Put simply, grant writers write many grants, to multiple funders, for many different organizations. That experience allows us to think critically, compare patterns across funders, interpret complex applications, and write efficiently with one unified voice.

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We bring a clear process. Our value lies in taking the stress off of you and using our experience to move calmly and strategically through the flow of a grant project. Your team provides the subject-matter expertise; we translate it into a competitive, cohesive proposal.

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Yes, I can cut my own hair (and I have - not pretty). But I’d rather go to the person who cuts hair every day, for all types of manes, using techniques that match.

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To offer a practical example, Funding for Good outlines a common scenario: An organization pursues a $250,000 grant. Staff are already stretched thin, so the executive director and program leads draft the proposal internally. It takes 75+ hours of staff time, including nights and weekends. 

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Next time, the organization hires an experienced grant writer for $6,000–$10,000. The writer helps shape measurable goals, strengthen strategy, draft the narrative, and prepare the budget. Staff time drops to 10–20 focused, stress-free, guided hours. The proposal is stronger, reusable, and easier for funders to champion internally.

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In the first scenario, the organization invests significant staff time and stress. In the second, it gains a polished, strategic proposal and preserves internal capacity.

That’s the value of an experienced grant writer.

This is a common question, and a common misconception.

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The Grant Professionals Association sets ethical standards for the grant writing industry. It is widely understood that grants fund activities after an application is approved. The professional services required to prepare that application are considered “pre-award activities,” meaning the funder has not agreed to fund them. For that reason, it is considered unethical for grant writers to accept commission-based or award-contingent fees.

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That said, the value of grant writing goes far beyond whether a single proposal is funded.

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Crafting a competitive application is a participatory process between the organization and the grant writer (see FAQ 3 about the grant writing relationship). It creates space to think strategically about your funding approach, intended outcomes, evaluation metrics, data systems, detailed budgets, multi-year timelines, and long-term program growth. In many cases - particularly for federal grants - the final proposal becomes a 45–120 page blueprint for your program.

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Those narratives, work plans, and budgets can often be repurposed (with adjustments) for future funding opportunities, increasing their long-term value.

Think of it like developing a strong resume or cover letter: you refine it for each opportunity, but the foundation continues to serve you over time.

Grant writing is a collaborative partnership, not a one-time transaction. We will get to know one another during the process.

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While Fine Print Grant Services leads research, strategy recommendations, narrative development, and proposal assembly, successful applications depend on close coordination with your organization’s leadership and program staff. You bring the subject-matter expertise, community relationships, financial documentation, and organizational history. We translate that into a clear, competitive funding narrative aligned with funder priorities.

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A typical engagement includes:

• An initial strategy conversation to clarify funding goals and readiness

• Review of organizational documents, budgets, and program plans

• Identification and alignment with appropriate funding opportunities

• Development of narrative, work plans, budgets, evaluation/data management plans, and required attachments

• Letters of Support (typically procured by the applicant/client from organizational partners)

• Iterative drafts and collaborative review

• Final compliance checks and submission support

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Communication is ongoing throughout the process. Depending on the project, this may involve scheduled meetings, document sharing, and timeline coordination to ensure deadlines are met without last-minute stress (we at FPG have a rule: Never submit a grant within 24-hours of a deadline).

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For larger federal or state opportunities, the relationship may extend beyond submission to include reporting preparation, implementation support, or strategic planning for future funding cycles.

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At its best, the grant writing relationship is strategic, transparent, and grounded in long-term capacity building - not just a single proposal.

Federal grants typically require 50–100+ hours of focused work, and the final product often ranges from 45–120 pages. These applications are comprehensive program blueprints - detailing strategy, goals, evaluation metrics, budgets, timelines, and long-term implementation plans.

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When broken down hourly, our federal pricing generally equates to approximately $95–125 per hour, depending on complexity. Given the level of expertise, coordination, and detail required, this reflects the scope and intensity of the work.

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If an application timeline is less than four weeks, the pace shifts significantly. Our small team works extended hours - including nights and weekends - to ensure the proposal is completed thoughtfully and on time (and it will be on time). Because federal proposals require deep focus, rushing one project often means temporarily setting aside others.  To account for this level of urgency and reallocation of capacity, we apply a 20% rush fee for projects with compressed timelines.

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How to avoid the surcharge? Plan ahead. Building a Master Grant Application in advance can significantly reduce stress, cost, and timeline pressure.

We are not afraid of tight deadlines (our record is six days for a SAMHSA proposal), but we certainly appreciate having six or more weeks to prepare a strong federal application.

Regardless of my personal philosophical musings about human development (we’ll need more time for that), we are at a point where avoiding AI entirely is a disadvantage. In our lifetime - and even in this current generation - we are watching AI transform how we learn, work, shop, drive, form relationships, seek knowledge, and even how we think. It is already entering nearly every aspect of daily life.

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When used ethically and intuitively, AI can save time, synthesize large amounts of information, increase efficiency and capacity, and create more room for creativity. It can relieve some of the administrative burden of grant writing.

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Using AI does not mean plagiarizing a narrative or putting personal/sensitive organizational data into the ether of chat bots. I do not use AI to write proposal sections. That kind of language is easy to spot anyway, both by reviewers and by anyone familiar with the tools. What I do use it for is editing, organizing, analyzing, brainstorming, technical problem-solving, and reviewing for clarity and completeness.

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For example:

• Don’t know how to build a complex Excel formula? AI can help.

• Need to draft a job description for a proposal but aren’t sure how to structure it or aren't familiar with the job? AI can offer a starting framework.

• Looking for potential funders? You can prompt it to identify relevant federal or private funders and summarize alignment.

• Want a second set of eyes on an 8-page narrative? AI can check grammar, clarity, structure, and whether required elements are addressed.

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 Pro Tip: The bots don't always get it right on the first prompt.  You refine the output by refining your instructions.  Keep working through until you get the answers you're looking for. Just like Googling!

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Ultimately, AI is a tool. It does not replace strategic thinking, relationship-building, program design, or ethical judgment. It can, however, support the process when used thoughtfully and responsibly.

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Here are some more tools for grant writing using AI:

• Fundamentals of AI: Grant Writing Course (1-Hour, Free)

• GrantBoost: An AI grant-writing software

• Article:  "How to Generate Compelling Grant Proposals with AI Powered ChatGPT"

• Numerous.ai:  A Microsoft Excel plug-in that allows you to explain your ideas for what you want a spreadsheet to do, and it will produce the correct formula to plug in!

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