Application Guide

How to Apply for Grant Writer (contract position)

at The Acceleration Project

🏢 About The Acceleration Project

The Acceleration Project (TAP) is a mission-driven nonprofit that directly empowers under-resourced small business owners through high-impact strategic support. With over 11,000 businesses served and a focus on economic independence, TAP offers a chance to make tangible, community-level change. As a remote-first organization, it values flexibility while driving meaningful outcomes for entrepreneurs lacking access to traditional resources.

About This Role

As a Grant Writer contractor, you'll be the voice that secures funding for TAP's vital programs, translating their impact into compelling proposals. Your work directly enables TAP to expand its reach, deepen support for small businesses, and sustain its mission. This role is ideal for a skilled storyteller who wants to leverage their writing for social good, with a manageable weekly commitment of ~7 hours.

💡 A Day in the Life

A typical day might involve reviewing a new grant opportunity, drafting a letter of inquiry or proposal narrative, and coordinating with TAP's program staff to gather updated metrics and success stories. You'd also update the content library with new boilerplate and track deadlines in a shared calendar, ensuring all submissions are polished and aligned with TAP's strategic goals.

🚀 Application Tools

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Interview Prep

Practice questions for this role

🎯 Who The Acceleration Project Is Looking For

  • Experienced in grant writing for nonprofits, particularly those focused on economic development, small business support, or community empowerment, with a proven track record of securing funding.
  • A strong storyteller who can craft persuasive narratives around data and impact, and who enjoys collaborating with program staff to gather compelling case studies and metrics.
  • Organized and detail-oriented, able to maintain a library of boilerplate content and manage multiple deadlines for proposals and reports.
  • Passionate about TAP's mission of supporting under-resourced entrepreneurs and comfortable working in a fast-paced, impact-driven environment.

📝 Tips for Applying to The Acceleration Project

1

Tailor your cover letter to highlight specific experience with economic development or small business nonprofits, and mention any grant writing successes for similar missions.

2

Showcase your ability to distill complex program data into compelling stories—include a brief example of a past grant narrative that drove results.

3

Demonstrate familiarity with TAP's impact metrics (11,000+ businesses, 100,000+ lives touched) and explain how you would leverage these in proposals.

4

Since this is a contract role, clarify your availability and capacity to work ~7 hours/week with potential for more, emphasizing flexibility.

5

Submit a writing sample that is a grant proposal or LOI you authored, ideally related to community or economic development, to prove your storytelling and strategic skills.

✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter

["Emphasize your passion for TAP's mission of empowering under-resourced small business owners and your understanding of the challenges they face.", 'Highlight your experience in grant research, writing, and submission, with specific examples of funded proposals and the strategies you used.', 'Show your collaborative approach—how you work with program staff and finance to gather data and craft accurate, compelling narratives.', 'Mention your organizational skills in maintaining a content library and managing deadlines for multiple grants simultaneously.']

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🔍 Research Before Applying

To stand out, make sure you've researched:

  • → Review TAP's website and annual reports to understand their program models, key metrics, and recent successes (e.g., number of businesses served, revenue impact).
  • → Explore their blog or news section for case studies of small business owners they've helped—this will inform your storytelling.
  • → Look up current funders (foundations, corporations) to understand the types of grants they typically pursue and tailor your approach.
  • → Research the broader landscape of small business support nonprofits to see how TAP differentiates itself and what funding trends are relevant.
Visit The Acceleration Project's Website →

💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics

Based on this role, you may be asked about:

1 How would you approach researching and identifying new grant opportunities aligned with TAP's mission?
2 Describe a time you had to distill complex program outcomes into a concise, persuasive grant narrative. What was your process?
3 How do you prioritize and manage multiple grant deadlines, especially with a limited weekly commitment?
4 What experience do you have working remotely and collaborating with teams across different functions?
5 How would you ensure TAP's unique impact stories (e.g., helping a specific small business owner) are effectively integrated into proposals?
Practice Interview Questions →

⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Submitting a generic cover letter that doesn't mention TAP's specific mission or impact—this signals lack of genuine interest.
  • Overlooking the need for a writing sample; always include a relevant grant proposal or LOI to demonstrate your skills.
  • Failing to address the contract nature and weekly hour commitment—be upfront about your availability and flexibility.

📅 Application Timeline

This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.

Typical hiring timeline:

1

Application Review

1-2 weeks

2

Initial Screening

Phone call or written assessment

3

Interviews

1-2 rounds, usually virtual

✓

Offer

Congratulations!

Ready to Apply?

Good luck with your application to The Acceleration Project!

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