© CTC Publishing

How to Break Into the Lucrative Freelance Grant Writing Market

Nearly 1.5 million nonprofit organizations in the U.S. raised $295 billion in donations last year ... and freelance copywriters are urgently needed to help them get their hands on even more money this year.


Dear Copywriter (or Aspiring Copywriter):

May I share a secret with you?

There are almost 1.5 million nonprofit organizations in the United States, virtually all of which need money and depend on donations for it.

There are more than 109,000 private foundations, government initiatives, and corporate funding programs looking for worthy places to make large donations in the form of grants.

To get funding from those well-heeled contributors, nonprofits have to ask for the money -- by submitting grant proposals.

Whether they get the money depends on the persuasiveness of that single document: the grant proposal.

With all those millions at stake, you can well understand why good grant writers are in demand - and can command significant fees for their work.

The difference between a ho-hum grant proposal and a dynamic, persuasive, correctly written one can mean the difference between getting a million dollar grant -- or being passed over for it.

Yet not one copywriter in a hundred has ever written a grant proposal - or is even aware of grant proposal writing as the lucrative copywriting niche it is!

My colleague, Michele Boyer - who has been writing grant proposals with considerable success since 1989 - is an exception to that rule.

Now in our e-book, Michele and I show you -- How to Break Into the Lucrative Freelance Grant Writing Niche.

Getting started in grant writing -
once difficult, now easy.

If you're a new copywriter looking for a niche, or an experienced writer who wants to add a new profit center, consider all of the advantages of freelance grant writing:

  • An underserved market - grant writing isn't highly competitive, glamorous, hip, or trendy. Result: new writers are urgently needed.
  • Huge opportunity - with over a hundred thousand foundations and more than a million nonprofits jockeying for funding, there is no shortage of assignments.
  • Solid pay - hourly rates can go as high as $125, with a project price of $4,500+ per proposal not uncommon.
  • Low barrier to entry - the entrance requirements are relatively easy to meet; no degrees or certificates required.
  • Increased client loyalty - because of the close working relationship between the nonprofit organization and the writer, it is to your client's advantage to keep working with you once they've invested time to know you and bring you up to speed.

Now, in our e-book, Michele and I show you how to start and run a successful freelance grant writing business.

Including:

