Grant Writing & Funding

In this episode, Holly Rustick sits down with Ashia Stevens to discuss how to strengthen your nonprofit from the inside out by building a committed board, increasing product-based revenue, and organizing impactful fundraisers. Ashia shares how her passion for animals led her to create a growing nonprofit and the strategies she’s used to expand its reach and sustainability. The conversation dives into practical ways to engage board members more effectively, develop income streams through product sales, and plan fundraisers that not only bring in revenue but also build community support. Whether you're looking to energize your leadership team or diversify your funding, this episode offers actionable insights to help your nonprofit thrive.ABOUT OUR GUESTAshia Stevens is the founder of a mission-driven animal nonprofit, where she has turned her passion for helping animals into a growing and impactful organization. With hands-on experience in nonprofit leadership, fundraising, and community engagement, Ashia focuses on building strong boards, creating sustainable revenue streams through product sales, and organizing successful fundraising events. Her work is rooted in compassion, innovation, and a deep commitment to making a difference.OTHER RESOURCES:Weekly Newsletter: “Write Grants. Get Paid” - Get thought leadership on grant and freelance grant writing strategies every week in your inbox.https://grantwritingandfunding.com/Freelance Grant Writer Academy: Replace your Full-Time Income Writing Grants Part-Time from Home.https://grantwritingandfunding.com/freelance-grant-writer-academy/Grant Professional Mentorship: Double your Monthly Revenue with an Income Stream Outside of Grant Writing. https://grantwritingandfunding.com/mentorshipRATE, REVIEW, & FOLLOW THE PODCASTFavor, please? If you love this podcast, would you please do me a favor and leave a review on iTunes or your podcast listener?This helps others find the podcast and I read each and every review!“Every time I listen to Holly’s show, I learn something” ← If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing my show!Also, if you haven’t done so already, follow the Grant Writing & Funding podcast to get grant and freelance grant writing proven strategies and conversations in your podcast player every single week.Thanks for listening!Warmly,Holly RustickLeading the $1 Billion for Good Movement: By 2030, aspiring and seasoned grant writers inside the Freelance Grant Writer Academy & Grant Professional Mentorship will 1) WIN $1 Billion in Grants, and 2) MAKE $30 Million in their Grant Writing Businesses. We are on our way already.

Do you know the difference between research and evaluation? Or how to clearly explain what a logic model is used for? These may seem like small distinctions, but they can make a major impact in grant writing.In many grant applications, the evaluation section alone can be worth up to 30 points—and with competitive grants often requiring scores of 93 or higher, getting this right is critical. In this episode, Dr. James Pann joins us to break down the differences between research and evaluation, explain the purpose of a logic model, and share insights on how to find the right expert to support your evaluation section.ABOUT OUR GUESTDr. James Pann is an expert in evaluation and research, helping organizations design strong evaluation frameworks and clearly communicate impact within grant proposals.OTHER RESOURCES:Weekly Newsletter: “Write Grants. Get Paid” - Get thought leadership on grant and freelance grant writing strategies every week in your inbox. https://grantwritingandfunding.com/Freelance Grant Writer Academy: Replace your Full-Time Income Writing Grants Part-Time from Home. https://grantwritingandfunding.com/freelance-grant-writer-academy/Grant Professional Mentorship: Double your Monthly Revenue with an Income Stream Outside of Grant Writing. https://grantwritingandfunding.com/mentorshipRATE, REVIEW, & FOLLOW THE PODCASTFavor, please? If you love this podcast, would you please do me a favor and leave a review on iTunes or your podcast listener?This helps others find the podcast and I read each and every review!“Every time I listen to Holly’s show, I learn something” <– If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing my show!Also, if you haven’t done so already, follow the Grant Writing & Funding podcast to get grant and freelance grant writing proven strategies and conversations in your podcast player every single week.Thanks for listening!Warmly,Holly RustickLeading the $1 Billion for Good Movement: By 2030, aspiring and seasoned grant writers inside the Freelance Grant Writer Academy & Grant Professional Mentorship will 1) WIN $1 Billion in Grants, and 2) MAKE $30 Million in their Grant Writing Businesses. We are on our way already.

✨✨ Visit www.grantwritingandfunding.com to get the proven G.R.A.N.T.S. formula to write winning grants ✨✨ The nonprofits you work with (or the nonprofit you work at) need to not only look at grants, but also other funding sources. Yes, grants can be awesome, but the fiscal health of a nonprofit should not be fully reliant on grants. Get your FREE checklist at https://grantwritingandfunding.com/111 If you have any questions, feel free to email [email protected] I’d love to connect with you! YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWzIfwJt0az9KKwKz1Uc8vg Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hollyrustick LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wego-grants/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/grantwritingandfunding/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/grantwritingandfunding/ Thanks for listening! Holly Rustick

Vu Le of Nonprofit AF discusses grant writing challengesI met Vu Le at the Grant Writing Professionals conference in D.C. We talked after his wonderful keynote. I love his fresh outlook on the grant process and progressive nonprofits!About Vu LeVu Le (“voo lay”) is a writer, speaker, vegan, Pisces, and the former Executive Director of RVC, a nonprofit in Seattle that promotes social justice by developing leaders of color, strengthening organizations led by communities of color, and fostering collaboration between diverse communities.Vu’s passion to make the world better, combined with a low score on the Law School Admission Test, drove him into the field of nonprofit work, where he learned that we should take the work seriously, but not ourselves. There’s tons of humor in the nonprofit world, and someone needs to document it. He is going to do that, with the hope that one day, a TV producer will see how cool and interesting our field is and make a show about nonprofit work, featuring attractive actors attending strategic planning meetings and filing 990 tax forms.Known for his no-BS approach, irreverent sense of humor, and love of unicorns, Vu has been featured in dozens, if not hundreds, of his own blog posts at NonprofitAF.com, formerly nonprofitwithballs.com.Connect with Vu:Website: https://nonprofitaf.com/Nonprofit: https://rvcseattle.org/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nonprofitAF/Twitter: twitter.com/NonprofitAFOTHER RESOURCES:Weekly Newsletter: “Write Grants. Get Paid” - Get thought leadership on grant and freelance grant writing strategies every week in your inbox. https://grantwritingandfunding.com/Freelance Grant Writer Academy: Replace your Full-Time Income Writing Grants Part-Time from Home. https://grantwritingandfunding.com/freelance-grant-writer-academy/Grant Professional Mentorship: Double your Monthly Revenue with an Income Stream Outside of Grant Writing. https://grantwritingandfunding.com/mentorship RATE, REVIEW, & FOLLOW THE PODCASTFavor, please? If you love this podcast, would you please do me a favor and leave a review on iTunes or your podcast listener?This helps others find the podcast and I read each and every review!“Every time I listen to Holly’s show, I learn something” <– If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing my show!Also, if you haven’t done so already, follow the Grant Writing & Funding podcast to get grant and freelance grant writing proven strategies and conversations in your podcast player every single week.Thanks for listening!Warmly,Holly RustickLeading the $1 Billion for Good Movement: By 2030, aspiring and seasoned grant writers inside the Freelance Grant Writer Academy & Grant Professional Mentorship will 1) WIN $1 Billion in Grants, and 2) MAKE $30 Million in their Grant Writing Businesses. We are on our way already.

