In today’s highly competitive job market, choosing a career path that matches your preferences can feel overwhelming. If you’re here, you’re probably seeking a skill that’s lucrative, easy to learn, and easy to break into. Perhaps you’re looking to pivot into something you can do from anywhere and have the option to build in flexibility to your schedule — and there are a few options available! Some of the rising stars amongst them copywriting, data analysts, virtual assistant work, and grant writing — each offering unique benefits.
But how do you decide which path to pursue? This article will explore these career options, comparing their potential for success. Whether you’re looking to get into your first career or pivot into a new space, keep reading for what skills each of these at-home flexible careers requires. You’ll also see how grant writing just might be your next career move! Let’s dive in!
Copywriting
If you prefer writing with flair, you have a knack for creative storytelling, and can convert readers to customers through your words, then copywriting may be a good fit. Copywriting refers to writing very persuasive content that makes people take instant action – which may be buying a product or signing up for a newsletter. Copywriters are the brain behind the headlines you find on ads, or content that engages you on websites and make you linger longer. Companies employ copywriters to write their ad copy, email campaigns, social media content, blog articles, and other marketing content to make readers take buying action. The common salary range for copywriters is $59,165 in 2024.
Data Analytics
Isn't it beautiful to see that while some people have a passion for articulating thoughts and ideas through words, others find delight in working with numbers and data? If you’re one such deep thinker who enjoys transforming raw data into actionable insights, you may be a potential data analyst! Data analysis involves examining and interpreting data to draw conclusions to help businesses or policy makers make informed decisions. If you take this route, expect to immerse yourself in statistical tools and software like SPSS, powerBI, and Microsoft excel. There are loads of opportunities for data analysts in healthcare, finance, and tech, where they can solve complex problems as business intelligence analysts or data scientists. Data analysts earn an average of $83,963 per year.
Virtual Assistant
There’s never been more autonomy and flexibility with work than we have today (post-covid era), and virtual assistance helps you maximize this optimally. If you know yourself to be very detailed and efficient with administrative tasks, yet you crave the comfort of your bed and working on your terms, you can consider becoming a virtual assistant. A virtual assistant (VA) provides both technical and creative managerial support to entrepreneurs from a remote location. Think of managing emails, scheduling the calendar, inventory management, responding to customer inquiries, or any such simple tasks a business owner can afford to outsource, virtual assistants handle them all. As a VA, you can make $50,761 per year.
Grant Writing
Now to the crux of the matter! You’re probably here to see how grant writing compares to these other careers. What skills does grant writing require? Without mincing words, grant writing combines all the fun skills of copywriting, data analytics, a virtual assistant, and then some others! How’s that? you say.
We’ll show you how, but first, let’s understand what grant writing is about. In simplest terms, grant writing involves digging out facts for nonprofits and businesses through research and whipping them up into a compelling proposal with the aim of securing funding.
Grant writing blends the strength of data analysis, copywriting, and virtual assistance. Look at it this way — data analysis involves digging up statistics that substantiates the points in your proposal, and lining them up rationally. After analyzing evidence-based facts, you also need copywriting skills to present your thoughts in a compelling way for funders to take action on reading your proposal. The unending calls and administrative duties that must happen throughout the grant funding process (before and after funding) are primarily the work of a virtual assistant.
We won’t be presumptuous to say that as an effective grant writer that’s equipped with these other skills, you offer much more value to organisations than when you pick just one of them. Grant writers employ all these skills to help organizations secure funding they need to thrive, which really is the ultimate problem most of them face. Grant writers earn an average of $75,853 per year. As a grant writer, you also get the added fulfillment of supporting causes you’re passionate about. The work you do makes a meaningful impact on your community.
Why Grant Writing Could Be Your Next Career
High Demand and Niche Market
Just like you, organizations will always need money to survive! As long as the need for funding exists, there’ll always be a demand for grant writers to craft compelling proposals. In fact, more grant writers are needed now than ever before as government agencies continue to dole out millions of dollars annually for the most qualified organizations (or those that can best present themselves as such) to enjoy. Our very own coach Haleigh dives deep on why grant writing is in high demand in this video: No Demand for Grant Writers Think Again!
Nonprofits depend heavily on grants for their community programs and projects. Healthcare and science-based institutions also actively seek grants to fund medical research and improve patient care. Even higher academic institutions need money to support their scholarship programs. If you can master the intricacies of grant research and writing, alongside the art of presenting your ideas intelligently to funders, the niche market of grant writing is for you.
Recurring Income Opportunities
As explained earlier, grants are the lifeline of nonprofits! So they need ongoing help to secure multiple grants that’ll sustain them through the year, and that's where you come in. Unlike copywriting and data analysis that may come as a one-off gig, you can secure steady income through retainer agreements with these organisations.
For example, Kari freelanced to build her portfolio. She then landed a fantastic full-time job as a grant writer. She also landed one retainer client on the side for a $6k a month contract. Y’all that’s an extra $72k a year on top of her 9 - 5 salary. Getting to do both with ease, she just bought her dream home in Utah. If you’re able to demonstrate your value, your clients develop trust in your skills and are more likely to retain you for the long term. You won’t find such stability in the freelance world easily! Check out this video to discover grant writing as a career.
Skill Transferability
If “grant writer” has a nickname, it’d be “versatility.” Passion is dynamic and you may decide to pursue another line of work sometime later. It’d interest you to know that ALL the skills you acquire while learning grant writing are easily transferable to other high-paying roles. We’ve already explained how data analysis, copywriting, and virtual assistance all play into grant writing, but that’s not all! Grant writers also build proficiency in budgeting, project management, and business development.
