Grant writing invoice template
Grant writing invoice template billed by the hour: funder research, the application narrative, budget and attachments, and revisions, with the programme named.
Templates by industry
- Funder research and eligibility check
- Drafting the application narrative
- Budget table and attachments
- Revisions after internal review
Preparation guide
Example workflow
Confirm scope and quantities
Example: reconcile the approval and work record for "Funder research and eligibility check" to establish the quantity for this invoice.
Record delivery and acceptance
Check completion for every line, including "Revisions after internal review". Hand over the final report or activity record with the versions of the inputs reviewed.
Send the billing record
Send the final charges, delivery reference and due date to the customer, then reconcile payment against the invoice number.
Charities, research groups and small companies often hire a writer to prepare a funding application against a hard deadline. The work runs in stages: finding programmes they qualify for, writing the narrative, building the budget and gathering attachments, then revising after the board or the director has read it. This template bills the hours of each stage, names the programme and its deadline, and keeps the fee independent of the funder's decision.
Fields to prepare
- Deliverables and line items
- Funder research and eligibility check, Drafting the application narrative, Budget table and attachments, Revisions after internal review: record the quantities actually supplied and the service period.
- Funder research and eligibility check
- List the programmes reviewed and why the chosen one fits; research on programmes dropped early still counts if that was agreed.
- Drafting the application narrative
- Name the sections drafted and the word or page limit the funder sets.
- Budget table and attachments
- Say who supplied the budget figures; you assemble them, the applicant stands behind them.
- Revisions after internal review
- Bill revision hours per round of comments and give the date of each round.
- Assignment and inputs
- Identify the subject, source versions, and the inputs the client will supply with their due dates.
- Time and completion basis
- State the hourly or fixed-fee basis, meeting allowance, output format and review rounds.
- Scope to agree
- Bill hours by stage of the application, name the programme and its deadline, and keep the fee separate from whether the grant is awarded.
Before sending
- Does “Funder research and eligibility check” show the quantity actually supplied, not the quantity first quoted?
- Is “Drafting the application narrative” charged at the rate the customer agreed to, with any change approved?
- Is “Budget table and attachments” finished and accepted, or does it belong on a later invoice?
Show 4 more
- Does “Revisions after internal review” show the quantity actually supplied, not the quantity first quoted?
- Check whether meeting preparation and follow-up revisions are included in the fee.
- Name the person who can approve additional research or a change in scope.
- Match completed work to the order or approval record, and confirm the payment due date and amounts already received.
Worked example with sample figures
The figures below are invented to show how the template adds up: 4 lines in USD, with an example tax rate of 8%.
| Item | Hours × rate | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Funder research and eligibility check | 4 × $70.00 | $280.00 |
| Drafting the application narrative | 12 × $70.00 | $840.00 |
| Budget table and attachments | 5 × $70.00 | $350.00 |
| Revisions after internal review | 3 × $70.00 | $210.00 |
| Subtotal | $1,680.00 | |
| Sales tax (8%) | $134.40 | |
| Total | $1,814.40 | |
Net amount $1,680.00, sales tax $134.40, total payable $1,814.40.
- Hours in total: 24.
What the document must show
The details an invoice has to show, and why each one matters, are set out in the guide below.
The sales tax depends on where the work is supplied, so set the rate that applies to your customer before sending.
Official rate reference: US government: state and local taxes
Full requirements: How to write an invoice: a step-by-step example
Frequently asked questions
Can I charge a percentage of the grant if it is awarded?
Many funders do not allow application costs to be paid from the grant or as a success fee. Check the programme rules before agreeing to it, and keep this invoice to the hours worked.
The application was not funded. Is the invoice still due?
Yes. The hours paid for the work of preparing the application, not for the decision. Send the invoice on the dates agreed, whatever the outcome.
How is the sales tax worked out on this invoice?
The worked example above uses an example rate of 8%: $134.40 on a net amount of $1,680.00, for a total of $1,814.40. The editor recalculates all three when you change a quantity, a price or the country.
Is this template free?
Yes. You can fill in this template and print it or save it as a PDF without an account, and there is no payment step and no watermark on the document. Saving it to your account and downloading Excel or Word files need a free account.
Can I download it as Excel, Word or PDF?
Yes. A PDF needs no account: fill in the template and use Print / PDF. The Excel and Word files download from this page with a free account, and the spreadsheet keeps its formulas, so changing a quantity updates the tax and the total.
Read next
Reading for the Grant writing invoice template: How to write an invoice: a step-by-step example and Invoice numbering: sequences and corrections. The VAT and GST calculator works out the tax line for you.