What does a Grant Writer do?
Often working for a non-profit organization, a grant writer specializes in writing application letters for financial grants to foundations, government agencies, and companies. Their responsibilities revolve around maintaining records of data and documentation, finding grant opportunities, participating in devising strategies that benefit the company's growth, crafting correspondence, gathering requirements, and submitting and monitoring grant proposals. Furthermore, a grant writer must have in-depth knowledge and understanding of the organization they work for, including its history, vision, mission, policies, and regulations.
Grant writer responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real grant writer resumes:
- Manage accounting of fix assets, perform monthly bank and account reconciliations, and manage the annual and grant-cycle budget processes.
- Organize and manage PowerPoint presentations used for business development and site visits.
- Manage SharePoint file organization system and wiki cooperation sites to facilitate cooperation among internal and external proposal response participants.
- Monitor recipients for compliance with the FCMP, CFR and OMB guidelines.
- Monitor grants that need additional attention or follow up when an institution is not in compliance with the NIH GPS.
- Prepare and proofread work for publication.
- Maintain and update www.coastalharvest.us, and Facebook page.
- Review of web site for SEO options and user experience advancements.
- Negotiate DOD re-budget requests and IRB and IACUC requirements and contract set-up.
- Work as a ghostwriter on several books, including self-improvement and fiction.
- Supervise proposal writing teams and authore proposal content for the USG projects in Iraq
- Prepare grant proposals, progress reports and JIT for submission to NIH and various foundations
- Develop correspondence, and standard operating procedures that adhere to CFR and COMAR regulations.
- Prepare NSF grant application and conduct funder research relate to UAV (drone) technology
- Select to review grants proposals submit to the CDC for various national HIV/AIDS prevention initiatives
Grant writer skills and personality traits
We calculated that 14% of Grant Writers are proficient in Grants Management, Financial Reports, and Proposal Development. They’re also known for soft skills such as Detail oriented, Technical skills, and Writing skills.
We break down the percentage of Grant Writers that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Grants Management, 14%
Review proposed HRSA and DHHS policies determines their impact and assigned grants management operations and suggest modifications or clarification as appropriate.
- Financial Reports, 7%
Analyzed and reconciled monthly and quarterly financial reports compared to the accounting data on resource allocation and recommended adjustments and modifications.
- Proposal Development, 6%
Provided instruction on various aspects of research administration, including proposal development, administration, compliance, and research integrity.
- PI, 6%
Supported the PI in requesting for funding extensions and prepared annual and final reports.
- Customer Service, 5%
Provided highest level of customer service to ensure customer satisfaction.
- Project Management, 5%
Worked directly with relevant counter-terrorism experts and other staff to collaborate on project management.
Common skills that a grant writer uses to do their job include "grants management," "financial reports," and "proposal development." You can find details on the most important grant writer responsibilities below.
Detail oriented. To carry out their duties, the most important skill for a grant writer to have is detail oriented. Their role and responsibilities require that "technical writers create instructions for others to follow." Grant writers often use detail oriented in their day-to-day job, as shown by this real resume: "composed persuasive writings and detailed financial reports. "
Technical skills. Another essential skill to perform grant writer duties is technical skills. Grant writers responsibilities require that "technical writers must be able to understand complex information." Grant writers also use technical skills in their role according to a real resume snippet: "managed and coordinated a complex grants portfolio including inter-agency agreements, cooperative agreements and highly technical projects. "
Writing skills. grant writers are also known for writing skills, which are critical to their duties. You can see how this skill relates to grant writer responsibilities, because "technical communicators must have excellent writing skills to be able to explain technical information clearly." A grant writer resume example shows how writing skills is used in the workplace: "teach program design and grant writing classes at allan hancock community college and spokes, a nonprofit support center. "
The three companies that hire the most grant writers are:
- Wells Fargo12 grant writers jobs
- Cedars-Sinai8 grant writers jobs
- Americorps8 grant writers jobs
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Compare different grant writers
Grant writer vs. Publisher
A publisher manages the design, editing, and production process with the help of proofreaders, printers, and editors. Publishers make schedules for every stage of the process and work backward from the planned date for publication. They distribute promotional catalogs to libraries and booksellers. They set the commercial and editorial direction for businesses publishing newspapers, digital content, magazines, and books. It is their duty to make decisions on the markets that their firms will serve as well as the type of content that they will give to their audience.
These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. The responsibilities of a grant writer are more likely to require skills like "grants management," "financial reports," "proposal development," and "pi." On the other hand, a job as a publisher requires skills like "customer satisfaction," "strategic thinking," "client facing," and "publishing industry." As you can see, what employees do in each career varies considerably.
Publishers earn the highest salaries when working in the telecommunication industry, with an average yearly salary of $69,908. On the other hand, grant writers are paid more in the government industry with an average salary of $53,843.The education levels that publishers earn slightly differ from grant writers. In particular, publishers are 12.2% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree than a grant writer. Additionally, they're 1.9% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Grant writer vs. Editor
An editor is the one responsible for polishing and refining a story, article, and any material for publication in newspapers, magazines, books, or websites. Editors have the power to either accept or reject a material as they need to ensure that every manuscript which will be offered for publishing is at the best version as it can be. There are several types of editors, from copy editors, books to managing editors, but they have few skills in common, like strong writing skills, good judgment, and leadership abilities to help guide the whole editorial team. Most of them work in the office, but it is quite becoming more regular for them to work remotely.
In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences worth noting. For example, grant writer responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "grants management," "financial reports," "proposal development," and "pi." Meanwhile, an editor has duties that require skills in areas such as "web content," "video content," "seo," and "editor-in-chief." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.
Editors earn a lower average salary than grant writers. But editors earn the highest pay in the technology industry, with an average salary of $62,170. Additionally, grant writers earn the highest salaries in the government with average pay of $53,843 annually.In general, editors achieve lower levels of education than grant writers. They're 12.2% less likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 1.9% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Grant writer vs. News editor
A News Editor reviews and changes the content of a publication provided by writers and other contributors. They generally work for newspapers, magazines, and websites.
Some important key differences between the two careers include a few of the skills necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of each. Some examples from grant writer resumes include skills like "grants management," "financial reports," "proposal development," and "pi," whereas a news editor is more likely to list skills in "news stories," "news coverage," "instagram," and "twitter. "
News editors earn the best pay in the professional industry, where they command an average salary of $63,412. Grant writers earn the highest pay from the government industry, with an average salary of $53,843.news editors typically earn lower educational levels compared to grant writers. Specifically, they're 14.8% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 3.4% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Grant writer vs. Technical editor
A technical editor is someone who proofreads, revises, and edits technical documents. He/She or she checks for grammar, punctuation, and style to ensure that the technical content meets company standards. Some of the qualifications to become a technical editor include knowledge of technical concepts, prior experience in print or online publishing, a keen eye for details, and strong verbal and written communication skills. Someone having a bachelor's degree in English or journalism could qualify for the position.
Types of grant writer
Updated January 8, 2025
