| Detail | For this role |
|---|---|
| Department | NGO and Social Sector |
| Level | Mid level |
| Reports to | Fundraising Manager |
| Direct reports | None |
| Experience | 2 to 5 years in grant or proposal writing |
Grant Writer job description template
Copy this job description, replace the text in square brackets and post it on your careers page or a job portal.
Job title: Grant Writer
Department: NGO and Social Sector
Reports to: Fundraising Manager
Location: [City], [office, branch or site]
About the role
A Grant Writer researches funding opportunities and writes the proposals that win them. They study donor guidelines, work with programme and finance teams to shape a fundable design and budget, write clear narratives, and submit complete applications on time. The role reports to the Fundraising Manager. A good grant writer keeps a strong pipeline of prospects, produces proposals that match donor priorities, and lifts the organisation's win rate with well argued, evidence backed applications.
Key responsibilities
- Research grant, CSR and institutional opportunities and check fit with the organisation's programmes.
- Read donor guidelines closely and map every requirement before writing.
- Work with programme teams to shape a fundable design, log frame and outcomes.
- Prepare budgets with the finance team that match the narrative and donor rules.
- Write clear, evidence backed proposal narratives tailored to each donor.
- Compile and check all annexes, registrations and documents the application needs.
- Submit complete applications before the deadline through the donor's process.
- Maintain a library of proposal content, past reports, data and organisational documents.
- Track submissions, outcomes and feedback and improve future proposals.
- Support donor reporting by drafting narrative sections against the log frame.
Requirements
- Postgraduate in development, social sciences or English
- Strong writing samples or portfolio
- Understanding of log frames is an advantage
- 2 to 5 years in grant or proposal writing
KRAs and KPIs for a Grant Writer
Key result areas for the appraisal form, each with a KPI you can measure every month or quarter.
| Key result area | How to measure it |
|---|---|
| Win rate | Proposal win rate at or above the agreed benchmark each year |
| Pipeline | A set number of qualified opportunities researched and logged each quarter |
| On-time submission | Every proposal submitted complete before the donor deadline |
| Quality | Proposals cleared by review without major rework on most submissions |
| Budget alignment | Budgets matching the narrative and donor rules with no compliance query |
| Content library | Proposal library and organisational documents kept current and reusable |
Skills and tools
Tools used day to day: MS Word and Excel, Donor portals, Log frame templates, Reference and content library, Grammar and editing tools.
Reporting line and career path
Next roles: Senior Grant Writer, Fundraising Manager, Partnerships Manager
Interview questions for a Grant Writer
- How do you decide whether an opportunity is worth writing a proposal for?
- How do you turn a programme idea into a log frame with clear outcomes?
- How do you write a needs section that is compelling but honest?
- How do you make sure a budget matches the narrative and the donor's rules?
- How do you handle several proposal deadlines falling in the same week?
- Tell me about a proposal you wrote that was funded and why it won.
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What does a grant writer do?
A grant writer researches funding opportunities and writes the proposals that win them. They study donor guidelines, work with programme and finance teams to shape a fundable design and budget, write clear narratives, and submit complete applications on time. Their goal is to raise the organisation's win rate with well argued, evidence backed proposals.
What makes a good grant proposal?
A good grant proposal answers exactly what the donor asked for, shows a clear need backed by evidence, and sets out outcomes with a realistic log frame. The budget matches the narrative and the donor's rules, and the writing is clear and honest. Every required annex and document is complete and submitted before the deadline.
What qualifications do you need to be a grant writer?
Most grant writers hold a postgraduate degree in development, social sciences or English, and strong writing samples matter as much as the degree. Employers look for persuasive, accurate writing, the ability to build a log frame and understand a budget, careful attention to donor guidelines, and the discipline to meet deadlines.