I’m going to walk you through the outline of how to write a grant in 15 minutes. For some of you, this will be a reminder. But my goal is that you walk away from this podcast having learned at least one new thing!I’ve had different grant writing courses on various platforms, I teach it in universities, and I have even written a book on grant writing, The Beginner’s Guide to Grant Writing: Tips, Tools, & Templates to Write Winning Grants which hit #1 in 10 categories on Amazon. Thanks to all of you who are on my Advanced Reader Team!But my goal today is to give you a basic bootcamp on grants so you can either refresh your memory, or find out if you are truly interested in grant writing.So, let’s get to it! I am going to use the basis of my G.R.A.N.T.S. Formula to really showcase the grant process. I do have more podcasts that go into depth for each of these categories, but once again this week’s goal is to give you all the candy in one bite and still be able to chew it.G: Get the FOA. For any type of grant you want to make sure that you gather the Funding Opportunity Announcement or Request for Proposal or the application. Read it so you are sure that:You meet the eligibility — i.e. Maybe you have to be an IRS 501(c)3 nonprofit to be eligible, but you’re still only thinking about forming a nonprofit. In this case you aren’t eligible.You know what the funding priorities are — If the funding source is focused on giving money out for projects that preserve marine life and you have a financial literacy project, then that isn’t aligned with the priority.There is enough money to meet your project — Don’t think that $5,000 is going to fund your need for $750,000. However, it could fund a part of it.You can meet the deadline — If it’s in a week and you haven’t started you may think of preparing better for the next cycle.You understand the application process and scoring criteria — What you actually need to write and include.R: Research the Needs & Target PopulationDo the research. It is not enough that there is a ‘need’ for the project. How do you know there is a need? Include actual statistics, data, testimonials, surveys, focus group information, or other resources to actually cite the need. Once you have this data, then come up with very clear problems, such as “According to the Cool Census in 2019, 54% of the indigenous people compared to only 21% of Caucasians live below the national poverty threshold in Cool City.” This creates a stronger argument than “A lot of indigenous people are poor in Cool City.”Additionally, who are you serving? If you say, “We are going to serve people in Cool City,” that is not very clear. It is much more clear if you show your niche target population: “The Project will serve Indigenous people below the poverty level in Cool City.” A: Articulate the GoalA goal is essential in a grant. Remember this is your big audacious outcome. You are reaching to achieve this! Think of it as being the outcome after implementation and funding. What do you want to achieve?Example: “The project goal is to increase employment of Indigenous People in Cool City by 20%. N: Narrow the ObjectivesThe Objectives are how you reach your goal. Typically grant applications do not want more than three objectives per year. However, this isn’t set in stone. Objectives need to be SMART — Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Timebound. So always ask yourself if your objectives meet each of these.Example: “By the end of year one, the Project will provide workforce training for 50% (1,000) Indigenous people in Cool City.”It is specific because it tells you what it will specifically do: i.e. workforce trainingIt is measurable because it identifies how many people it will serve: 1,000 Indigenous people.It is achievable because you are set up to provide workforce training and have partners with the target demographic.It is relevant because it relates back to the need (i.e. high unemployment rates) and the goal (increase in employment).It is timebound because you will serve 1,000 people by the end of year one.T: Timetable the ActivitiesOkay, let’s peel the onion back one more layer. The objectives allow you to reach your goal, but the activities allow you to reach your objectives. Under each objective you need to provide tangible activities, along with who is responsible for each activity and when they will get it down. Example: In order to meet our objective of “By the end of year one, the Project will provide workforce training for 50% (1,000) Indigenous people in Cool City,” you will want to have various activities. Activity 1) The program coordinator will sign MOUs with 10 partners in the community by the end of month two. Activity 2) The program coordinator will provide outreach and awareness of the workforce program by creating fliers, social media posts, and a website page for the project by the end of month two.You can see how activities can be happening simultaneously and get more into the nitty

