Grant Writing Jobs: Where to Find Them (+ What They Pay)

Grant writing is the writing niche your practical relatives would approve of: steady demand, remote-friendly, and paid by organizations with actual budgets. It’s not my personal lane (memoirs stole me years ago), but grant and nonprofit roles cross my job board constantly, so I’ve watched this market closely on behalf of 42,000+ writers. Here’s the honest lay of the land.

The short version: grant writing jobs concentrate in nonprofits, universities, and consultancies. Freelance grant writers typically charge $40–$100/hour (seasoned specialists more), staff roles run $55,000–$80,000+, and the work is overwhelmingly remote-friendly.

What Do Grant Writing Jobs Pay?

• Freelance grant writers: $40–$100/hour is the common range, with experienced specialists above it. Never work for a percentage of the grant — it’s considered unethical in the field and good clients know it.

• Staff grant writers: roughly $55,000–$80,000+ at nonprofits and universities, higher at large institutions.

• Project pricing: many pros quote per proposal once they know how long a federal application actually takes (long).

Where to Find Grant Writing Jobs

1. My job board, Make Writing Your Job. Okay, yes — I built it. But hear me out: it’s a Top 20 Business bestseller on Substack with 42,000+ subscribers, and my team hand-picks new roles five days a week, with rates from $30 to $300 an hour. No content mills. You can browse this week’s drops here, or subscribe below and they come to you.

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2. Nonprofit-specific boards. Idealist and similar nonprofit job sites list staff grant roles daily — search “grant writer” and “development writer.”

3. Local nonprofits, directly. Small organizations need grants most and post jobs least. One good pitch to a local nonprofit’s director has started many grant-writing careers.

How to Break Into Grant Writing

The classic on-ramp: volunteer to write one real grant for a small nonprofit, win or lose, and you have a portfolio piece plus a testimonial. Grant writing rewards the unglamorous skills — following instructions exactly, budgets, deadlines — which is why detail-oriented writers thrive in it.

FAQ: Grant Writing Jobs

Do You Need a Certification for Grant Writing Jobs?

No. Certificates exist and can help beginners feel credible, but a won grant (or even a well-built sample proposal) outweighs any certificate.

Are Grant Writing Jobs Remote?

Mostly yes — it’s document work on deadlines, which travels well. Remote grant writing is one of the most-searched writing niches for good reason.

How Do Grant Writers Charge?

Hourly ($40–$100+) or per proposal. Percentage-of-award pricing is an ethics red flag across the industry — walk away from clients who suggest it.

Keep Leveling Up

Browse this week’s curated writing jobs, compare niches in ghostwriting vs copywriting vs content writing, and get the business fundamentals in Write for Money and Power.