ProfitBrite

Freelance Grant Writing: Who Should Not Try This at Home

If you do not like the idea of new projects, if you have no tolerance for change, if you do not rise to a challenge, then you will not want to be a freelance grant writer. Every grant application is unique. Grant makers can change their priorities without any warning. Federal grants that were never available before can show up out of the blue and be due in thirty days. These activities are not for the faint of heart. Freelance grant writing jobs are for those who embrace challenges and are not afraid to wade out into the deep end. They are for those, in fact, who thrive on tackling new ventures and wrestling the project into an award-winning grant proposal.

Again I say, if you do not like to read, run away from this business idea. Grant applications, grant makers' websites, press releases about grant awards and inspiring project stories are just a few of the documents that professional grant writers read on a regular basis. If you have been looking for a way to make a living while spending hours reading, this could be it. With an enquiring mind and a love of words, you can start a home-based business that may become a life-long career or simply a part-time gig. It's your choice because, honestly, someone is always looking for a grant writer.

Others who should not try this at home are those who do not like people. If you only like to read and write, you need to know that grant project proposals are all about people. They are about real people who have needs-everything from pipes for drinking water to food for children. A grant writer's work is with people. People in organizations who have dreams for the future of their clients. It is about people in communities who share the same vision and will partner by volunteering or donating and make an application more competitive and more likely to be funded. It is work with volunteers, directors, police officers, school teachers, city council members, case managers, nurses or artists. It is a wonderful career for some of us, but definitely not for all of us.

The fact is that every grant dollar available will be given to somebody's favorite cause. If you are detailed-oriented and persistent, it can be your clients that are awarded this funding. When that happens, you will be a hero for ten minutes and make some very nice fees.

Check out more information on Starting your own [http://www.7day.bizgrantwriting.com/]Grant Writing Business. Ms. Strotheide has been a professional grant writer for fourteen years. She has written everything from business columns, magazine articles, and business proposals to web and brochure content during her career in community development.

Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Freelance-Grant-Writing:-Who-Should-Not-Try-This-at-Home&id=5802310] Freelance Grant Writing: Who Should Not Try This at Home

Freelance Grant Writing Myths

Myth number 1:

Grant Writing is Hard

Grant writing is not hard, unless you hate to read and write, and then it can be a miserable chore. It really is not rocket science. It is more like putting a model airplane together. There are a lot of pieces and you need to follow the directions correctly in order for it to look like an airplane when you are finished. For people who are detailed oriented and enjoy a challenge, it can be great fun! The key is to read and re-read the grant application. Identify the instructions (make notes) and follow them. Most of the work a grant writer does is not writing-it is researching, reading, talking to clients and helping them summarize their project. The final step in the process is the writing. Just like a model airplane-you lay out the parts, match them up to the instructions and recheck everything before you open that bottle of glue.

Myth number 2:

Grant Writers are Creative Writers

Wrong again. Grant writing is not creative writing. You do need a command of the English language (if you are writing for US grants) and you need basic grammar skills, but the funding agency dictates what you write. Almost all of them tell you exactly what information they want and where they want you to put it on an application. It needs to be a compelling story of your client's project, but this can be accomplished without advanced writing skills. In fact, many grant reviewers know nothing about the projects they are reviewing, so the shorter the sentences and the easier the story is to follow, the better. For example, I currently write grants for the health care industry and one Federal granting agency told us that they have volunteer reviewers all over the country, some who know nothing about health care. This means I need to write clearly about the importance of 'telehealth home care for rural patients' and explain each point in language that the average person can understand. This is not creative. It's not even great writing.

Myth number 3:

Only Needy Non-Profit Organizations Can Get Grants

Nope. I have worked with several multi-million dollar organizations that received very large grants. Each funder has a mission. There are big social problems they want to help solve. The organization that comes closest to proposing a realistic solution is the one that wins. Grant makers tend to be more interested in your client's proposed remedy than in their persistent problems. (You will have to explain both in the grant application, but the focus should be on how their project is the best solution and why it will be successful.)