Dr. Bev Browning is the person everyone knows in the grant writing world. She is the author of 43 grant-related publications, including six editions (over 1 million books sold) of Grant Writing For Dummies™. Dr. Browning shared with me that she first started writing grants back in the 1970s. She’s been doing this for half a century and tells all on how grant writing has changed and how you as a freelance consultant can keep up with all those changes and trends. About Dr. Beverly A. Browning:Dr. Beverly A. Browning has been consulting in the areas of grant writing, RFP responses, technical writing, and organizational development for over four decades. She has assisted clients and workshop participants throughout the United States in receiving awards of more than $500 million. Dr. Browning is the author of 43 grant-related publications, including six editions (over 1 million books sold) of Grant Writing For Dummies™ (Wiley.com). She is also an international trainer and keynote speaker. In 2015, she was selected by the Centers for Disease Control NICRD division to conduct a five-day Grant Writing Boot Camp in South Africa for ministers of health and other top-level health directors from 23 African countries.Dr. Browning holds graduate and post-graduate degrees in Organizational Development, Public Administration, and Business Administration. She has been a grant writing course developer and online facilitator for Cengage Learning (www.ed2go.com) for 17 years. Her online courses (taught to thousands of students annually) are Advanced Proposal Writing, Becoming a Grant Writing Consultant, and A to Z Grant Writing: Part 2 – Beyond the Basics.Dr. Browning is Founder and Director of the Grant Writing Training Foundation and CEO for Bev Browning, LLC. She was a 17-year member of the Grant Professionals Association (GPA) and has presented training workshops and keynote presentations for multiple GPA chapters U.S.-wide. In 2017, Dr. Browning joined the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) and was a workshop presenter at their 2018 International conference in New Orleans. She is an approved trainer for GPA and CFRE International.Dr. Browning has been married 53 years to John and has one daughter, Lara, a licensed therapist, and a special needs granddaughter, Aaliyah.Connect with Dr. Beverly:To find out more about Dr. Bev, check out http://bevbrowning.com/Or find her on LinkedIn where she facilitates a group at https://www.linkedin.com/in/bevbrowning/OTHER RESOURCES:Weekly Newsletter: “Write Grants. Get Paid” - Get thought leadership on grant and freelance grant writing strategies every week in your inbox. https://grantwritingandfunding.com/Freelance Grant Writer Academy: Replace your Full-Time Income Writing Grants Part-Time from Home. https://grantwritingandfunding.com/freelance-grant-writer-academy/Grant Professional Mentorship: Double your Monthly Revenue with an Income Stream Outside of Grant Writing. https://grantwritingandfunding.com/mentorship RATE, REVIEW, & FOLLOW THE PODCASTFavor, please? If you love this podcast, would you please do me a favor and leave a review on iTunes or your podcast listener?This helps others find the podcast and I read each and every review!“Every time I listen to Holly’s show, I learn something” <– If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing my show!Also, if you haven’t done so already, follow the Grant Writing & Funding podcast to get grant and freelance grant writing proven strategies and conversations in your podcast player every single week.Thanks for listening!Warmly,Holly RustickLeading the $1 Billion for Good Movement: By 2030, aspiring and seasoned grant writers inside the Freelance Grant Writer Academy & Grant Professional Mentorship will 1) WIN $1 Billion in Grants, and 2) MAKE $30 Million in their Grant Writing Businesses. We are on our way already.

If you are tired of tracking grants in Excel sheets or jumping around on Google and constantly missing out on deadlines, then Instrumentl might be what you are looking for. I met Angela in November 2019 at the Grant Professionals Association annual conference. After she showed me some of what Instrumentl can do, I asked her to be on the podcast! Eek, it was like she was reading my grant writing mind of how I want grant research presented. But what really intrigued me is that Instrumentl is a women-owned business, developed by women who actually worked in the nonprofit arena and faced some of the same overwhelming issues in grant research as all of us changemakers. Then they coupled with (ahem) another woman in the tech industry to work grant research magic. Love it! Angela's Bio:Writing, winning & awarding grants for 14 yearsStarted as a grant writer/jill-of-all-trades at an environmental nonprofit after college and most recently at the Global Fund for Women in San Francisco.Lead Instrumentl building what she wishes she had when she was a fundraiser. When she’s not thinking about grants she’s either at yoga, on a hike or hanging out with her two calico rescue cats, Bella and Possum.Connect with Instrumentl:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Instrumentl/Twitter: https://twitter.com/beinstrumentlOTHER RESOURCES:Weekly Newsletter: “Write Grants. Get Paid” - Get thought leadership on grant and freelance grant writing strategies every week in your inbox. https://grantwritingandfunding.com/Freelance Grant Writer Academy: Replace your Full-Time Income Writing Grants Part-Time from Home. https://grantwritingandfunding.com/freelance-grant-writer-academy/Grant Professional Mentorship: Double your Monthly Revenue with an Income Stream Outside of Grant Writing. https://grantwritingandfunding.com/mentorship RATE, REVIEW, & FOLLOW THE PODCASTFavor, please? If you love this podcast, would you please do me a favor and leave a review on iTunes or your podcast listener?This helps others find the podcast and I read each and every review!“Every time I listen to Holly’s show, I learn something” <– If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing my show!Also, if you haven’t done so already, follow the Grant Writing & Funding podcast to get grant and freelance grant writing proven strategies and conversations in your podcast player every single week.Thanks for listening!Warmly,Holly RustickLeading the $1 Billion for Good Movement: By 2030, aspiring and seasoned grant writers inside the Freelance Grant Writer Academy & Grant Professional Mentorship will 1) WIN $1 Billion in Grants, and 2) MAKE $30 Million in their Grant Writing Businesses. We are on our way already.

Have you ever wondered how your mindset around money is shaping your success?In this episode, Sean Croxton—an expert in money mindset—dives deep into how our beliefs about money are formed and how they influence our decisions, behaviors, and outcomes.Having followed Sean’s work for years, Holly shares how impactful his teachings have been—not just from a motivational standpoint, but from a practical, science-backed perspective.Sean breaks down money mindset in a way that’s not “woo-woo,” but grounded in how the brain actually works. We explore how past experiences shape your current financial beliefs, how those beliefs can either limit or expand your opportunities, and what it takes to start rewiring your thinking.This conversation goes beyond surface-level advice and gets into the psychology behind behavior change—helping you understand why you think the way you do and how to shift it.If you’re ready to break through limiting beliefs and build a healthier, more empowered relationship with money, this episode is a must-listen.ABOUT OUR GUESTSean Croxton is a leading expert in personal development and money mindset, known for helping individuals transform their thinking to achieve greater success and fulfillment. He is the host of the top-ranked podcast Quote of the Day and has built a global audience through his work in health, wellness, and mindset coaching.Through his teachings, Sean combines science-backed principles with practical strategies to help people rewire limiting beliefs, improve habits, and create lasting change in both their personal and professional lives.OTHER RESOURCES:Weekly Newsletter: “Write Grants. Get Paid” - Get thought leadership on grant and freelance grant writing strategies every week in your inbox. https://grantwritingandfunding.com/Freelance Grant Writer Academy: Replace your Full-Time Income Writing Grants Part-Time from Home. https://grantwritingandfunding.com/freelance-grant-writer-academy/Grant Professional Mentorship: Double your Monthly Revenue with an Income Stream Outside of Grant Writing.https://grantwritingandfunding.com/mentorshipRATE, REVIEW, & FOLLOW THE PODCASTFavor, please? If you love this podcast, would you please do me a favor and leave a review on iTunes or your podcast listener?This helps others find the podcast and I read each and every review!“Every time I listen to Holly’s show, I learn something” <– If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing my show!Also, if you haven’t done so already, follow the Grant Writing & Funding podcast to get grant and freelance grant writing proven strategies and conversations in your podcast player every single week.Thanks for listening!Warmly,Holly RustickLeading the $1 Billion for Good Movement: By 2030, aspiring and seasoned grant writers inside the Freelance Grant Writer Academy & Grant Professional Mentorship will 1) WIN $1 Billion in Grants, and 2) MAKE $30 Million in their Grant Writing Businesses. We are on our way already.

