How to apply for Grant Writer (Canada)

About Climate Finance Solutions

Climate Finance Solutions is a global consultancy that has secured over $1.6 billion in non-dilutive funding for climate technology companies. The firm works across Canada, the US, Europe, Australia, and emerging markets, helping clients win federal and provincial grants. It is fully remote and promotes from within, with strong contractors considered for a Grant Development Lead role.

About the role

As a grant writer, you will partner with climate innovators to design projects and write competitive applications for federal and provincial funding. You will draft technical narratives, work plans, budget justifications, and letters of commitment while supporting multiple proposals under tight deadlines. The work directly affects whether climate technology companies secure the large-scale funding they need to develop and scale solutions.

A typical day

A typical day might involve drafting sections of a federal grant proposal, coordinating with a client on their commercialization plan, and reviewing a budget justification with senior staff. You could also be preparing a letter of commitment, tracking deadlines for multiple proposals, and joining a remote team call to align on project design. The pace is fast, and deadlines are tight, so you will switch between writing, client communication, and internal coordination throughout the day.

Who Climate Finance Solutions is looking for

• Has experience writing complex grant proposals for federal or provincial programs in Canada, ideally for climate, energy, or technology projects.
• Can manage several proposal projects at once and consistently meet tight submission deadlines without sacrificing quality.
• Is comfortable drafting technical narratives, work plans, budget justifications, and letters of commitment with input from senior staff and clients.
• Understands project design, commercialization plans, and partnership strategies enough to advise climate innovators on improving their funding chances.
• Works well in a fully remote, fast-paced team and communicates clearly with senior staff, the Director of Grants, other writers, and administrative staff.

Tips for this application

• Use your cover letter to name specific Canadian federal or provincial grant programs you have written for, such as SDTC, IRAP, or provincial cleantech funds, and state the results.
• Show you can handle multiple proposals at once by listing how many grant applications you managed simultaneously and your success rate or funding amounts secured.
• Mention any experience with climate technology, energy, or commercialization plans, since CFS clients are climate innovators seeking non-dilutive funding.
• Address the remote and contract nature of the role directly. Explain how you stay organized and meet deadlines without an office.
• If you want to be considered for the Grant Development Lead role later, say so in your application and give examples of leading proposals or coordinating teams.

What to cover in your cover letter

Focus on your track record writing federal and provincial grant proposals in Canada, especially for climate or technology clients. Highlight your ability to manage multiple proposals at once and meet tight deadlines. Explain how you have helped shape project design, commercialization plans, or partnership strategies to improve funding outcomes. Show that you understand CFS works with climate technology companies and that you can draft technical narratives, work plans, and budget justifications.

Research before applying

• Review CFS's website and any public case studies to see which Canadian grant programs they have won funding from and for what types of climate technology.
• Look up the specific federal and provincial grant programs mentioned in the job description, such as federal cleantech funds and provincial innovation grants, and note their deadlines and requirements.
• Check the LinkedIn profiles of current CFS grant writers or the Director of Grants to understand their backgrounds and the clients they serve.
• Find recent news about Canadian climate technology funding to see what projects are being funded and how CFS might fit in.

Likely interview topics

Based on the job description, expect questions about:

• Walk us through a federal or provincial grant proposal you wrote from project design to submission. What was your role and what was the result?
• How do you manage multiple proposals with overlapping deadlines? Give a specific example.
• Describe a time you advised a client on project design or a commercialization plan. How did your input affect the application?
• What Canadian federal and provincial grant programs do you know well, and how do their requirements differ?
• How would you approach drafting a technical narrative for a climate technology company you are not familiar with?

Common mistakes to avoid

• Submitting a generic cover letter that does not mention Canadian federal or provincial grant programs or climate technology.
• Claiming grant writing experience without giving specific examples of programs, funding amounts, or outcomes.
• Ignoring the contract nature of the role or failing to address how you will handle remote work and tight deadlines.