Myth number 4:

Grants are Free Money

This is my all time favorite. People who have never written a grant actually believe this! Grants are in fact investments in society by the government, corporate or private foundations to impact social problems. These funders want to see a return on their investment in the form of lives changed, research initiated, communities impacted, etc. They are usually willing to provide seed money-part of the cost of a project to help get it off the ground-but I have seen very few grant makers willing to pay 100% of the costs of a project. Occasionally a Federal agency or large foundation will announce a grant that claims no matching funds are required, but they will also tell you that to be competitive you need to put up some funds of your own or have other funding partners.

It is beyond the scope of this article to go into the details of grant writing, but suffice to say that freelance grant writing is challenging and rewarding. There is nothing quite like finding money for groups who are changing people's lives. It is truly worth pursuing if you are looking for meaningful work and enjoy puzzles or model airplanes.

Ms. Strotheide has been in the Community Development field for fourteen years and written successful grants for organizations, cities, and counties in several states. She has six years of successful freelance experience. She currently works fulltime writing and administering grants for the health care industry.

She has created a guide with more information on starting your own [http://www.7day.bizgrantwriting.com/]Grant Writing Business.

Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Freelance-Grant-Writing-Myths&id=5795950] Freelance Grant Writing Myths

How to Keep Your Daycare Above Water by Availing of Government Grants

You can acquire childcare start-up grant funds from the government. Alternatively, you can think about hiring a funding resource company to assist you in securing government grant funds.

Fill out every application and note down any essay or other details required to send with your funding. Take time to ascertain your work and ensure that you incorporate all the necessary information requested. Remember the number of individuals applying for grants is much larger than the number of grants available. Formulate applications that would stand out by integrating matters that could help your foundation. Search for food grants from the federal or state government. Discover grants for toys, ruling beds and learning equipments since it may be simpler to obtain money to establish a daycare business if you center on definite aspects of building up.

Make use of any grant money that the government offers you in the way it was projected to be. Maintain a good accounting report, and file expenses associated with all funds for the upcoming tax returns. Get in touch with the government association after the grant submission cut-off to continue up to date on the selection course. It wouldn't harm to let them see that you're dedicated and unrelenting. Keep in mind that there are added grant selections besides government fund money. You can also look into grants from local organizations to help you get your daycare center afloat.

Do you live in Connecticut? Do you need financial help with your daycare? [http://daycaregrants.org/connecticut]Daycare grants provide much needed financial assistance for home-based child care centers. You can read up on more information on applying for daycare grants from [http://daycaregrants.org/]DayCareGrants.org.

Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?How-to-Keep-Your-Daycare-Above-Water-by-Availing-of...] How to Keep Your Daycare Above Water by Availing of Government Grants

Finding Financial Aid Grants to Support Your Community Daycare Facility

ABCD Fund - This is a private funding institution which is administered by the Low Income Investment Fund. This is made especially for providing feasibility work for daycare facilities. They provide planning grants which can aid in the financing of your development and architectural consulting services and engineering analysis. They also provide financing plans for your childcare facility. Their eligibility is statewide and they will be able to provide an amount ranging from $10,000 to $20,000 to support your needs.

The CDBG or Community Development Block Grant - This is a federal program institution which provides funds for entitlement and non-entitlement communities. Priority is given to economic development activities such as the establishment of public services for the youth, handicapped and senior citizens. The amount that they give varies by city so you have to contact them directly to know the amount that you can get for assistance. You can contact them at 1800-998-9999 for more information regarding this grant.

Heron Foundation - This is a private funding institution which aims to support organizations that assist low-income people in creating wealth and taking control of their own lives. This foundation is able to assist people by giving annual grants ranging from $25,000 to $50,000. They also give a grant with the same amount range to first time beneficiaries. This foundation also supports citywide, state and regional efforts to make childcare and preschool programs more affordable to the public. They also help these programs to meet the standards given by the National Association for the Education of Young Children and Head Start.