Get ready for 2020 with some strategic planning!

Hey Changemakers! It's our last episode of the decade so here's a mashup of our top 4 most listened to episodes including 2 great interviews! Happy New Year!

Grant Writing CertificationOne of the most common questions I hear is “Should I become a certified grant writer?” Well, the answer is different for everyone! That’s why we walk you through all the ins and outs of certification in this episode.“I may not write grant proposals or manage grant funds, but I want to make sure that grant professionals everywhere have the tools and resources so that they can make those impacts on their communities.” – Mike ChamberlainMike and I discuss:How Mike got involved with grants and became an entrepreneurGetting started as an independent contractor or freelancerDeveloping a business plan for yourselfDifferent tasks you can help a nonprofit withNetworking resources for grant writersTypes of grant writing certificationsShould you become a certified grant writer?How long it takes to become certifiedThe cost to become certifiedThe GPA community where you can find your tribeMike’s Bio:Mike Chamberlain is an association executive with over 30 years of leadership experience with for profit and not for profit organizations, including national and international associations.Mike grew up in Omaha Nebraska with his parents Al and Cindy Chamberlain and his two younger sisters. He enjoyed camping and other outdoor activities as a Boy Scout, ultimately earning the rank of Eagle Scout. Mike graduated from Creighton Prep High School and moved to Kansas City to attend Rockhurst University. At Rockhurst University, Mike earned an undergraduate degree in Marketing/Management and he met the love of his life, his wife Jackie. Mike and Jackie made their home in the Kansas City area after graduation. Jackie is a professional artist and a member of Summit Art in Lees Summit, Missouri.Mike enjoys all forms of exercise and is an age group triathlete with a dream of completing an IronMan® distance triathlon. Mike’s hobbies include woodworking, home improvement projects, being a Nebraska Football fan and reading.Mike and his wife Jackie share their home in Lees Summit with their dog Rifkin.Mike is a Certified Association Executive. He has been active in several local associations, serving on the boards of the Greater Kansas City Postal Customer Council, Kansas City Meetings Industry Council, and the Kansas City Society of Association Executives, serving as President of KCSAE in 2008-2009. He is an active member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals and the American Society of Association Executives.Mike has been a speaker at the Professional Convention Management Association annual convention and at the American Society of Association Executives Annual Conference.Resources from this episode:GPA: https://www.grantprofessionals.orgGPCI: https://www.grantcredential.orgOTHER RESOURCES:Weekly Newsletter: “Write Grants. Get Paid” - Get thought leadership on grant and freelance grant writing strategies every week in your inbox. https://grantwritingandfunding.com/Freelance Grant Writer Academy: Replace your Full-Time Income Writing Grants Part-Time from Home. https://grantwritingandfunding.com/freelance-grant-writer-academy/Grant Professional Mentorship: Double your Monthly Revenue with an Income Stream Outside of Grant Writing. https://grantwritingandfunding.com/mentorship RATE, REVIEW, & FOLLOW THE PODCASTFavor, please? If you love this podcast, would you please do me a favor and leave a review on iTunes or your podcast listener?This helps others find the podcast and I read each and every review!“Every time I listen to Holly’s show, I learn something” <– If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing my show!Also, if you haven’t done so already, follow the Grant Writing & Funding podcast to get grant and freelance grant writing proven strategies and conversations in your podcast player every single week.Thanks for listening!Warmly,Holly RustickLeading the $1 Billion for Good Movement: By 2030, aspiring and seasoned grant writers inside the Freelance Grant Writer Academy & Grant Professional Mentorship will 1) WIN $1 Billion in Grants, and 2) MAKE $30 Million in their Grant Writing Businesses. We are on our way already.

If you think you don’t know enough to write a book—this episode will completely change your mind. As Honoree Corder says, “Turn the volume up on the voice of possibility.”In this inspiring conversation, we explore how writing a book can open doors you never imagined—from building authority to creating multiple income streams. Honoree shares her journey of writing (now 50+ books!) and how becoming a published author transformed her life and business. We dive into how books can lead to speaking opportunities, consulting clients, and long-term business growth.You’ll also learn about the different ways to generate income as an entrepreneur, including how writing can become a foundational asset in your business model.We cover practical tips for getting paid to speak, the pros and cons of traditional vs. self-publishing, and how to start developing your business—even if you feel like you don’t have enough experience yet. If you’ve ever thought about writing a book or expanding your impact, this episode will show you what’s possible.ABOUT OUR GUESTHonoree Corder is a bestselling author, publishing strategist, and business coach who has written more than 50 books and helped countless entrepreneurs become published authors. She specializes in helping professionals turn their ideas into books that build authority, generate income, and create new opportunities for speaking, consulting, and business growth.Honoree is passionate about empowering others to share their message, expand their influence, and create multiple streams of income through writing and entrepreneurship.OTHER RESOURCES:Weekly Newsletter: “Write Grants. Get Paid” - Get thought leadership on grant and freelance grant writing strategies every week in your inbox. https://grantwritingandfunding.com/Freelance Grant Writer Academy: Replace your Full-Time Income Writing Grants Part-Time from Home. https://grantwritingandfunding.com/freelance-grant-writer-academy/Grant Professional Mentorship: Double your Monthly Revenue with an Income Stream Outside of Grant Writing. https://grantwritingandfunding.com/mentorshipRATE, REVIEW, & FOLLOW THE PODCASTFavor, please? If you love this podcast, would you please do me a favor and leave a review on iTunes or your podcast listener?This helps others find the podcast and I read each and every review!“Every time I listen to Holly’s show, I learn something” <– If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing my show!Also, if you haven’t done so already, follow the Grant Writing & Funding podcast to get grant and freelance grant writing proven strategies and conversations in your podcast player every single week.Thanks for listening!Warmly,Holly RustickLeading the $1 Billion for Good Movement: By 2030, aspiring and seasoned grant writers inside the Freelance Grant Writer Academy & Grant Professional Mentorship will 1) WIN $1 Billion in Grants, and 2) MAKE $30 Million in their Grant Writing Businesses. We are on our way already.