  • How long does it take to research, write, and complete a grant proposal? Hint: it's much less labor-intensive than you might think. Page 4.
  • Little-known trick for breaking into grant writing even when you have absolutely no experience or track record in the field. Page 47.
  • How to recycle a single proposal for a single client into a lucrative stream of repeat assignments and income. Page 4.
  • How to generate leads on grants from possible funders -- institutions, government agencies, and corporations that give grants -- in 30 seconds on the phone. Page 50.
  • The #1 mistake freelance grant writers make that could ruin their business - and how to avoid it. Page 5.
  • 10 critical factors that determine whether a funder will accept your proposal and give your client the grant - most of which are under YOUR control! Page 52.
  • When clients offer you a staff job, will you take it? Pros and cons of in-house vs. freelance grant writing. Page 6.
  • How to make yourself more marketable by obtaining professional certification in philanthropic fundraising from CFRE, the recognized accrediting body in the field. Page 53.
  • Make money writing proposal templates. Page 9.
  • 3 "golden rules" that lead to writing grant proposals that win your clients funding. Page 55.
  • 7 skills you can develop to give you an edge in the freelance grant proposal marketplace. Page 10.
  • 8 little-known tricks that can dramatically increase your grant proposal's chances of success. Page 57.
  • Using statistics to make your appeal to funders more convincing. Page 12.
  • 20 steps to writing a "letter of inquiry" to potential funders for your nonprofit clients. Page 58.
  • Move funders to want to help your cause by telling them compelling, heart-warming stories. Page 13.
  • The 8 sections of successful grant proposals. Can you name them all? Page 61.
  • Make yourself more marketable - and command higher fees - with a digital camera. Page 14.
  • How to write a "knock your socks off" executive summary that moves your grant proposal to the top of the pile. Page 62
  • Tips for preparing the "program budget" portion of your proposal - easy to do even if you're not an accountant or bookkeeper. Page 15.
  • How to add drama, emotion, and pathos to make your client's project seem vitally important to the funder. Page 63
  • Best computer system and software for grant proposal writers. Page 18.
  • 5 tips for clarifying the purpose of the grant -- and explaining how your client will put the money to good use in a worthy cause. Page 64.
  • How to master the art of grant writing - and even download free sample grants online. Page 21.
  • 10 documents you can attach to your grant proposal to make your case even stronger. Page 68.
  • Where to find complete contact information for thousands of funders to whom you can send the client's grant proposal. Page 23.
  • How to tip the odds of getting a grant award in your favor by soliciting letters of support from community leaders. Page 73.
  • Building your prospect list of potential nonprofit grant-writing clients. Page 27.
  • The ideal time to mail your grant proposal. This simple lesson could mean thousands of dollars in extra funding. Page 78.
  • How to find out exactly what the funder wants you to include in your grant proposal to them. Page 30.
  • 7 ways to get grant writing clients to hire you to write proposals and other money-raising materials for them. Page 81.
  • Online research tips to help you write a stronger and more persuasive grant proposal for your client. Page 32.
  • What to charge your nonprofit clients and how to get paid for your work - even if your proposal doesn't win the grant. Page 86.
  • How to keep track of the status of your grant applications ... grants awarded ... funding cycles ... contacts ... and more. Page 34.
  • Getting a seven-figure grant for a nonprofit client - and how to parlay that into more work and higher fees. Page 89.
  • Make extra money writing newsletters ... postcards ... brochures ... direct mail packages ... and more for your nonprofit clients. Page 36.
  • How to earn as much as $4,500 per proposal - or even more. Page 92.
  • Can you get paid a percentage of the money awarded when your grant proposal is successful? The answer may shock you. Page 95.
  • The 3 types of funders - and how to write proposals that win grants from each. Page 39.
  • A formula for setting your minimum hourly rate as a freelance grant writer just starting out in the field. Page 96.
  • How you can get a specific funder to teach you how to write a proposal that will win a grant from them! Page 41. Plus: where to get free grant writing training online. Page 42.
  • The warning signs of an organization with cash flow problems - and how to avoid getting burned for your fee. Page 97.
  • 26 federal grant-making federal agencies - and how to register so your client qualifies for funding from each. Page 45.
  • Library of sample documents - includes: cover sheet ... budget ... executive summary ... letter of inquiry. Turn to page 117.
  • Why the most important proposal you write for a nonprofit client is the first - and how to make sure you are adequately compensated for writing it. Page 101.
  • Plus: Glossary ... funder sources ... training and certification ... publications ... statistics ... associations ... forms ... tools ... job boards ... discussion lists ... blogs. Starts on page 104.
  • And so much more....

Order now and save $30

The cover price of How to Break Into Grant Writing is $69. I think you'll agree that - given the thousands of dollars some copywriting courses cost - this is a reasonable investment for breaking into one of the few remaining copywriting markets that is largely untapped.

Indeed, you'd earn back that investment the very first hour working on your very first grand proposal.

But order How to Break Into Grant Writing today and you pay only $39 - less than I charge for just 5 minutes of my time - a savings of $30 off the regular rate.

And that's what I charge you only if our advice works for you. If it doesn't, the cost is zero. Zip. Zilch. Nada. Because you can....

Try it risk-free for 90 days

That's right. If, after reviewing How to Break Into Grant Writing, you aren't making thousands of extra dollars writing copy for nonprofit clients....

Or you are not 100% satisfied for any other reason ... or for no reason at all ...

We'll refund your $39 payment in full. No questions asked. And you can still keep the e-book absolutely free with my compliments.

That way, you risk nothing.

So, what are you waiting for?

To order How to Break into Grant Writing on a 90-day risk-free trial basis, click below now:

Sincerely,

Bob Bly

P.S. Quick-Response Bonus! Order Grant Writing today and you get a FREE 59-page Bonus Report, Take Your Copywriting to the Next Level (list price: $29).