Do you live in Wisconsin? Do you need financial help with your daycare? [http://daycaregrants.org/wisconsin]Daycare grants provide much needed financial assistance for home-based child care centers. You can read up on more information on applying for daycare grants from [http://daycaregrants.org/]DayCareGrants.org.

Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Finding-Financial-Aid-Grants-to-Support-Your-Commun...] Finding Financial Aid Grants to Support Your Community Daycare Facility

Grants Consultant, A Great Work At Home Biz

Are you a good communicator? Can you sit with another person and understand what it is she wants? Then can you talk to her so she has a clear idea of your thoughts and opinions? Can you express yourself well in writing - take scattered information and put it together on the page so it makes sense to the reader?

Do you like doing research - digging deep and finding information? Are you computer and Internet savvy? Are you good at conceptualizing ideas, making plans and implementing them effectively?

Do you get a charge out of helping other people accomplish their goals? Are you inspired to improve your community and create new resources? Do you enjoy variety, and managing your own time and workload? Want to be your own boss?

Would you like a career that provides some visibility, and the opportunity to be well respected for your contributions, while you earn $50 to $150 an hour?

If this sounds like you, I'd like to suggest the best career you've probably never considered: grants consultant.

A career as a grants consultant does not require a college degree. This is a career in which your performance is much more important than any educational credential. Of course, grants consultants must be professional in their appearance and presentation of themselves and their services. That doesn't mean suits and high heels, however. The majority of clients are in the helping profession, so the dress code is usually business casual.

Grants consultants provide services to non-profit agencies and businesses in their communities. These services may range along a continuum from very simple to very complex. At the simplest end of the continuum, a non-profit agency, such as a shelter for battered women, may not have sufficient staff to write a proposal for a grant they have identified. So they enter into a contractual arrangement with a grant writer to prepare the proposal. Many agencies routinely use contract grant writers. Other agencies hire staff grant writers, and allow them to work from home.

At the more complex end of the continuum, a group of investors may be interested in building an affordable housing project. The consultant may participate in planning the project, help structure a consortium, lobby legislators, provide public relations, work with neighborhood associations, find a variety of funding resources, and write the grants proposals. At this level, the grants consultant may take an equity position and own part of the project, as well as earning a developer's fee.

Obviously, the services you could provide as a grants consultant depend upon your training and your existing knowledge base. If you have a background in business, management, finance, or real estate, that background has provided you with skills you may be able to share with your clients.

But even if your experience does not touch upon those areas, you can learn all the skills necessary to find funding resources and write effective grant proposals. And as you work on more projects, and gain more experience, you have ever-greater skills to offer your clients.

Here are three steps to get started on a career as a grants consultant:

Make an assessment of what you have to offer now. Write down the skills you have developed thus far, through previous work experience, volunteer work, education or training.

Enroll in a comprehensive, high-quality training program for grant writers. Be sure the training emphasizes research skills; writing foundation, corporate, and government proposals; and the politics and procedures of dealing with funders and clients.

Jump right in! Select a cause you support within your own community, perhaps your child's sports team, or a non-profit daycare center. Identify a small need (under $10,000), such as uniforms or playground equipment. Then volunteer to find money for them and write a grant proposal. With a couple of successful grants under your belt, you can begin to market your services to paying clients.

To learn more, get a copy of our Free Grant Tips at rel=nofollow [http://GrantMeRich.com]http://GrantMeRich.com.

Jillian Coleman Wheeler is a Grants and Business Consultant. She is also author of The New American Land Rush: How to Buy Real Estate with Government Money. For information: http://www.NewAmericanLandRush.com

Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Grants-Consultant,-A-Great-Work-At-Home-Biz&id=28907] Grants Consultant, A Great Work At Home Biz