict coordination with State motor vehicle safety agencies.

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United States Agency for International Development: Citizen Engagement and Elections Project in Mongolia
The Citizen Engagement and Election Projects in Mongolia aims to encourage increased citizen participation, mobilization and education during the months prior to the Mongolian parliamentary elections in 2012.

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National Science Foundation announces the Cyberlearning: Transforming Education Program
The Cyberlearning: Transforming Education is a program wherein the NSF will provide funding for research proposals that aim to explore opportunities associated with the promotion and assessment of learning techniques through the help of new technologies, taking advantage of the application of those technologies, and the utilization of those technologies in the process of promoting deep and lasting learning of content, practices, skills, attitudes, and dispositions that are essential in becoming an engaged and productive citizen.

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Department of the Interior: Community History of Former Village Sites in the Nabesna District Project
The National Park Services has recently announced its intent to award the Mount Sanford Tribal Consortium with an estimated amount of $29,961 to be used in the development of cultural resource projects

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