The first step toward becoming a grant writer in animal welfare is learning the basics of grant writing and gaining experience writing and submitting grants. Animal Grant Writing Academy: Grant Writing Essentials is a course designed to help you build and practice this skill set.

As a student in this course, you won't just learn about grant writing. You'll work through the entire grant process with a real animal-related nonprofit, from grant readiness and research through writing and submission, while building a system you can later replicate with paying clients.

Can Animal Grant Writing Become Paid Work?

Yes, grant writing can become paid freelance or consulting work. As someone who supports myself as an animal grant writer, I (Stephanie) am living proof! But building a successful business takes more than simply wanting to help animals.

Before you can confidently approach potential clients and help them, you need to understand the grant-writing process, manage a grant campaign, develop strong writing and research skills, and start building a track record.

Animal Grant Writer Academy: Grant Writing Essentials is designed to help you build that.

By the end of this self-paced program, you'll have worked through the grant process with an animal-related nonprofit and developed a repeatable system you can use with future organizations. You'll also have tools, templates, deliverables, practical experience, and a Certificate of Completion from Grants 4 Animals to help demonstrate that you have specialized training in animal grant writing.

The course does not guarantee clients, grant awards, or a particular level of income. But it does provide is the foundation you need to begin pursuing paid opportunities with greater knowledge, experience, and confidence.

What you'll get:

• Over 40 self-paced lessons designed to give you the knowledge and guidance to run a successful grant-writing campaign for clients from start to finish.
• Over 10 customizable downloads to use as you build your own system for clients, including templates for letters of inquiry and project budgets.
• License to use the tools and templates with multiple nonprofit clients.
• Tools and instructions for researching grants.
• A list of vetted grants with a history of giving awards to animal-related nonprofits to jumpstart your research.
• Narrative examples and considerations specifically tailored to animal-related nonprofits.
• One free asynchronous grant review of your polished grant draft(s) (one or two applications/LOIs) so you can improve your craft ($199 value).
• The opportunity to access a list of organizations looking for a grant-writing volunteer so you can work through the course material and gain practical experience. (You can also work through the course on behalf of an organization of your choice.)

Students will also have opportunities to apply for or participate in Animal Grant Writer Academy: Freelance and Consulting Mentorship, our Preferred Partner Network, and other Grants 4 Animals programs. When space is limited, current and former students may receive priority consideration and early access to these opportunities.

The Skills You'll Take With You

After you work through this course, you'll be able to do all of the following: 

• Assess an organization's grant readiness and guide nonprofits through the process of becoming grant-ready and preparing to embark on a sustained grant-writing campaign.
• Research good-fit grants for animal welfare organizations.
• Develop all components of LOIs and grant applications, including narratives and budgets.
• Help an organization manage and report on a grant campaign.

You Can Learn Grant Writing for Free. So Why Invest in This Course?

Yes, there is plenty of free information about grant writing online. But finding information is not the same as building a professional, replicable skill set.

Animal Grant Writing Academy: Grant Writing Essentials is designed to give you a clear, structured pathway from learning to doing. Instead of piecing together advice from different sources, you'll learn a complete grant-writing process specifically tailored to animal-related nonprofits, practice that process with a real organization, receive feedback on your work, and build tools and systems you can use again with future clients.

You're not simply paying for information. You're investing in:

• A proven process you can follow from grant readiness through research and writing across multiple clients.
• Animal-specific examples, resources, and considerations.
• Customizable tools and templates you are licensed to use with multiple nonprofit clients.
• An opportunity to gain hands-on experience with an animal-related nonprofit.
• Professional feedback on your own grant writing.
• A system you can replicate as you begin working with additional organizations.

If you're serious about becoming an animal grant writer, this course is designed to help you move beyond just wanting to do it and start building the skills and experience to actually do the work.

Who is this for? 

This course may be a strong fit if you are serious about exploring animal grant writing as a professional skill and are ready to put time and effort into learning the work.

This course is for you if:

• You want to combine your writing, research, organization, and problem-solving skills with your passion for helping animals.
• You want practical experience, not just information about grant writing.
• You're struggling to get your foot in the door because you don't yet have experience working with animal-related nonprofits.
• You've taken general grant-writing training but want instruction, examples, and resources specifically relevant to animal welfare.
• You want a structured system and professional tools you can eventually use with multiple nonprofit clients.
• You're willing to invest both time and resources into developing a marketable professional skill.

This course is probably not the right fit if:

• You're looking for a quick or passive way to make money.
• You aren't prepared to complete coursework and practice grant writing with a nonprofit organization.
• You're looking exclusively for free resources and are not ready to invest in professional development.
• You want guaranteed clients, grant awards, or income after completing the program.
• You're primarily interested in writing grants for one nonprofit organization rather than developing skills to work with multiple organizations. (In that case, the Train Your Own Grant Writer course may be the better fit.)

How is this Different from Other Grant Writing Courses?

This is not your typical grant writing course for two main reasons.

1. This course is designed and facilitated by me (Stephanie), the Founder and CEO of Grants 4 Animals. I bring with me 20 years of educational experience, including a Master's in Curriculum and Education. This means I know about lesson design, scaffolding, and strategies to present information in a way that is understandable yet advanced. In addition, I have 15 years of grant-writing experience in both education and animal welfare. In under 5 years, I have helped clients earn, manage, and report on over $6 million in grants, all for animal-related nonprofits. My experience as an educator and a successful grant writer in the animal space means I can guide you every step of the way.

2. When you complete this course, you will have multiple skills and tools to help you succeed beyond the curriculum. You simply won't find this content or these opportunities by piecing together random YouTube videos.

• Real-world practice rather than theory alone.
• Templates licensed for use across multiple clients.
• Individual review of your grant-writing work.
• A route to getting the experience employers/clients want you to already have.

Access and Early Sign-Up Benefits

Early registration for this course is now open. Access begins on October 5th. If you sign up before midnight on October 4th, you will get these early registration perks:

• Free registration for our November Leading the Pack Webinar ($29 value)
• $100 off course registration (Use code EARLYBIRD)

Starting October 5, 2026, you'll be able to log into the course and start your journey to becoming an animal grant writer!

Let's Get Started!

Your dream of becoming an animal grant writer will not manifest out of thin air. If you're serious about starting this journey, you need a plan, a system, and clear action steps. Animal Grant Writing Academy: Grant Writing Essentials will provide this structure and set you up for success. I can't wait to see you inside!