Boris Hertslet joins us to break down two of the most essential (and often confusing) acronyms in federal grant funding—DUNS and SAM—and how to navigate them successfully. We walk through the first steps to accessing federal grants, including obtaining your EIN, understanding what a DUNS number is and why it matters, and how to properly register with SAM. Boris also shares common pitfalls to avoid, including scams (these registrations are always free), tips for annual renewals, and how organizations like Guam PTAC can provide free support and resources to help you through the process.ABOUT OUR GUESTBoris Hertslet is a procurement specialist with Guam PTAC (Procurement Technical Assistance Center), where he helps businesses and nonprofits navigate government contracting and federal funding opportunities. With expertise in registrations like DUNS and SAM, Boris supports organizations in becoming eligible for federal funding and contracts by guiding them through compliance, setup, and ongoing requirements. He is passionate about connecting local organizations with free resources and tools to help them successfully access government opportunities.OTHER RESOURCES:Weekly Newsletter: “Write Grants. Get Paid” - Get thought leadership on grant and freelance grant writing strategies every week in your inbox. https://grantwritingandfunding.com/Freelance Grant Writer Academy: Replace your Full-Time Income Writing Grants Part-Time from Home. https://grantwritingandfunding.com/freelance-grant-writer-academy/Grant Professional Mentorship: Double your Monthly Revenue with an Income Stream Outside of Grant Writing. https://grantwritingandfunding.com/mentorshipRATE, REVIEW, & FOLLOW THE PODCASTFavor, please? If you love this podcast, would you please do me a favor and leave a review on iTunes or your podcast listener?This helps others find the podcast and I read each and every review!“Every time I listen to Holly’s show, I learn something” <– If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing my show!Also, if you haven’t done so already, follow the Grant Writing & Funding podcast to get grant and freelance grant writing proven strategies and conversations in your podcast player every single week.Thanks for listening!Warmly,Holly RustickLeading the $1 Billion for Good Movement: By 2030, aspiring and seasoned grant writers inside the Freelance Grant Writer Academy & Grant Professional Mentorship will 1) WIN $1 Billion in Grants, and 2) MAKE $30 Million in their Grant Writing Businesses. We are on our way already.

Hey changemaker! I am so excited about today’s podcast! I know I say that every week, but today is the 100th episode! Can you believe it? Before we even start today I want to say a HUGE THANK YOU for listening and hanging out with me on this journey! You are simply amazing!Today I am paying homage to you and this podcast! You are going to learn about creating content, why it is super important to show your credibility as a nonprofit or consultant, how to effectively tell your story as a nonprofit or creating depth as a consultant, and create a movement for people to be part of! Of course, moreover the content will help build up donors, funders, clients, and/or customers.Today I will give examples for both nonprofits and consultants and how you can get ahead without overwhelm before 2020 even kicks off.I wanted to pay tribute to this 100th episode with an episode on sharing content and value. This is extremely important to both nonprofits and to freelancers because if we aren’t sharing we don’t build credibility, the story, or an experience or even a movement.We heard from Dan Portnoy last week of Portnoy Media Group that sharing a story is vital for a nonprofit to have an effective fundraiser strategy or to attract long-term donors. This is also important for freelancers to actually share value then also sell, sell, sell.Content. So this word is used a LOT these days. So is the word Value. But what does these words actually mean when used together?The Word Factory gives a great definition of content: “Content is the presentation of information for a purpose to an audience through a channel in a form.”This is pretty cool as it is a way that I want you to think of content. I also want you to think of content as your story, your tribe, and your experience.Let’s look at this from a nonprofit’s point of view. You have fantastic projects where you serve underserved youth in an inner city with free summer soccer camps, soccer practice during the year, and academic tutoring. But you don’t really do much with your Facebook or Instagram page. Once in a while you scramble together a newsletter to send out to your donors, but it’s sporadic at best. You submit annually to foundations for grants but one time you even missed a grant opportunity because the foundation asked for a presentation about your nonprofit and you couldn’t find any pictures or content to share with the board.Yes, you DO plenty! Yes, 100 underserved youth went through your program last year and the youth shared about it on their social media, but pieces of video and pictures and testimonials are scattered and in old computers that don’t work any longer.Now let’s look at this from a consultant’s point of view. You started up a nonprofit consultancy this year – yay You! – but you are still getting your bearings straight. You have a put together website and you post daily on LinkedIn about all the great services you have. That’s all well and good, but what are you sharing to build a community? Do you do more asking rather than giving?So content can be sharing all the cool stuff you are doing through a system, all the amazing things you are learning or wanting to learn, and/or sharing information and resources that help solve people’s problems.To kind of put this in perspective I am going to talk about this podcast. This podcast started out of a semi-dare. I actually had another podcast before this one – Creatives Exposed – where I had long, in-depth conversations with different types of creatives and shared those stories. It was pretty cool, but it didn’t relate to my business, it just related to my interests and my need to meet more creatives on Guam. So, it was awesome. But during a Master Mind meeting a friend – Michelle from Secret Owl Society who is a boss entrepreneur, said, “why don’t you start one for your business?” Having only produced about five podcasts of Creatives Exposed I rolled my eyes and said these are taking me forever to do! At the time we had a $100 monthly challenge where we had to do one thing to drive our business forward each month and if we didn’t meet the goal by the end of we owed $100. Now if you really want to move and shake, I recommend finding some amazing people and doing this! So she said, “make your podcast super short with specific tips each week on grants and funding.” So I took it on as my monthly challenge. Now, more than two years later I am SO glad I did. I wasn’t so sure about it, but I wasn’t about to lose that $100!Why the podcast though? Well, I wanted a way to scale beyond Guam and to build a tribe. Now I talk to you Changemakers every single week and the coolest thing is you talk back to me by sending emails, signing up for coaching and memberships, or joining courses. It is SO cool!On my podcast I share content with you every week. In the beginning I didn’t podcast every week, but before 2019 hit I knew I had to be more consistent as I had people tuning in every week. If I was sporadic with my episodes I

