So, I've been writing grants as a volunteer for nonprofits and for my job for years, with a good deal of success. Today I was asked to consider doing it freelance for a client for pay, and I don't have any ideas on going rates. Anyone out there have any perspective, either from the point of view of a grantwriter or someone who has hired them?
Background:
I have not quite ten years' experience, a good though not perfect track record, and a relevant PhD. I've gotten a number of national foundation grants funded, but I've lost out on a couple, too, and the ones funded are small for national grants (five figures). The field I'd be writing in is similar to the one I'm most familiar with, but not an exact match. For government grants, I've written a couple of state-level and one federal grant, but no funding. I do know how the system works, though; I've served as a reviewer for state-level government grants.
This client doesn't seem to know much at all about seeking grant funding and doesn't yet have a reputation with funders as a grant recipient, but they are a major figure in the industry in question. There won't be any concern that they can carry out projects, but there aren't any pre-established relationships with funders, either.
So, what's a reasonable rate? Any thoughts on how to convince them it's reasonable? I'm not fully clear on what they want and have agreed to send a list of three or four potential funding sources so we can hopefully have something concrete to talk about. I'm doing this for free in part because I have a relationship with a foundation that has an interest in this client and asked me to consider working on this, that and it really won't take a lot of time.