Take Caroline for example. She was a high school English teacher who literally lost her voice after overworking and extreme stress. She pivoted to grant writing and landed a local gig. She built her own consulting firm, making $35k in her first five months and earned over $200k in revenue in her 1.6 years in the Collective. After three years of grant writing, her curious and creative nature called her elsewhere. Caroline landed a gig as the Business Development Consultant at Grammarly, using all her skills from grant writing to pave the way.
Or a more fun example, our very own Meredith Noble, used her grant writing skills to buy a house. She won out two other bids by writing her own offer letter using all the tactics she’d developed as a grant writer. In short, you’re adaptable as a grant writer, able to walk confidently into new doors beyond grant writing as they open up.
Job Satisfaction
What’s more fulfilling than seeing your work manifest as tangible good in the world and your community? Diane is supporting a music school for the blind in her neighborhood, Loretta is raising funds to preserve the Redwood Forest she walked as a kid, while Juan is raising $18 million in funding for agricultural organizations in the Congo. There are a lot of causes to pursue as a grant writer, which brings tangible and meaningful difference to people’s lives around the world. This sense of purpose is more gratifying than a paycheck. If you want to make an impact in a cause you care about, grant writing can be a rewarding career path.
How to Transition to Grant Writing
While grant writing is a high-impact skill, it’s not rocket science. Learning how to be a grant writer is relatively easy. All you need to have are “mini-skills”, professional training, and a portfolio to establish yourself as an authority. Let’s take a closer look at each of these.
Get the Necessary “Mini-skills”
To thrive as a grant writer, you’ll need a combo of some essential skills such as:
- Research: Grant writing requires you to navigate the plethora of opportunities and whittle them down to the ones that best fit your client. You’ll also need to know how to gather and analyze relevant data to substantiate your proposals’ points. Your sentences must be data-packed!
- Writing: As you’d have guessed, you must be good with words if you want to hold the attention of potential grant funders who read your application. Your writing must be marked by simplicity, clarity, persuasion, and the ability to make your writing dance seamlessly to the tune of different funders’ requirements!
- Project Management: Due to unending deadlines and a lineup of projects, the ability to organize information, manage deadlines, and juggle several projects simultaneously is a big plus for every grant writer.
- Attention to detail: A meticulous nature is required to follow funders’ instructions in grant writing. If you want funders to highly consider your application, then you must follow their guidelines strictly.
- Financial Acumen: Funders love to see realistic budgets. Hence the ability to plan your finances is also an important grant writing skill.
Want to know what’s great? Everything above is a learnable skill. You can develop the toolkit of a grant writer with the proper training.
Get Trained by Grant Writing Professionals
Grant writing is serious business, and you wouldn’t want to take on a client’s application without proper training on how everything works. You can check out this post on the 19 Best Online Grant Writing Classes for Every Learner. Instead of trying to figure things out on your own, professional training sets a proven path before you. Intensive workshops, review meetings, and access to experts are some benefits of a professional network.
For example, an excellent place where you can learn grant writing professionally is our Global Grant Writing Collective, where you not only get trained from the basics to advanced techniques, you get the support of over 500+ grant writers that’ve secured $675M+ in grant funding! Another facet of our training is to have a handbook containing distilled information on grant writing. Forged from many years of grant writing experience, our CEO packed everything you need to thrive in the grant writing space into this book.
Building a Portfolio
A portfolio proves to your potential employers that you’re worth your claim, and one way you can build it is to network with other grant writers. You might consider freelance platforms like Upwork, Fiverr, and Freelancer to find grant writing opportunities and build your client base. However, you'll often run into a chicken and egg dilemma: how do I get my first client without experience and how do I get experience without a client?
Unlike freelance platforms, in the Global Grant Writers Collective we show you how to earn and learn by building your portfolio from real paid experience. When you’re thinking of building your portfolio, we’re talking about networking which can mean linking up with nonprofit professionals and potential clients through linkedin and industry events.
If you’re feeling put off by the buzz word networking, trust me you’re not alone. We hear that a lot. There’s a better way. We teach a unique method called the organic networking framework which focuses on curious conversations. The peer-proven method is how Jessie made $15,000 building her portfolio. Working the Organic Networking Framework for Jessie also brought in a job offer, an interview for a different position, a new client, and more opportunities at her current position.
We understand the tendency to offer your services for free in the beginning, but you can, and deserve, to get paid for the work that you do–yes, even if you’re new. If you’re curious, check out this training on how you can break into the industry of grant writing without prior experience and without going into debt. As you take the little steps suggested here, your expertise and portfolio will grow, and you can attract high-paying clients.
Conclusion
You can keep exploring other careers, but if you’re someone who’s even slightly intrigued by the skills we described in this article, then grant writing might just be your next career. Not only does grant writing offer you higher earnings through recurring income and retainer contracts, but your work is also relevant across diverse fields! — education, the arts, healthcare, transportation, you name it.
As you learn the art of grant writing, you’re building highly transferable skills, allowing you to transition into other lucrative careers as you please. Finally, grant writing offers you unmatched job satisfaction, allowing you to make a tangible contribution to projects and causes that resonate with your values. If you’re seeking a career that pays you handsomely and helps you do purposeful and impactful work, grant writing is the sure winner!
If you’re ready to take action and start your grant writing journey, what are you waiting for? Jump into this 20 mins training today.