Dan Portnoy joins us to share how nonprofits can increase funding through the power of storytelling—just in time for Giving Tuesday. With decades of experience working with organizations and Fortune 500 companies, Dan explains how simplifying your message can create deeper connections with donors, how to assess your nonprofit’s story both internally and externally, and how strong narratives can break down barriers between donor cultivation and acquisition to drive real results.ABOUT OUR GUESTDan Portnoy is the founder of Portnoy Media Group and the author of The Non-Profit Narrative: How Telling Stories Can Change the World. With over two decades of experience, Dan has worked with Fortune 500 companies and nonprofits to help them refine their messaging, strengthen their storytelling, and achieve measurable growth. He is a sought-after expert known for helping teams clarify their ideas, navigate the digital landscape, and build compelling narratives that connect with audiences and inspire action.CONNECT WITH OUR GUESTWebsites: Portnoy Media Group | Dan PortnoyOTHER RESOURCES:Weekly Newsletter: “Write Grants. Get Paid” - Get thought leadership on grant and freelance grant writing strategies every week in your inbox. https://grantwritingandfunding.com/Freelance Grant Writer Academy: Replace your Full-Time Income Writing Grants Part-Time from Home. https://grantwritingandfunding.com/freelance-grant-writer-academy/Grant Professional Mentorship: Double your Monthly Revenue with an Income Stream Outside of Grant Writing. https://grantwritingandfunding.com/mentorshipRATE, REVIEW, & FOLLOW THE PODCASTFavor, please? If you love this podcast, would you please do me a favor and leave a review on iTunes or your podcast listener?This helps others find the podcast and I read each and every review!“Every time I listen to Holly’s show, I learn something” <– If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing my show!Also, if you haven’t done so already, follow the Grant Writing & Funding podcast to get grant and freelance grant writing proven strategies and conversations in your podcast player every single week.Thanks for listening!Warmly,Holly RustickLeading the $1 Billion for Good Movement: By 2030, aspiring and seasoned grant writers inside the Freelance Grant Writer Academy & Grant Professional Mentorship will 1) WIN $1 Billion in Grants, and 2) MAKE $30 Million in their Grant Writing Businesses. We are on our way already.

Zac Woonsam joins us to share the real, behind-the-scenes journey of building and running a nonprofit, while Holly provides powerful, practical tips to help increase funding and secure more grants. Zac opens up about the inspiration behind Youth Inspiration Nation and how he teaches and empowers middle school students through aviation, including the logistics of teaching kids how to fly. We also dive into the realities of nonprofit work, funding challenges, and the downsides of offering free services, along with strategies to grow support—from building connections and writing press releases for visibility to transitioning from foundation grants to federal funding. Plus, Holly shares actionable advice on pursuing federal grants and what to do if you can’t yet afford a grant writer.ABOUT OUR GUESTZac Woonsam is the Executive Director of Youth Inspiration Nation Inc., a nonprofit dedicated to providing motivation, inspiration, and education through aviation—teaching kids how to fly. He founded the organization in 2017, and describes the journey as both incredibly challenging and deeply rewarding. Zac is passionate about inspiring the next generation and lives by his favorite saying: “If it was easy, it wouldn’t be any fun!”CONNECT WITH OUR GUESTWebsite: https://inspirekids.us/ Instagram & Facebook: @AviationEducation4KidsOTHER RESOURCES:Weekly Newsletter: “Write Grants. Get Paid” - Get thought leadership on grant and freelance grant writing strategies every week in your inbox. https://grantwritingandfunding.com/Freelance Grant Writer Academy: Replace your Full-Time Income Writing Grants Part-Time from Home. https://grantwritingandfunding.com/freelance-grant-writer-academy/Grant Professional Mentorship: Double your Monthly Revenue with an Income Stream Outside of Grant Writing. https://grantwritingandfunding.com/mentorshipRATE, REVIEW, & FOLLOW THE PODCASTFavor, please? If you love this podcast, would you please do me a favor and leave a review on iTunes or your podcast listener?This helps others find the podcast and I read each and every review!“Every time I listen to Holly’s show, I learn something” <– If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing my show!Also, if you haven’t done so already, follow the Grant Writing & Funding podcast to get grant and freelance grant writing proven strategies and conversations in your podcast player every single week.Thanks for listening!Warmly,Holly RustickLeading the $1 Billion for Good Movement: By 2030, aspiring and seasoned grant writers inside the Freelance Grant Writer Academy & Grant Professional Mentorship will 1) WIN $1 Billion in Grants, and 2) MAKE $30 Million in their Grant Writing Businesses. We are on our way already.

