Focused research scan
$750–$1,250
A tightly defined question, agreed search boundaries and a concise written synthesis. Appropriate for orientation, background work or a limited evidence scan.
Pricing & Engagements
Clear budgets. Defined scope.
Most projects are quoted according to scope rather than billed as open-ended time. The ranges below are intended to help prospective clients decide whether an inquiry is realistic before investing time in a discussion.
A practical principle
Budget determines scope—not the value of the work.
If you are working within a defined project budget, you are welcome to include it in your inquiry. I can tell you what research, writing or editorial scope is realistically achievable within it.
Final pricing depends on the complexity of the question, volume and condition of the source material, research depth, required deliverables, deadline, and the amount of development needed to produce a strong finished document.
All amounts below are in Canadian dollars. They are typical ranges, not automatic quotes.
Where a larger project is too unclear to quote responsibly, a paid scoping phase may be recommended before the main engagement.
Research & Evidence Synthesis
Research scope should match the question.
Defined research can often be quoted as a project. Exploratory work is better handled in prepaid phases so that unexpected discoveries do not create uncontrolled time or cost.
Evidence synthesis
$1,500–$3,500+
A deeper review and synthesis of literature or source material organized around defined research questions, findings, areas of convergence or disagreement, and important gaps.
Complex / exploratory
From $1,200 / 10 hours
Prepaid research blocks for work where the direction or volume of relevant material cannot reasonably be known in advance. I reassess the work before the approved budget is exhausted so the client can decide whether to complete, narrow or extend the inquiry. Additional blocks proceed only with client authorization.
Grant & Proposal Development
Typical proposal ranges
Grant work is priced according to the actual application requirements and the amount of research, development and supporting material needed.
Smaller, tightly defined application
$900–$1,500
Best suited to a relatively contained application where the organization already has strong program information and supporting material in place.
Standard grant or proposal
$1,500–$3,000
For applications requiring substantive narrative development, supporting evidence, coordination of multiple sections, or significant revision of existing material.
Complex or multi-part proposal
$3,000–$6,000+
For research-intensive, multi-stage or highly detailed proposals with extensive funder requirements, supporting documentation or multiple narrative components.
Important
Grant-writing fees are never contingent on a funding decision.
Fees are payment for the professional work performed, regardless of whether the application is approved.
Substantive & Developmental Editing
Document-level work is quoted after review.
Editing scope varies substantially with document length, condition, complexity and the degree of restructuring required.
Complex Document Diagnostic
From $450
A focused assessment of the principal structural and editorial issues, priorities and recommended path forward before a larger engagement is undertaken.
Substantive / developmental editing
Most projects begin at $750
Final pricing is quoted after review of the approximate length, intended audience and purpose, and a representative sample where appropriate.
Payment structure
How engagements are paid.
Smaller projects are generally prepaid in full.
Larger projects use agreed progress payments, beginning with a substantial payment before substantive work begins.
Recurring organizational work may be arranged through a prepaid retainer where that structure makes sense.
I do not accept in-kind compensation.
Additional work outside the agreed scope is quoted separately rather than silently added to the engagement. A genuinely new research question or deliverable is new work, not a revision to the original assignment.
Scope control
Good research sometimes changes the question.
If a significant new line of inquiry emerges, I identify it before expanding the agreed work. The client can then decide whether to authorize additional research, narrow the deliverable, or leave the new issue for another phase.
Defined question
The project begins with a clear purpose and agreed scope.
Defined budget
The work is structured to fit an agreed financial boundary.
Paid expansion
New research directions are not silently absorbed into the original fee.
Defined deliverable
The client knows what the engagement is expected to produce.
Working within a particular budget?
Include the approximate budget and the result you need in your inquiry. I can tell you what scope is realistic and whether the project is a good fit.