Are you interested in helping nonprofit organizations with their grant-writing efforts? Do you have a genuine love for the philanthropic sector? If so, you might want to consider pursuing a career in philanthropy. You can make a lot of money doing good while also being able to help others.
Philanthropy is a lucrative field, and it’s always expanding its opportunities for new lawyers, accountants, and other professionals. If you’re looking to make money as a freelance grant writer, here’s how you can do so.
The Different Tasks
Depending on your expertise and the sector you’re in, you might have the opportunity to perform a variety of tasks. One of the most in-demand jobs in the sector is researching potential grantees and drafting proposals for the organizations. But there are plenty of tasks you might be asked to accomplish that are just as important.
For example, you could be asked to assess a nonprofit’s management capacity and assist with the organization’s compliance procedures. You might also be asked to evaluate the strategies the organization is using to raise awareness around a specific social issue and determine if they are effective or need to be changed. The list of tasks is almost endless, and this is what makes working as a grant writer so interesting and unique. You’ll never be sure what tasks you’ll be given next.
It’s essential that you’re equipped with the right set of skills to succeed as a freelancer. While you might initially consider working on a proposal for a specific grant opportunity, once you get the hang of it, you’ll find that there are endless other tasks that you could perform. There’s a lot of flexibility involved, so you could potentially work on a few different projects at once. This way you’ll always have new opportunities to pursue. Just make sure you have the right mindset. Always look for ways to improve and develop your skills so you can one day become a full-time employee. Never be afraid to ask questions or go at a slower pace than everyone else. Take your time and don’t rush into anything.
Get The Right Training
With any new career, you’ll want to make sure that you obtain the right training in order to succeed. In the same way that you’d want to specialize in a certain area of law or accounting in order to become an expert in your field, you’ll want to do the same with grant writing. Aside from the specific training you’ll need to become an expert in the field, you’ll also want to develop general skill sets such as writing and editing, research, and project management. These are all essential to being a productive and successful freelancer.
There are several different routes you could take in order to obtain the training you need. The first step is to determine which ones suit you best. Do you want to take a traditional approach and obtain a graduate degree? Or do you prefer to learn on the job and gain experience by working for an expert? Once you’ve decided, you can begin your search for the best-fit graduate school or certificate program. Don’t be afraid to ask for help from experts in the field in order to find the best option for you. They may also be able to recommend certain professors or alumni that they think would be a good fit for you.
Find Potential Clients
Once you’ve graduated or are about to graduate, you’ll be faced with the daunting task of finding a job. While it would be fantastic to land a high-paying corporate gig right away, that probably won’t happen. Instead, you’ll have to look for jobs in smaller firms or even solo practice. Finding individual clients can be a bit more difficult, but it’s important to remember that there are thousands of nonprofits out there that could potentially be a client. It’s also a great way to gain experience and develop your skills while making money.
The best way to find potential clients is by conducting research. If you’re not familiar, research is when a company or individual goes to great lengths to collect as much information as possible about a certain product or service. In legal practice, for example, you might be asked to conduct extensive research on a certain type of insurance policy or legal issue. It’s a broad area, but there’s plenty of work for you to do.
Once you’ve obtained the research, you’ll have to analyze the information and come up with a comprehensive report. This can take an extremely long time, so be prepared to devote a large chunk of your time to it. Once the report is complete, you’ll need to revise it multiple times before presenting it to your client. Revising a report is almost as tedious as the first round of writing it. But again, the pay is generally very good and it’s highly lucrative to be able to advise and help businesses navigate the legal system. You’ll also have the opportunity to develop valuable skills while making a substantial amount of money.
The Bottom Line
Working as a freelancer is a pretty unique opportunity to make some extra cash. It takes a bit of work to get going, but once you’re established, the job opportunities are endless. You’ll never be short of work, and you’ll be able to choose the projects you work on.
If you meet the right people and get the right training, it’s possible to completely change your life around and make a lot of money without having to leave your desk. You might not be able to earn a giant salary right away, but you’ll be able to achieve financial security and help others along the way. If that’s something you’re looking for, freelancing might be a great option for you.