The Pros and Cons of Writing Your Own Grant Proposal

Are you completely lost when it comes to applying for grants? Do you want better proposals that are more competitive? Have you considered contracting with a grant professional to help?

This article will explain the pros and cons of writing your own grant proposals, so that you can make the best decision for your nonprofit or business and get grants in the most efficient way. We hope this article can be a very helpful resource in your journey!

Pros of Writing Your Own Grant Proposals:

Pro: Your proposal is coming from your own organization.

One of the best parts about writing your own grant proposals is that they are written from within your organization. You want your proposal to accurately express the heart of your small business or nonprofit. It can be scary to trust an outsider with finding funding, accurately describing your programs, and micromanaging is a waste of time.

Many organizational leaders are hesitant to hire a grant writer because they enjoy sharing their experiences and passion for the organization, and they feel that will be missing if they do not lead the process. 

However, a talented grant professional knows how to get an inside look at you and your organization, and they can translate your stories and experiences into winning grant proposals.They have a better chance of securing funding because of their grant writing expertise. Your proposal may not be written by you, but a seasoned grant professional can write an authentic, personal, and appealing proposal to potential funders.

Pro: You don’t have to hire a full-time grant writer.

Let’s be honest, most organizations know how difficult it can be to find an amazing grant writer who fits their needs. Grant writers are in high demand for this specialized work. In addition, since the great resignation, it is becoming more difficult to find people that want to work full time. 

Pro: You know the history and intricate program details about your organization. Doing an information dump with someone who is not familiar with the organization is frustrating and a waste of time.

When you write grant proposals from within your own organization, you don’t have to teach or relay any special information to a grant professional, which is convenient, and may feel time-saving and stress-relieving, especially if you’re the type who feels most confident when you’ve done things yourself. 

However, a skilled grant writer doesn’t simply write down information, they shape a message about your organization to potential funders in a way that they know is most likely to get you funding. They’ve been around the block a few times, and they will be able to transform the information you relay into a compelling story your funders won’t want to put down.

Cons of Writing Your Own Grant Proposals:

Con: You’re missing out on your passion.

You didn’t start or join this organization to write grants. You are a part of it because of your passion for the work that you do and the people you serve. Grant proposals can be stressful with deadlines, forms and so time-consuming that they take up your full focus for a while when you could be doing the work that you love. 

Hiring a grant writer is a win-win situation and will keep your energy and passion levels high so you and the people you serve will be better taken care of. 

Con: You’re wasting your time.

No one wants to spend a lot of time doing something they could be outsourcing. Contracting with a grant professional will take the burdensome applications off of your plate, it often means you’re bringing in somebody who can write quality content more quickly than you can. And as we all know, time is one thing you cannot get back.

Con: You’re leaving money on the table.

As previously mentioned, there’s a cost to doing something that’s not in your realm of expertise. Not all grant writing is good writing. 

Professional grant writers know the best practices, and the ins and outs of grant proposals, and can seamlessly and quickly submit applications for your organization. The money you spend to contract with a grant professional could be a fraction of the money your organization could gain by working with a seasoned grant professional.

Please contact us today to discuss our grant development process and see how our team can make a positive difference for your organization. Fill in the contact form on this website or email us at [email protected].