Can Grant Writing Be a Profitable Side Hustle?

For the past two years, the country has seen the result of rising inflation. Food prices have skyrocketed, as well as prices of vehicles and housing. One of the more popular options for fighting the rising cost of living is taking on a side hustle or second job to bring in additional income.

According to Zapier, 40 percent of Americans had some kind of a side hustle in 2022. With the increased interest in remote work options, many are turning to pursuits that can be done online, such as writing. This has led to a sudden increase in a particular question for GrantWatch‘s customer care team. Can grant writing be a profitable side hustle?

According to Salary.com, the average hourly pay rate for a grant writer in the U.S. is $35 an hour. Of course, there are experienced grant writers who would likely charge more than that. Zippia reports that the need for grant writers is expected to grow 8% between 2018-2028. If you think grant writing may be for you, there are tools and resources available online that can help you on the road to making your grant writing side hustle a success.

Grant Writing Skills

The most important skill needed to launch your grant writing career is to have strong writing skills. If you have a degree in English, Creative Writing, or a related discipline, this will be helpful. If not, it may be a good idea to brush up on your writing skills by reading books or taking online courses. Beyond being a competent writer, it’s important to note that there are other specialized skills that will help you thrive as a grant writer. Some of these include good organizational skills, creativity, and passion for the issues at hand.

Gaining Grant Writing Experience

If you don’t have previous grant writing experience, it is a good idea to find a small local business or nonprofit that will let you write a grant on their behalf for free or a reduced rate in exchange for the experience you’ll gain. You may also find a nonprofit or business that will allow you to intern in their grant writing department. That would allow you to gain experience in researching and writing grants. In order to find jobs that pay market rates, most grant-writing clients will want to see at least a few successfully funded grants under their belt.

Focusing on a ‘niche’ is also a good way to start your grant writing career. This is a specialized segment of the market or industry where you can ‘stand out’ from others in your field. If you have written successful grants for a certain category of nonprofit like ‘healthcare’ or ‘education,’ you may want to look at what kind of niche within those industries will help you give you an advantage when people are seeking out a grant writer.

Grant Writing Promotion Avenues

• GrantWriterTeam– The new GrantWriterTeam model allows writers to pay a small fee to publish their grant writer profile on the site for grant seekers to see, as well as have access to the contact information of the grant seekers who have put up a classified ad requesting a writer.
• Social Media- It makes sense to be active on multiple social media platforms. LinkedIn is popular for professional networking. It is a good idea to have profiles on other platforms as well such as Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok. Use these accounts to promote your grant writing work and find clients.
• Personal or Business Website– Even though people find freelance jobs through boards and social media, having your own website makes gives you a more professional look and provides an internet home base. On your website, you can post details about your background and the services you offer to help the client feel more comfortable hiring you. You can use your own name or set yourself up with a business name that reflects your brand or service.
• Email List– You may want to start a newsletter. You can provide useful free downloads, tips, and/or promotional (discount) offers for your services, as well as listing your business email, which can help encourage website and social media account visitors to subscribe.
• Job Boards– These boards are another good way to find work as a grant writer. You can use one of the general job or freelance project boards.

Grant Writing Tools & Resources

If you are considering grant writing as a side hustle, there are many online tools that can be helpful in your journey. Many are free or very reasonably priced. Even if you are a pro at writing, it helps to use grammar and spell check software. Grammarly is a popular one. They have free and paid plans available.

Another useful resource that most grant writers will find helpful is a grant search database. GrantWatch is an easy-to-use and affordable option that lists close to 8,000 currently available grants. GrantWatch has grants from private foundations, as well as local, state, and federal government agencies.

In addition, there are books and courses available to hone your skills as a grant writer. You can find inexpensive grant writing courses on sites such as Udemy and Skillshare. Also, colleges and universities offer courses for credit or without credit. There are also many free resources about grant writing on YouTube. Watch out for the release of The Queen of Grants by GrantWatch CEO, Libby Hikind. The book is sure to be packed full of helpful grant-writing tips.

As you can see, grant writing can be a profitable side hustle and there are many tools out there to help! So, to answer the question — Can grant writing be a profitable side hustle? The answer is — it sure can!

About GrantWatch

Looking for grants? With close to 8,000 grants currently available, GrantWatch.com is the leading grant listing directory for nonprofits and businesses. Upgrade to a MemberPlus+ subscription to view the full details, including eligibility criteria and application information.  For more information, you can also visit the GrantWatch FAQ page. To see the great value of the top 20 GrantWatch features, click here.