AI & Technology•13 min read

AI Grant Writing Assistants: Can They Really Draft Winning Proposals?

An honest assessment of AI-powered grant writing tools in 2025—what they do well, where they fall short, and how to use them effectively to win more funding.

The Short Answer

Can AI write a complete winning grant proposal by itself? No. Not yet.

Can AI assist experienced grant writers to produce better proposals faster? Yes—dramatically.

Can AI help novice grant writers create professional-quality proposals? Yes, with proper human review and editing.

AI grant writing tools have evolved rapidly since 2023. They're now sophisticated enough to be genuinely useful—but they're assistants, not replacements for human expertise. Here's what you need to know.

What AI Grant Writing Tools Actually Do

Modern AI grant assistants (like Expirely's AI Writer, Instrumentl's drafting tool, and GrantExec's GrantGPT) offer several capabilities:

1. Section-by-Section Drafting

AI can generate first drafts of specific proposal sections (needs statement, program description, evaluation plan, budget justification) based on your organization's information and the funder's priorities.

2. Smart Content Suggestions

AI analyzes your past successful proposals and suggests relevant content when writing new applications. If you previously wrote a strong outcomes section for Grant A, AI will recommend adapting it for Grant B.

3. Funder-Specific Tailoring

AI studies foundation priorities, past grantees, and focus areas to customize language. If Foundation X prioritizes "evidence-based interventions," AI ensures that terminology appears naturally in your proposal.

4. Editing and Refinement

AI can strengthen weak sections by suggesting more compelling language, adding data citations, improving clarity, and ensuring alignment with funder values.

5. Question Answering

Chat-based AI assistants answer grant-writing questions in real-time: "What should go in a logic model?" or "How do I write a strong evaluation plan?"

What AI Can't Do (Yet)

Create Authentic Organizational Story

AI doesn't know your nonprofit's unique origin story, community relationships, or client testimonials. It will generate generic narratives unless you feed it specific details.

Conduct Original Research

AI can't gather new data, conduct community needs assessments, or interview stakeholders. It works only with information you provide or that exists online.

Understand Nuanced Funder Relationships

If your board member knows the foundation's program officer personally, or if you've had prior communication that changed their priorities, AI won't know that context.

Fact-Check Itself

AI can "hallucinate" statistics, citations, or program details. Every AI-generated claim must be verified by a human before submission.

Handle Complex Budget Calculations

While AI can draft budget narratives, detailed multi-year budgets with fringe benefits, indirect costs, and cost-sharing still require human expertise and spreadsheet tools.

Real Success Stories

Case Study 1: First-Time Grant Writer

Organization: Small animal shelter in rural Ohio (3-person staff)

Challenge: Never written a grant before, applying for $25,000 community foundation grant

AI Tool Used: Expirely AI Grant Assistant

Process:

  1. 1. Uploaded organization info and past annual reports to AI system
  2. 2. AI generated section-by-section drafts (needs statement, program description, outcomes)
  3. 3. Executive Director spent 6 hours editing and personalizing AI drafts
  4. 4. Local volunteer grant writer reviewed final version (2 hours)

✓ Result: Grant awarded ($25,000). Time saved: ~20 hours compared to writing from scratch.

Case Study 2: Experienced Grant Writer

Organization: Youth development nonprofit in Atlanta ($5M budget)

Challenge: Managing 15+ concurrent grant applications with 2-person development team

AI Tool Used: GrantExec's GrantGPT

Process:

  • • Used AI to generate first drafts of repetitive sections (organization history, mission, past accomplishments)
  • • AI automatically tailored language to match each funder's priorities based on past grants
  • • Development Director focused creative energy on unique program sections and relationships

✓ Result: Submitted all 15 applications on time. Won 9 grants ($620K total). 40% time savings.

Best Practices for Using AI Grant Writers

The 70/30 Rule

Let AI do 70% of the heavy lifting, but humans must contribute the critical 30%.

AI's 70%: Foundation Work

  • • First draft generation
  • • Research and citation suggestions
  • • Language refinement
  • • Funder priority alignment
  • • Structure and formatting

Human's 30%: Critical Value-Add

  • • Authentic storytelling
  • • Fact verification
  • • Relationship context
  • • Strategic positioning
  • • Final quality review

✓ DO: Use AI for Initial Drafts

Let AI overcome the "blank page problem." It's much easier to edit and improve an AI draft than to write from scratch, especially for standard sections like organizational background.

✓ DO: Feed AI Specific Context

The more detailed information you provide (past grant reports, program data, beneficiary stories), the better AI's output. Generic inputs produce generic results.

✓ DO: Verify Every Fact and Statistic

Never submit AI-generated claims without verification. Check dates, numbers, citations, and any specific statements about your programs or outcomes.

✗ DON'T: Submit AI Content Without Editing

AI prose can sound formulaic or generic. Always add personal touches, specific examples, and authentic voice before submitting.

✗ DON'T: Rely on AI for Budget Development

Budgets require precise calculations, institutional knowledge, and compliance understanding. Use human expertise for financial sections.

✗ DON'T: Use AI for Highly Competitive Applications

For flagship grants ($500K+) or ultra-competitive opportunities, invest in expert human grant writers. AI-assisted proposals work best for small-to-medium grants.

Top AI Grant Writing Tools in 2025

Expirely AI Grant Assistant

BEST VALUE

$49/month • Section-by-section guidance • Learns from past proposals • 41,000+ foundation database included

Best for: Small nonprofits needing discovery + writing in one affordable tool

GrantExec GrantGPT

$799/month • Most advanced AI writing • Full proposal generation • Expert grant writer access

Best for: Organizations prioritizing premium AI writing quality and expert support

Grantable

$19-$49/month • AI writing only (no grant discovery) • Answer library • Collaboration features

Best for: Organizations that already have grant discovery solved and need only writing assistance

Instrumentl AI Drafts

$399/month • Quick draft generation (5 min) • Integrated with 400,000+ grant database • Advanced matching

Best for: Established nonprofits with larger budgets needing comprehensive platform

The Bottom Line

AI grant writing assistants are genuinely useful in 2025—but they're best viewed as productivity tools, not magic solutions.

For small nonprofits with limited staff, AI can democratize access to professional grant writing. What once required hiring a $5,000 consultant can now be done with a $49/month tool and 10-15 hours of staff time.

For experienced grant writers, AI eliminates busywork and lets you focus creative energy on storytelling, strategy, and relationships—the parts that truly win grants.

Try AI-Assisted Grant Writing

Expirely's AI Grant Assistant learns from your past successful proposals and helps you write faster. Combined with grant discovery for just $49/month.