Matt Hugg’s passion is education, and he brings a wealth of knowledge to the nonprofit sector. In this episode, we explore how his platform, Nonprofit.Courses, provides access to over 300 free courses designed to help nonprofit professionals grow their skills and expand their impact.Matt shares how he got started with Nonprofit.Courses, his background in teaching and fundraising, and why nonprofit professionals must look beyond the “mission bubble” to build skills in areas like marketing, HR, and finance. We also dive into the fundamentals of successful fundraising, including the core elements every organization must have in place, common challenges nonprofits face, and how a simple, strategic formula can guide more effective fundraising efforts.ABOUT OUR GUESTMatt Hugg is the president and founder of Nonprofit.Courses, an on-demand, online educational platform for nonprofit leaders, staff, board members, and volunteers. He is also the author of The Guide to Nonprofit Consulting and teaches nonprofit management at universities and organizations around the world, including in the United States, Africa, Asia, and Europe.Matt has extensive experience in nonprofit fundraising and holds a BS from Juniata College and an MA in Philanthropy and Development from St. Mary’s University of Minnesota.CONNECT WITH OUR GUESTEmail: [email protected] & Social: Nonprofit.CoursesBooks: Available on AmazonOTHER RESOURCES:Weekly Newsletter: “Write Grants. Get Paid” - Get thought leadership on grant and freelance grant writing strategies every week in your inbox. https://grantwritingandfunding.com/Freelance Grant Writer Academy: Replace your Full-Time Income Writing Grants Part-Time from Home. https://grantwritingandfunding.com/freelance-grant-writer-academy/Grant Professional Mentorship: Double your Monthly Revenue with an Income Stream Outside of Grant Writing. https://grantwritingandfunding.com/mentorshipRATE, REVIEW, & FOLLOW THE PODCASTFavor, please? If you love this podcast, would you please do me a favor and leave a review on iTunes or your podcast listener?This helps others find the podcast and I read each and every review!“Every time I listen to Holly’s show, I learn something” <– If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing my show!Also, if you haven’t done so already, follow the Grant Writing & Funding podcast to get grant and freelance grant writing proven strategies and conversations in your podcast player every single week.Thanks for listening!Warmly,Holly RustickLeading the $1 Billion for Good Movement: By 2030, aspiring and seasoned grant writers inside the Freelance Grant Writer Academy & Grant Professional Mentorship will 1) WIN $1 Billion in Grants, and 2) MAKE $30 Million in their Grant Writing Businesses. We are on our way already.

If you’re looking for fresh, creative fundraising ideas that actually work—you’re going to love this episode.Beaudy Camacho brings incredible energy and expertise as she shares how fundraising events can (and should!) be safe, fun, and profitable.In this conversation, we explore how Beaudy got started in fundraising and built her business, along with a wide variety of fundraising strategies your nonprofit can start using right away. From events and sponsorships to crowdfunding, contests, giveaways, and even loyalty programs, she breaks down different types of fundraisers and how to choose the right one for your organization.We also dive into practical tips for planning successful fundraising events, how to save time by leveraging expert strategies, and how to create memorable experiences that keep donors engaged. Plus, Beaudy shares ideas for seasonal fundraising (including what to focus on in November) and how to build a cohesive fundraising plan that supports your goals.If you’re ready to think outside the box and turn your passion into a paycheck, this episode is packed with inspiration and actionable ideas.ABOUT OUR GUESTBeaudy Camacho is the founder of Fundforte, an events agency specializing in fundraising, special events, and custom parties. She has received numerous awards and recognition for her work, including the Small Business Administration’s 2018 Home-based Business Champion for the Island of Guam.Beaudy is passionate about helping organizations and individuals create impactful, memorable events while supporting meaningful causes. Through Fundforte, she also aims to give back to the community through educational resources, digital products, and programs that support underserved populations. Her future plans include offering online courses and coaching to help event planners, fundraiser coordinators, and creatives elevate their skills and impact.CONNECT WITH OUR GUESTWebsite: www.fundforte.comOTHER RESOURCES:Weekly Newsletter: “Write Grants. Get Paid” - Get thought leadership on grant and freelance grant writing strategies every week in your inbox. https://grantwritingandfunding.com/Freelance Grant Writer Academy: Replace your Full-Time Income Writing Grants Part-Time from Home. https://grantwritingandfunding.com/freelance-grant-writer-academy/Grant Professional Mentorship: Double your Monthly Revenue with an Income Stream Outside of Grant Writing. https://grantwritingandfunding.com/mentorshipRATE, REVIEW, & FOLLOW THE PODCASTFavor, please? If you love this podcast, would you please do me a favor and leave a review on iTunes or your podcast listener?This helps others find the podcast and I read each and every review!“Every time I listen to Holly’s show, I learn something” <– If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing my show!Also, if you haven’t done so already, follow the Grant Writing & Funding podcast to get grant and freelance grant writing proven strategies and conversations in your podcast player every single week.Thanks for listening!Warmly,Holly RustickLeading the $1 Billion for Good Movement: By 2030, aspiring and seasoned grant writers inside the Freelance Grant Writer Academy & Grant Professional Mentorship will 1) WIN $1 Billion in Grants, and 2) MAKE $30 Million in their Grant Writing Businesses. We are on our way already.

