Should your organization hire a certified grant writer?
As organizations review the credentials and experience of grant writers—whether they’re looking to bring one in-house or hire a freelancer—the question of certification may come up. There is such a thing as a certified grant writer. In fact, several of our Professional Grant Writers team members are certified grant writers.
So what does that mean, and is it important?
The answer isn’t a short one, but here’s the rundown: Unlike doctors and lawyers, there is no one certifying body for grant writers. As such, there are tons of organizations and schools offering grant writing certification, after training and passing a test. They vary in rigorousness and complexity.
Can a person be a great grant writer without a certification? Yes, absolutely, and many fit just that description. So: Rather than asking a grant writer if they are certified, ask about their relevant experience, knowledge, and successes. That will give you a much better sense of the person’s abilities and accomplishments, and whether they’re a good fit for your organization.
And grant writers, take note. While certification can be a resume-booster and a great way to continue your education, it’s not necessary or required to write grants, and write them well.
Interested in learning more about our grant writing services? Contact us.
Alex S.
02.09.2018 at 01:48I understand the author’s point that an industry certification is no guarantee of competence and that relevant experience, knowledge, and successes are more likely an indication of ability to do a job well. I also understand the point that there is no one governing body for grant writer certification.
At the end of the day it makes me wonder which certifications are most valuable to grant writers. Do some hold more weight? It would be nice to know which adds the most value.
It also seems likely that erring on the side of caution might be a wise move when it comes to deciding whether or not to pursue a certification. It seems that a certification would look great to an employer and almost certainly couldn’t hurt. Just my two cents, I’d like to hear anyone’s thoughts