Analyzing the Effectiveness of AI Grant Writing

WHITE PAPER

Overview

AI is transforming work processes in nearly every industry. Mission-driven organizations are well-positioned to lead in applying it for public good. Within the grant funding landscape, where complexity and fragmentation often slow progress, GrantExec offers a new approach. Our platform streamlines the funding journey with intelligent matching algorithms and research tools that help applicants navigate and organize their grant research more effectively. One aspect of this innovation is GrantGPT—our generative AI assistant—designed to accelerate the writing process by producing tailored draft content aligned with specific funding opportunity announcements (FOAs). Launched in fall 2024 and being iterated upon regularly, GrantGPT delivers measurable time savings across a variety of applicant profiles. This paper outlines the estimated efficiencies based on structured use cases, while highlighting necessary caveats regarding accuracy, review requirements, and the experimental nature of these tools.

Background: Grant Writing Remains a Time-Consuming Endeavor

Depending on size and scope, developing a competitive grant application can take anywhere from 10 to 75+ hours. Time is typically spread across proposal narratives, budgets, logic models, timelines, and attachments. For many smaller organizations, this workload presents a significant barrier to entry—especially given the pressure to comply with exacting funder requirements.

Methodology and Framework

GrantExec modeled time savings based on a 75/15 principle:

• 75% of the required content is generated on first pass using GrantGPT, given proper prompting

• 15% of the original manual effort is needed for review and refinement

These inputs were applied across three representative case types: simple, mid-size, and complex grant applications. These case types are defined below to clarify scope and applicability.

• Simple Applications are typically sought by grassroots nonprofits or small startups applying for under $50,000 in funding. These grants often have brief narrative sections (1–5 pages), standard budget formats, and minimal supporting documentation.

• Mid-Size Applications refer to more competitive or specialized opportunities, such as local government innovation funds, small foundation grants, or academic proposals. Awards generally range from $100,000 to $250,000 and require detailed project plans, work timelines, and multiple stakeholder materials.

• Complex Applications represent technical or federal grants—such as SBIR/STTR, Department of Energy, NIH, or NSF awards—that exceed $500,000. These submissions often demand sophisticated narratives, rigorous evaluation frameworks, and integration of scientific, engineering, or policy expertise across 20–30+ pages.

Case Studies

1. Simple Grant Application

Deliverable	Manual Time	GrantGPT + Review	Time Saved
Narrative / Proposal	10 hrs	3 hrs	7 hrs
Budget Justification	3 hrs	0.75 hr	2.25 hrs
Timeline	1 hr	0.3 hr	0.7 hrs
Org Info / 501(c)(3) Docs	1.5 hrs	0.4 hr	1.1 hrs
Attachments / Forms	1.5 hrs	0.5 hr	1 hr
TOTAL	17 hrs	4.95 hrs	12.05 hrs
Efficiency Gain	—	—	~71% saved

2. Mid-Size Grant Application

Deliverable	Manual Time	GrantGPT + Review	Time Saved
Narrative / Proposal	22.5 hrs	8 hrs	14.5 hrs
Budget Justification	7 hrs	2 hrs	5 hrs
Logic Model / Work Plan	4.5 hrs	1.5 hrs	3 hrs
Timeline	2 hrs	0.6 hr	1.4 hrs
Letters / MOUs	3.5 hrs	1.2 hrs	2.3 hrs
Org Info / IRS Docs	2 hrs	0.6 hr	1.4 hrs
Cover Letter / Summary	1.5 hrs	0.6 hr	0.9 hrs
Forms / Attachments	2.5 hrs	1 hr	1.5 hrs
Evaluation Plan	4.5 hrs	1.5 hrs	3 hrs
TOTAL	50 hrs	17 hrs	33 hrs
Efficiency Gain	—	—	~66% saved

3. Complex Technical Grant Application

Deliverable	Manual Time	GrantGPT + Review	Time Saved
Narrative / Proposal	30 hrs	10 hrs	20 hrs
Budget Justification	10 hrs	2.5 hrs	7.5 hrs
Logic Model / Evaluation Plan	12 hrs	3.5 hrs	8.5 hrs
Gantt + Work Plan	4 hrs	1 hr	3 hrs
Letters / MOUs	5 hrs	1.5 hrs	3.5 hrs
Org Docs + Financials	6 hrs	1.5 hrs	4.5 hrs
Cover Letter / Summary	2 hrs	0.6 hr	1.4 hrs
Forms / Attachments	4 hrs	1.2 hrs	2.8 hrs
TOTAL	73 hrs	21.8 hrs	51.2 hrs
Efficiency Gain	—	—	~70% saved

Interpretation and Caveats

The data suggests a clear pattern of time savings, with GrantGPT reducing workload by approximately two-thirds. However, these findings rest on the assumption that users are familiar with grant content and can critically review AI-generated text. Organizations should treat outputs as strong drafts—not final submissions.

Furthermore, grant requirements vary considerably between sectors, funders, and geographies. While efficiency gains are likely, the absolute time saved may fluctuate based on application complexity, team expertise, and review protocols. For use in high-stakes or regulated environments, human verification remains essential.

Conclusion

Generative AI tools like GrantGPT show promise in enhancing institutional efficiency without sacrificing quality. Early estimates suggest that when integrated responsibly, such tools can reduce grant preparation time by over 50 hours per application. However, caution and accountability remain essential. As adoption grows, so too should rigorous evaluation of effectiveness, transparency in AI usage, and respect for privacy.

GrantExec encourages continued experimentation and feedback from the field to refine how GrantGPT fits into the broader grant development workflow.