Federal grant writing
Federal grant writers for US startups and growing companies
We write SBIR, STTR and agency R&D proposals for NSF, NIH, DoD, DOE, NASA and ARPA-H, across every sector from software and advanced manufacturing to life sciences and energy. PhD-level writers, review panel experience, and a fixed fee agreed before we start.
The short answer
- A federal grant writer plans, writes and submits proposals to agencies such as NSF, NIH, DoD, DOE and NASA, writing directly to each agency's published scoring criteria.
- Most federal awards to startups come through SBIR and STTR, so a federal grant writer working with early-stage companies spends most of their time on those two programs.
- Fees usually run $5,000 to $25,000 per proposal with a freelancer, or a fixed engagement fee plus a success fee with a full-service firm.
- GrantUp Inc. is a US federal grant writing team whose writers hold PhDs, have sat on review panels, and have won more than $240M in grant funding.
What our federal grant writers produce
Federal reviewers score against published criteria. Every element below is written and checked with those criteria in front of us.
Technical volume
Significance, innovation, research plan and milestones, written by a specialist in your scientific or engineering field.
Commercialization plan
Market sizing, customer discovery evidence, competitive position and the path from award to revenue.
Budget and justification
Direct costs, indirect rates, subawards and consultants, built to match the narrative line for line.
Supporting documents
Biosketches, facilities and equipment, letters of support, data management plans and agency-specific forms.
Registrations and compliance
SAM.gov, UEI, eRA Commons and SBIR.gov readiness, then formatting and compliance QA before submission.
Resubmission strategy
Reviewer feedback analysed section by section, then the application rebuilt around what the panel actually asked for.
Federal grant writing by agency
Each agency reads proposals differently. We match your technology and readiness level to the program where it scores highest, then write to that program's rules.
NSF SBIR / STTR
Project Pitch, Phase I around $305K, Phase II up to $1M.
NIH SBIR / STTR
Study sections, Specific Aims and resubmission strategy.
DoD SBIR / STTR
Topic-based bidding, dual-use framing and Direct to Phase II.
DOE SBIR / STTR
Letters of Intent, program areas and topic-cycle timing.
NASA SBIR / STTR
Subtopics, mission directorates and infusion planning.
ARPA-H & CDMRP
Open BAAs, program manager pitches and two-tier review.
Why founders choose GrantUp
$240M+ won
Grant funding secured by our team across hundreds of successful federal applications.
PhDs and ex-reviewers
Writers matched to your discipline who have scored proposals from the panel side.
Every major agency
NSF, NIH, DoD, DOE, NASA, USDA, DHS, NIST, ARPA-H and BARDA, monitored continuously.
3 to 5 hours of your time
We write the narrative, budget, justification and supporting documents end to end.
Compare the options first in our guide to choosing an SBIR consultant and our grant writing services and pricing.
Federal grant writer questions
What does a federal grant writer do?
A federal grant writer selects the best-fit solicitation, frames your project against the agency's published review criteria, writes the technical narrative and commercialization plan, builds the budget and justification, prepares supporting documents, and runs compliance checks before submission.
How much does a federal grant writer cost?
Freelance federal grant writers typically charge $5,000 to $25,000 per proposal, and hourly consultants charge $75 to $250 per hour. Full-service firms usually quote a fixed engagement fee plus a success fee payable on award. GrantUp quotes a fixed fee after a free eligibility call.
Do I need a federal grant writer to win SBIR funding?
Companies do win without one, and it usually takes 80 to 200 hours of founder and PI time. A specialist writer is worth it when your team is small, the deadline is close, or the science is strong but the commercialization and compliance work is unfamiliar.
Which federal agencies fund small businesses?
Eleven federal agencies run SBIR programs, with the largest budgets at the Department of Defense, NIH, the Department of Energy, NSF and NASA. USDA, DHS, NIST, the Department of Education, DOT and EPA run smaller programs suited to specific technologies.
How long does a federal grant proposal take to write?
Plan on four to eight weeks of calendar time for a competitive Phase I, and longer for Phase II. Registrations such as SAM.gov can take several weeks on their own, so start those before the solicitation you want opens.
Can a federal grant writer help after the award?
Yes. Post-award work includes reporting requirements, budget rebudgeting, no-cost extensions, Phase II planning and positioning for follow-on funding. GrantUp supports clients through the full award lifecycle.
Working with a university partner? Read about our STTR grant writers or see how to apply for an SBIR grant step by step.
Talk to a federal grant writer this week
Book a free 30-minute eligibility call. We will tell you which federal programs fit your technology and give you a fixed quote before any work begins.