How to apply for Grant Writer (Europe)

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 clients across Europe, the US, Canada, Australia, and emerging markets. The company is fully remote and states a commitment to equitable access to climate funding and developing the next generation of climate finance leaders.

About the role

This contract grant writer role involves partnering with climate innovators to develop competitive applications for EU and national grant funding. You will advise clients on project design and commercialization plans, shape partnership strategies, and draft technical narratives, work plans, and budget justifications. Contractors who deliver consistently are considered for the Grant Development Lead role.

A typical day

A typical day likely involves drafting sections of one or more EU or national grant proposals, coordinating with senior staff and the Director of Grants on project design, and preparing budget justifications or letters of commitment. You would also advise climate technology clients on commercialization plans and partnership strategies, all while managing deadlines across several proposals in a fully remote setup.

Who Climate Finance Solutions is looking for

• Experience drafting complex technical narratives, work plans, budget justifications, and letters of commitment for EU or national public funding programs.
• Ability to manage multiple proposal projects at once while maintaining quality and meeting tight deadlines.
• Comfort working with senior staff, a Director of Grants, other grant writers, and an administrative team in a fully remote setup.
• Background or strong interest in climate technology and commercialization planning, since the role involves advising clients on project design and partnership strategies.

Tips for this application

• In your application, name specific EU or national grant programs you have written for and the funding amounts involved. CFS works on large-scale public funding, so generic grant experience is less relevant.
• Show that you understand the full proposal development process, not just writing: project design, document preparation, and submission. Give one example where you contributed to more than the narrative.
• Because this is a contract role with a path to Grant Development Lead, state your availability and capacity for multiple simultaneous proposals. CFS explicitly values contractors who deliver consistently.
• Reference the $1.6 billion in secured funding and the company's focus on climate technology clients. Tie your experience to climate or deep-tech proposals if you have it.
• Keep your materials direct and evidence-based. This is a writing job, so your application itself is a work sample. Avoid vague claims about being passionate about climate.

What to cover in your cover letter

['Specific EU or national grant programs you have written for, with outcomes or funding secured where possible.', 'Your experience drafting technical narratives, work plans, and budget justifications, and how you handled multiple deadlines at once.', 'Any experience advising clients on project design, commercialization plans, or partnership strategies, since this goes beyond writing.', 'Your capacity and interest in a contract role, and your interest in the Grant Development Lead path for consistent performers.']

Research before applying

• Review CFS's website and any public materials on the clients and funding programs they work with, especially in Europe.
• Look up the main EU funding programs relevant to climate technology, such as Horizon Europe and the Innovation Fund, and understand their basic structure and requirements.
• Check the backgrounds of the Director of Grants and senior staff on LinkedIn to understand the team's expertise and proposal types.
• Find examples of CFS client wins or public announcements to understand the scale and type of funding they target.

Likely interview topics

Based on the job description, expect questions about:

• Walk through a proposal you wrote for an EU or national funding program from project design to submission. What was your role at each stage?
• How do you manage multiple proposals with tight deadlines? Give a specific example of how you prioritized and what you delivered.
• How would you advise a climate technology client on structuring a project and commercialization plan to improve their funding chances?
• Describe a time you drafted a budget justification or work plan that had to align with a complex set of funder requirements.
• Why do you want to work at a consultancy serving multiple clients rather than in-house at one company, and how do you handle the pace?

Common mistakes to avoid

• Submitting generic grant writing samples or experience that is not tied to EU or national public funding programs.
• Describing the role as only writing. CFS states the job includes project design, client advising, and partnership strategy.
• Ignoring the contract nature of the role or failing to state availability and capacity for multiple simultaneous proposals.