Funding specialists are professionals who help individuals and organizations acquire funding for projects. These professionals might assist people in receiving grants, which usually are offered to individuals and organizations that want to complete projects that contribute to a community. They might also help businesses gain investors and receive loans from financial institutions. To become a funding specialist, your first step should be to get a solid background in a field such as finance or accounting. Aside from being good with numbers, a person who wants to become a funding specialist also needs to understand the workings of financial institutions, community and government agencies and other associations that are responsible for funding private and public projects.
If you would like to become a funding specialist who works with grants, then you might also need to get an education that is specific to the field in which you would like to work. For instance, if you want to act as a funding specialist who helps artists receive grants, you probably should have some kind of background in art history. You should be familiar with contemporary art movements, and you should understand what certain artists need, in terms of funding and materials, to complete their projects.
Likewise, if you want to become a funding specialist who researches grants for a field such as medical research, you probably should have some background in a relevant medical science. This doesn't necessarily mean that you have to earn a doctorate or even a master's degree in medicine. A background in a field such as public health, however, might be quite valuable for learning about the kinds of research that are most essential within a community.
A person who would like to become a funding specialist in the finance or business world should have a background in economics, finance or accounting. Professionals in this field often work for financial institutions, such as banks and credit unions. They might be responsible for performing credit checks; researching the value of a company, portfolio or individual assets; or even performing market outlooks. In some cases, funding specialists might help clients improve their loan applications.
Any person who wants to become a funding specialist should have excellent communication skills. This kind of person often must describe complex processes to individuals who are unfamiliar with them. Funding specialists also must be able to write clear and concise analyses and statements that explain why a person or organization receives funding or does not.