  • How to prepare for a freelance copywriting assignment - page 3.
  • The 8 fundamental rules of persuasive writing - page 6.
  • How to write a good advertisement - page 28.
  • Reaching your donors on a deeper level with the BDF formula - page 40.
  • The magic of "false logic" - page 35.
  • Determining the ideal length for your direct mail letter - page 50.
  • And more....
  • To order Grant Writing ... and get your FREE Bonus Report ... click below now:

About Bob Bly

bly on information marketing Bob Bly has been a writer since 1979 and a full-time freelance writer since 1982. He earns more than $600,000 a year from his freelance writing, and became a self-made multi-millionaire while still in his 30s.

Bob has written copy for more than 100 clients including Phillips, Agora, KCI, 21st Century, Weiss Research, EBI Medical Systems, Sony, IBM, AT&T, Grumman, Crain Communications, McGraw-Hill, IBM, Intuit, Nortel, and AlliedSignal.

Bob is the author of more than 60 books including The Complete Idiot's Guide to Direct Marketing (Alpha), The Ultimate Unauthorized Star Trek Quiz Book (HarperCollins), The "I Hate Kathie Lee Gifford" Book (Kensington), The Science in Science Fiction (BenBella), and, with Bo Dietl, Business Lunchatations (Penguin).

He has published more than 100 articles in such publications as Subscription Marketing, Direct, Business Marketing, Writer's Digest, and Amtrak Express.

Bob's writing awards include a Gold Echo from the Direct Marketing Association, an IMMY from the Information Industry Association, two Southstar Awards, an American Corporate Identity Award of Excellence, and the Standard of Excellence award from the Web Marketing Association. He also taught writing at New York University.

Bob has appeared as a guest on dozens of TV and radio shows including The Advertising Show, Bernard Meltzer, CNBC, and CBS Hard Copy. He has been featured in major media ranging from the LA Times and Nation's Business to the New York Post and the National Enquirer.

About Michele Boyer
Michele has been writing grant proposals in 1989. After a permanent hearing loss, which prevented her from working in her profession as a respiratory therapist, she began working as a quality improvement coordinator for a rural hospital district, and soon added grant writing, program development, writing and presenting workshops to her job description. Later work writing proposals for a wide variety of nonprofits broadened her experience, which she shares with others. Michele is coauthor of CQI/TQM for the Rest of Us (self-published) and author of number of workshops and "solutions systems" for tracking quality improvements, grant management systems, and e-books on starting up home based businesses.

What they say about Bob Bly


"I started down this road of copywriting for direct marketers by purchasing your book. Since then I have made about $50,000 in copywriting fees. I feel a debt of gratitude toward you!"
--Ray Edwards

"I went to Amazon.com and got a copy of Secrets of a Freelance Writer. Wow! ... I loved it! Packed with info. The book had a 'readability' about it that took away all my fears, put me at ease, and made me feel that I wasn't treading on foreign soil. I kept saying to myself, 'I can do that, I can do that!'"
- Ronald J. Rich

"Your books served as a complete reference when I started my own freelance writing business a year and half ago. By following the advice you laid out, I quickly reached goals that I had set for year three of my business within the first year. My philosophy is, if you've written it or recommended it, I want to read it."
- Carla Jahnson

"I own a copy of The Copywriter's Handbook, which is priceless. Thank you for making this information available to those of us on a shoestring."
- Mary Klaebul, Memphis, TN

"I own Secrets of a Freelance Writer: How to Make $85,000 a Year and The Copywriter's Handbook. Both are great. You did a great job of getting to the nitty gritty. I admire and respect what you have done."
- Derek A. Chilcoat

"FYI, you started me off with your tape series on freelance copywriting, and I'm an avid reader of yours."
- Scott T. Smith, Bozeman, MT

"Having read two of your books, Secrets of a Freelance Writer and The Copywriter's Handbook, I am now taking the leap. If not for the strong encouragement of your books, I might not have jumped. Thanks again for the road map that your books offered."
- Eddie Adelman

"I am a great fan and avid reader of your books. When I first started out in this copywriting business nearly ten years ago, your Secrets of a Freelance Writer was my bible (it's so dog-eared, some of the pages are coming apart). You continue to be a great source of inspiration and education."
- John M. Mora, Plainfield, IL

"Thank you for all the books you've written over the years -- I have enjoyed many of them, and profited from what I've learned. I've been reading Become a Recognized Authority in Your Field this past month -- it's helping me really do the things I've always wanted to do."
- Michael Knowles

