Grant Writer Resume Examples & Format
A grant writer researches funders and writes the proposals that win money for a nonprofit, a research lab, a school, a hospital or a community organization. A grant writer resume should prove skills such as proposal and letter of inquiry writing, logic models and theory of change, and budget preparation with numbers from your own work. Below are three samples, entry-level to senior, with summaries, bullets and skills.
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Grant Writer resume examples by experience level
All three samples are illustrative: the people, employers and every figure are made up.
Entry-level sample
Zane Valdez
M.S.W. · proposal writing for nonprofits · 4 proposals drafted in internship · logic models and budgets
Portland, OR · (503) 555-0148 · zane.valdez@example.com
Summary
- Social work graduate seeking a junior grant writer or development associate role at an education or health nonprofit. Drafted 4 foundation proposals in an internship, 2 of which were funded for a combined $24,000.
Education
- M.S.W., Community Development, Columbia River State University · 2026 · GPA 3.8
- B.A. Sociology, Cascade College · 2024
Internship
- Grant Writing Intern, a children's education nonprofit, Portland, OR · Jan – Jun 2026 · Drafted 4 foundation proposals with budgets of $8,000 to $16,000; built a funder tracker of 60 prospects; 2 proposals funded for $24,000; prepared 3 funder progress reports.
Skills
- Proposal narrative, logic models, budget tables in Excel, funder research (foundation databases), outcome write-ups, Google Workspace, Candid and Foundation Directory searches
Mid-level sample
Rory Grayson
Grant Writer · 5 years · foundation and corporate grants · $5.6 million raised · 14 of 31 proposals funded
Toronto, ON · (416) 555-0163 · rory.grayson@example.com
Summary
- Grant writer with five years at a health and education nonprofit. Submitted 31 proposals to foundations and corporate funders, 14 funded, raising $5.6 million. Cut proposal turnaround from 3 weeks to 9 days with a reusable library of program, budget and outcome sections.
Experience
- Grant Writer, Lakeshore Health and Learning Trust, Toronto, ON · 2023 – present · 31 proposals, 14 funded, $5.6 million raised; wrote 22 funder reports; kept registration and audited statements current for every submission.
- Program Associate, Lakeshore Health and Learning Trust, Toronto, ON · 2021 – 2023 · Collected data for 6 projects and wrote case studies used in 9 proposals.
Education
- M.A. Development Studies, Great Lakes University · 2021
- B.A. Political Science, Ontario Lakeshore University · 2019
Skills
- Logic models and theory of change, budget notes, funder reporting, outcome data, Excel, Candid, Canva, impact stories
Senior sample
Marco Ramsey
Director of Grants · 12 years · $38 million raised · research grants and foundations · team of 5
Boston, MA · (617) 555-0152 · marco.ramsey@example.com
Summary
- Grants director with twelve years in research and community funding. Raised $38 million across 70 grants for a public health research organization, lead a team of 5, and raised the proposal win rate from 28% to 46%.
Experience
- Director of Grants, Beacon Public Health Research Institute, Boston, MA · 2018 – present · Raised $38 million across 70 grants from foundations, government agencies and corporations; team of 5 writers and a budget analyst; win rate up from 28% to 46%.
- Senior Grant Writer, Harbor Education Nonprofit, Boston, MA · 2014 – 2018 · Raised $9 million; built the organization's first proposal library.
Education
- M.P.A., Bay State University · 2014
- Certificate in Project Management · 2017
Skills
- Federal and foundation proposals, budget and compliance, team leadership, funder relations, outcomes reporting, proposal library management
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What does a grant writer do?
The work is reading a funder's call, matching it to the organization's programs, building the case, outcomes and budget, writing and editing the narrative, and meeting the deadline and the reporting terms after an award. Grant writers work in nonprofits, universities, health systems, government agencies and as freelancers, and the page should show proposals submitted, awards won and dollars raised.
Best resume format for a grant writer
- Put dollars raised, proposals submitted and win rate in the headline.
- Name funder types you have won from: foundations, government, corporate, individual donors.
- Keep a one-page resume and offer two writing samples on request.
The section order and what goes in each are on the how to write a resume guide; the resume format guide covers every format by type and country.
Summary examples by level
- Entry-level: Social work graduate who drafted 4 foundation proposals in an internship, 2 funded for a combined $24,000, seeking a junior grant writer role.
- Mid-level: Grant writer with 31 proposals submitted, 14 funded and $5.6 million raised in five years at a health and education nonprofit.
- Senior: Director of grants who raised $38 million across 70 grants and lifted the proposal win rate from 28% to 46%.
Work experience bullet points
- Submitted 31 proposals to foundations and corporate funders, 14 funded, raising $5.6 million.
- Cut proposal turnaround from 3 weeks to 9 days with a library of reusable sections.
- Wrote 22 funder progress reports that were accepted with no rework.
- Raised the organization's proposal win rate from 28% to 46% over 4 years.
- Built a tracker of 60 foundation prospects mapped to program themes.
- Prepared budgets of $8,000 to $16,000 with unit costs funders could audit.
- Led a team of 5 writers across 70 funded grants worth $38 million.
Key skills to list
Hard skills: Proposal and letter of inquiry writing, Logic models and theory of change, Budget preparation, Funder research and mapping, Funder reporting, Federal and foundation grant guidelines, Compliance documents and audited statements, Outcome data and evaluation basics, Excel, Candid and database research.
Soft skills: Writing to a deadline, Interviewing program staff, Reading a funder's priorities, Persistence in follow-up, Working with finance and program teams.
Education and certifications
- Name your degree in social work, public administration, English, communications or a related field, with the school and year; strong writing samples matter as much as the degree.
- Short courses or certificates in grant writing, project management or evaluation: write the full name and the year for any you hold.
- For research grants, a master's or doctorate in the subject of the lab you write for.
What should a grant writer's resume show?
Proposals submitted, awards won, dollars raised and win rate, plus the funder types you wrote for and the documents you handled. Give the period for each number, and count only the grants you wrote, not the organization's total.
What is the difference between a grant writer and a technical writer resume?
A grant writer's resume is judged by money raised and funder knowledge, while a technical writer's is judged by documentation, tools and product knowledge. Keep samples and numbers that fit the job, and move the other kind of work lower.
Do I need federal grant experience on my resume?
Only if the job asks for it. Name the agencies and programs you wrote for, such as health or education grants, and the award sizes. If you only wrote foundation grants, say so, since the guidelines and reporting rules differ.