What fees do professional grant writers charge in Australia?

This is one of the most common questions that come across my desk! Like many aspects of the grant funding landscape, there is no “one-size-fits-all” answer.

However, based on my experience in the grant-writing game, I’ve provided some indicative information that may assist you or your organisation as you research and contact grant-writing consultants and firms. Remember, the price of the service should be just one of many factors you should consider when completing your due diligence. Don’t forget to ask about their experience, approach to the grant writing process and testimonials from previous clients!

Here are the 3 most common payment models I’ve seen grant writing consultants and firms use across Australia:

How much do professional grant writers charge in Australia? — July 2024: Grant Writing for Arts, Culture and Heritage Projects Workshop (Biggenden, North Burnett). Thank you to North Burnett Regional Council and Arts Queensland for making this workshop possible through the Regional Arts Development Fund.

#1: Grant writing is charged at an hourly rate

Like many other service-based businesses, some grant writers charge an hourly fee for service. In recent times, I’ve seen grant writers charge an hourly fee of anywhere between $75 - $300 per hour + GST.

From a client’s perspective, here are a few things to keep in mind if your grant writer is charging an hourly rate for services:

Be prepared. When grant writing services are charged by the hour, these hours can add up very quickly if you don’t have your ducks in a row. Engaging an external grant writer doesn’t mean you’ll be “hands off” for the rest of the grant writing process. Your grant writer can only work with the information you give them, so make sure your project planning is sound and you provide the requested information in a timely manner. If your grant writer is contacting you multiple times to ask for outstanding documents or you issue them with 5 revisions of the project budget during the process - expect to be charged for this extra time.
Ask for an estimate of hours before you proceed. This can be tricky as many variables will influence the time needed to prepare your grant application. However, an experienced grant writer who has written similar grants for similar clients should be able to provide a relatively accurate estimate. Make sure you understand the terms and conditions if the process runs over time as this may incur additional fees.

#2: Grant writing is charged at a flat fee

Some grant writers in Australia will charge a flat fee to write your grant application. At the time of writing, this is the model I use in my business.

Essentially, for clients seeking a grant writer for a “once-off” grant application, I will quote a flat fee based on the requirements for that specific grant. Fees start from a minimum of $950 + GST for a basic grant application with minimal support material requirements, and will increase from there. The tailored flat fee will be dependent on the complexity of your project, the length of the grant application and support material requirements.

It’s my preferred way of structuring my fees at present - here’s why:

We’re not watching the clock. I want to focus on writing an exceptional grant application and providing you with maximum value. I don’t want to be counting hours and rushing through your application at any stage.
Expectations are set before we start, and the goalposts don’t move. Unlike an hourly fee model, both the client and the grant writing consultant are clear on the final fee at the start. There’s no creeping fees or nasty surprises and we can focus on what’s important: shaping the best grant application we can to be competitive for funding success. At present, I issue clients with a 50% deposit invoice that will need to be paid before any grant writing support commences. The balance is then invoiced on submission of the grant.

#3: Grant writing is charged on a commission basis

The third most common fee model I’ve seen grant writers in Australia use is a commission-based payment scale. This can look like:

Clients are charged a small flat fee at the point of service, and then a small commission if the grant application is successful. This is generally a percentage of the total grant funds received.
‘No win, no fee’. A model seen at times in the legal sector, some grant writers won’t charge any fee to write your grant, but you should expect a substantial commission to be charged if your application is successful.

Although there are no specific best practice guidelines or a designated regulatory body for grant writers in Australia, please be aware that the Fundraising Institute of Australia Code of Ethics (our closest point of reference) does not recommend this practice. However, it’s a model that is used widely and I’ve seen numerous larger Australian grant-writing firms use this approach.

Can my grant pay for grant writing fees?

Regardless of what fee structure your grant writer uses, please remember that grant writer fees are not an eligible grant expense. Whether your grant writer is charging a commission based on the success of the application, an hourly rate or a flat fee-for-service, you cannot use grant funds to pay for any grant writer fee.

Commission percentages will vary significantly but for ‘no win, no fee’ models I’ve seen commission rates of up to 15%. This can be a substantial cost to your organisation if you consider that 15% of a $100,000 grant is $15,000. In this hypothetical example, your organisation would need to pay the $15,000 grant writer commission fee from your operational budget/cash reserves. No grant funding could be used for this purpose.

Help! Grant writer fees are too expensive, what do I do?

Before you break out in a cold sweat over pricing, you should consider:

Advantages of utilising external expertise. Are you considering all the other relevant factors before making a decision? Don’t let cost be the only determining factor in a business decision that could have a significant impact on your organisation’s programs, impact or growth. You can read more about why you should consider working with a professional grant writer in my article Three Reasons You Should Work With A Professional Grant Writer.
Potential return on investment. It’s no secret that applying for grants is a highly competitive process and that success is never guaranteed. However, what I can guarantee is that if you don’t submit your application, you have a 100% chance of being unsuccessful. You need to “be in it to win it” and working with a professional grant writer may give you a competitive edge to tap into some truly game-changing funding.
Are there other grant writing support services that are more cost-effective for me? Did you know that I offer a Grants Review service and also mentoring calls? These are a great option for individuals, businesses or organisations applying to small grants programs (under $10,000):
- My Grants Review service is suitable for individuals or organisations comfortable with tackling the project planning and grant drafting phase themselves. A review is charged at a flat fee of just $650 + GST per application (for projects under <$100,000). You provide me with your draft grant application and support materials (preferably 1-2 weeks before the grant deadline) and I’ll supply written copy edits plus a one-hour meeting to discuss the approach to strengthening and finalising your submission.
- Mentoring Calls are charged at $150 + GST per hour. These are a great option at any stage of the grants process whether you’d like to (for example):
  - Pick my brains about what funding options are available for your project
  - How to approach grant assessment criteria
  - Troubleshooting your budget
  - Advice on who to approach for letters of support
  - Finding evidence to support the need for your project
  - Guidance on completing your grant acquittal

I’m ready to find a grant writer. Where do I start?

Firstly, you’ve come to the right place! I would love to support you. If you’re interested in working together, you can contact me to get the ball rolling. I encourage you to reach out early, as during peak times I can be booked out anywhere between 6-12 weeks in advance.

I also encourage you to conduct your own research (Google is your friend!) and due diligence to find a grant writer who is ‘right’ for you and your project. Personal recommendations from friends or colleagues is a great starting point (approx. 90% of my business comes through word of mouth referrals) and there are also publicly available grant writer databases you can use as a starting point.

I hope this has been valuable to demystify pricing and what to expect when engaging a professional grant writer in Australia!

How much do professional grant writers charge in Australia?