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Writer vs grant writer

The differences between writers and grant writers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a writer, becoming a grant writer takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a writer has an average salary of $66,143, which is higher than the $52,719 average annual salary of a grant writer.

The top three skills for a writer include work ethic, customer service and web content. The most important skills for a grant writer are grants management, financial reports, and proposal development.

Writer vs grant writer overview

WriterGrant Writer
Yearly salary$66,143$52,719
Hourly rate$31.80$25.35
Growth rate4%6%
Number of jobs13,93116,708
Job satisfaction5-
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 74%Bachelor's Degree, 64%
Average age4246
Years of experience42

What does a writer do?

A writer can have different responsibilities depending on which industry or line of work they are involved. There are writers assigned in a corporate setting, some in journalism, while there are also writers in the entertainment Industry. Although they focus on varying types of writing, they all function to inform. Among the typical duties of writers involve producing content within allotted time or deadline, gather information and verify to ensure accuracy, proofread, and undergo review and revisions.

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.

Writer vs grant writer salary

Writers and grant writers have different pay scales, as shown below.

WriterGrant Writer
Average salary$66,143$52,719
Salary rangeBetween $40,000 And $107,000Between $38,000 And $73,000
Highest paying CitySan Francisco, CAWashington, DC
Highest paying stateMassachusettsCalifornia
Best paying companyAppleApple
Best paying industry-Government

Differences between writer and grant writer education

There are a few differences between a writer and a grant writer in terms of educational background:

WriterGrant Writer
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 74%Bachelor's Degree, 64%
Most common majorEnglishBusiness
Most common collegeMassachusetts Institute of TechnologyNorthwestern University

Writer vs grant writer demographics

Here are the differences between writers' and grant writers' demographics:

WriterGrant Writer
Average age4246
Gender ratioMale, 46.2% Female, 53.8%Male, 29.4% Female, 70.6%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 6.1% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 7.8% Asian, 5.0% White, 75.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%Black or African American, 6.7% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 8.8% White, 71.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage16%11%

Differences between writer and grant writer duties and responsibilities

Writer example responsibilities.

  • Operate AP NEWSCENTER/ENPS and manage CNN feed services.
  • Manage the Instagram account, which mean publishing and keeping up to date with the articles.
  • Manage projects diligently under aggressive deadlines while maintaining editorial integrity and ensuring stories have entertainment and/or educational value.
  • Participate in roundtable discussions offering hot takes and opinions on NBA and NFL teams, players, and coaches.
  • Train all staff on using the CMS.
  • Place stories into CS3 InDesign pages.
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Grant writer example responsibilities.

  • 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.
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Writer vs grant writer skills

Common writer skills
  • Work Ethic, 18%
  • Customer Service, 14%
  • Web Content, 8%
  • Math, 7%
  • SEO, 5%
  • SQL, 3%
Common grant writer skills
  • Grants Management, 14%
  • Financial Reports, 7%
  • Proposal Development, 6%
  • PI, 6%
  • Customer Service, 5%
  • Project Management, 5%

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