How Do Nonprofit Proposal Writers Learn Their Jobs? Results of a Nationwide Survey and Interviews

Journal of Business and Technical Communication Apr 2025

How Do Nonprofit Proposal Writers Learn Their Jobs? Results of a Nationwide Survey and Interviews

Sarah K. Gunning Towson University

Abstract

This article responds to the need for studies on the proposal-writing process within nonprofit organizations. The few empirical studies within the technical communication field and nonprofit studies have focused on job satisfaction and compensation rather than the writing process. Based on a nationwide survey ( n = 580) and interviews ( n = 18) of members of several professional organizations for proposal writers, this study describes the differences between academic and nonprofit proposal writers, writers’ experiences learning their job duties, and how long it takes to feel confident in their position. The study also reports three areas of study that writers said are important to their job: research methods, project management, and personnel management. The author provides suggestions to professors of proposal-writing coursework and recommends that they pair with local professional organizations to develop strong connections with the profession.

Journal: Journal of Business and Technical Communication
Published: 2025-04-01
DOI: 10.1177/10506519241307786
Open Access: Closed
Topics: writing across the curriculum empirical research technical communication

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