"I read Write More, Sell More a few years ago and loved it."
- Steve Slaunwhite

"The first time I read your book Secrets of a Freelance Writer I laughed at the fact of picturing myself as a business writer. The second time I read it, I made over $1,000 in a week. I'm laughing for a much better reason now."
- Grady Smith

"I loved your book The Copywriter's Handbook. It has sincerely helped me in my business and is worth every penny I spent on it!"
- Brian Maquire, Portland, OR

"Had I not discovered your Secrets of a Freelance Writer and The Copywriter's Handbook, I would still be a frustrated, unfulfilled hack. Thank you for saving me from that! I appreciate you sharing your knowledge with the rest of us and allowing us to take a piece of the pie. I already love this new career that I never would have discovered without your guidance. Thanks."
- Elizabeth Hanes

"I wanted to thank you for The Copywriter's Handbook and Secrets of a Freelance Writer. Both books are informative and inspirational."
- Ken Harrison

"I have read your books Selling Your Services and The Six Figure Consultant and I really appreciate the wealth of knowledge you have shared in both of these publications."
- Leah Beth Mills, Farmingville, NY

"Thanks a million for my life!"
- Alan Zoldan

"Your books The Copywriter's Handbook and Secrets of a Freelance Writer helped me start work as a freelancer. I can't tell you how many times those books saved my skin and got me confidently through unfamiliar materials. I am very grateful for your expertise and generosity."
- Lorraine Thompson

"One of the best copywriters in the business."
--Michael Meanwell, author, The Wealthy Writer

"Bob Bly is one of the most successful copywriters in the world. I've used his services and purchased a lot of his materials -- and always profited from both."
--Bob Serling, President, Idea Quotient

"Considered one of the best copywriters in the country."
--David E. Wright, President, International Speakers Network

"There's no better copywriter than Robert W. Bly, the man I call the 'King of Copy.' He can teach you more about the art and science of marketing than anyone I know."
--Richard Dean Starr

"20 years ago, when Bob Bly starting teaching copywriting, the field was deeply shrouded in mystery. Now, thanks to Bob, learning copywriting, though still a tricky proposition, is much easier."
--Ken McCarthy

"For over 25 years, Bob Bly has set the gold standard in results-oriented business-to-business writing."
--Roger C. Parker, author, Looking Good in Print

"When it comes to educating his fellow copywriters and marketers, Bob Bly is the master."
--Dianna Huff

"Bly Rules!"
— Murray Raphel, Raphel Marketing

"Mr. Copy."
— Markus Allen, Publisher

"There is no greater authority on business-to-business direct response copywriting then Bob Bly. What impresses me most about Bob Bly is his knack for making things clear and simple."
--Scott Miller

"Bob Bly is among the most accomplished self-employed copywriters in recent years."
-- Steve Slaunwhite

"Bob Bly is probably the best business-to-business, high tech, industrial, direct marketing copywriter in the country."
-- John Clausen

"Perhaps the most famous copywriter of them all."
-- The Writer

"[A] freelance writing dynamo...."
-- Writer's Digest

"One of the great copywriters in the direct marketing industry...."
-- Ruth Stevens, author, The DMA Lead Generation Handbook

"...[a] copywriting giant..."
--Freelance Writer's Report

"Bob Bly is a human machine who has been outputting high-grade direct marketing copy for decades. I've read a few of his numerous books and have learned much from this pro."
-- Larry Chase, Web Digest For Marketers

"Renowned direct marketing practitioner and prolific author Bob Bly [is] nationally recognized for his control-beating copy. [He] knows how to write for results."
--Kansas City Direct Marketing Association

"Bob Bly is in the upper echelon of direct mail and email copywriters and he's an all-around direct marketing guru. In addition to hundreds of successful campaigns for technology clients, Bly has authored or co-authored more then 50 books."
--Bruce Hadley, softwareceo.com

"Bly is probably one of the world's most famous and experienced copywriters. He is also a noted authority on the creation of online copy and online trends."
--The Compulsive Reader

"Bob Bly is a world-class copywriter."
--Paul Hartunian

"I've known Bob for a long time. His stuff is terrific."
--Johne Forde, Copywriter's Roundtable

"Bob Bly [is] a prolific advertising genius."
--Joe Vitale, "Mr. Fire"