In this episode, Holly Rustick dives into the importance of self-care—not as a luxury, but as a necessity for sustainable success. She shares practical strategies to help you take control of your time, reduce overwhelm, and stay productive without burning out. Holly breaks down how planning your week in advance can transform lingering, stressful to-do lists into clear, manageable action steps. She also discusses the power of saying no, setting boundaries, and protecting your time so you can focus on what truly matters. Finally, Holly emphasizes the importance of listening to your body, recognizing when you need rest, and allowing yourself to recharge so you can show up at your best. If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed or stretched too thin, this episode will give you simple, actionable ways to create balance and move forward with intention.ABOUT HOLLY RUSTICKGrant Writing & Funding (GWF) has a Global Movement to Secure $1 Billion in Grant Funding for Good and $30 Million in Grant Writing Businesses by 2030. Holly Rustick, CEO of GWF, is leading the movement; a world-renowned grant writer with 20+ years of experience, bestselling author, and business coach for new and seasoned grant writers to replace their full-time income writing grants part-time from home through her signature programs: the Freelance Grant Writer Academy and the Grant Professional Mentorship.Rustick is the host of the top grant writing podcast “Grant Writing & Funding” and the author of the Bestselling book, The Beginner’s Guide to Grant Writing. With an MA in International Political Economy, past-president of the Guam Women’s Chamber of Commerce, serving on numerous boards of directors, Holly is also an unapologetic feminist. She lives on the island of Guam with her beautiful daughter, Isabella.CONNECT WITH HOLLY RUSTICKWebsite: https://grantwritingandfunding.com/RESOURCES:Weekly Newsletter: “Write Grants. Get Paid” - Get thought leadership on grant and freelance grant writing strategies every week in your inbox. https://grantwritingandfunding.com/Freelance Grant Writer Academy: Replace your Full-Time Income Writing Grants Part-Time from Home. https://grantwritingandfunding.com/freelance-grant-writer-academy/Grant Professional Mentorship: Double your Monthly Revenue with an Income Stream Outside of Grant Writing.https://grantwritingandfunding.com/mentorshipRATE, REVIEW, & FOLLOW THE PODCASTFavor, please? If you love this podcast, would you please do me a favor and leave a review on iTunes or your podcast listener?This helps others find the podcast and I read each and every review!“Every time I listen to Holly’s show, I learn something” ← If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing my show!Also, if you haven’t done so already, follow the Grant Writing & Funding podcast to get grant and freelance grant writing proven strategies and conversations in your podcast player every single week.Thanks for listening!Warmly,Holly RustickLeading the $1 Billion for Good Movement: By 2030, aspiring and seasoned grant writers inside the Freelance Grant Writer Academy & Grant Professional Mentorship will 1) WIN $1 Billion in Grants, and 2) MAKE $30 Million in their Grant Writing Businesses. We are on our way already.

This is your chance to hear from someone who is 6 months into their grant writing business. Where could you be 6 months from now?Derrick and I discuss:Motto – “Resolve to have an impact on your community.”Derrick’s military experience His “why” for getting into grant writing and how he got startedBusiness started as a side hustle and is now full-time“Writing a grant is like writing a research paper and a business plan together.”How to use your experiences to develop a nicheOffering free services or volunteering to build relationshipsMoving from free services to getting paidOvercoming the difficult conversations associated with getting paidChallenges of owning a grant writing businessHiring freelancers or interns to help you with your businessBeing prepared for upcoming grantsDifferent pitches you can use to make connections and build even more relationshipsAdditional services you can offer in your businessDerrick’s Bio:Derrick Clark, M.A. Human Services Leadership, owner of DC Resolve Consulting and Proposal Writing. He is an Army Veteran who served 8 years as a combat medic with the 101st Airborne Division, current spouse of an Army Environmental Science Officer. He transitioned from active duty service nearly 5 years ago, completed undergraduate and graduate degrees to begin working with veteran service organizations ranging from homeless veteran and substance abuse case manager to managing regional veteran benefits programs.Derrick recently moved to Honolulu, HI and started a business that provides consulting and proposal/grant writing services to nonprofit organizations. Currently, he works with San Antonio veteran nonprofits writing state grants, local foundation proposals, social media marketing and creating event flyers. Also, he recently began building a relationship with the Prevent Suicide Hawaii Task Force to find out what needs they have. Connect with DerrickWebsite www.dcresolve.comEmail at [email protected] @DCResolveConsultingOTHER RESOURCES:Weekly Newsletter: “Write Grants. Get Paid” - Get thought leadership on grant and freelance grant writing strategies every week in your inbox. https://grantwritingandfunding.com/Freelance Grant Writer Academy: Replace your Full-Time Income Writing Grants Part-Time from Home. https://grantwritingandfunding.com/freelance-grant-writer-academy/Grant Professional Mentorship: Double your Monthly Revenue with an Income Stream Outside of Grant Writing. https://grantwritingandfunding.com/mentorship RATE, REVIEW, & FOLLOW THE PODCASTFavor, please? If you love this podcast, would you please do me a favor and leave a review on iTunes or your podcast listener?This helps others find the podcast and I read each and every review!“Every time I listen to Holly’s show, I learn something” <– If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing my show!Also, if you haven’t done so already, follow the Grant Writing & Funding podcast to get grant and freelance grant writing proven strategies and conversations in your podcast player every single week.Thanks for listening!Warmly,Holly RustickLeading the $1 Billion for Good Movement: By 2030, aspiring and seasoned grant writers inside the Freelance Grant Writer Academy & Grant Professional Mentorship will 1) WIN $1 Billion in Grants, and 2) MAKE $30 Million in their Grant Writing Businesses. We are on our way already.

If you have a grant writing business, or you want to become a grant writer, then this interview is gold for you!Rodney and I discuss:Rodney’s background and how he got started with grantsFirst grant that he got fundedAt what point do grant writers get paidHow do you typically charge clients?Decide on your ideal clientHow do you provide value to clients?2 big things every business and organization has to doChallenges and solutions in his businessChanging your mindset – How failure became his best friendHow he got his very first grant writing clientBranding your business vs branding yourself (which should you do?)Is there enough room in the market for new grant writing businesses?Investing time in yourself vs investing time in your businessThe most valuable investment that you can make in yourself and your businessImproving your mindset to overcome the fear and doubtUsing a vision board to reinforce positive messagesRodney’s Top Quotes:“Be brave. Be bold. Be brilliant.”“The best way to get to success is through failure, and really, embracing failure”Rodney’s Bio:Rodney Walker is the President of Grant Central USA and is a highly sought-after, Grant Development Systems™ expert that helps thousands of organizations nationwide to get funded! With over 14,000 members in his online discussion group, he influences and inspires people to do a better job of telling their organizational stories to become more attractive to funders.He has helped his clients raise over $357 million in grants and conducts The Ultimate Grant Writing That Gets Funded training workshops nationwide to empower nonprofits, governmental agencies, and individuals on the best ways to secure grant money. They also host the Education Grants Conference that trains schools and districts on today’s best practices in winning educational grants at EducationGrantsConference.comA few of his clients have included United Way, Habitat for Humanity, The Magic Johnson Foundation, the Bush Foundation, Hawaii State Teachers Association, and numerous school districts and city governments. Other celebrity clients have included, Danny Glover and Ben Guillory.Rodney has appeared on ABC, NBC, and CBS News for his work in education and in hundreds of grant training videos and produces numerous award-winning resources at GrantCentralUSA.comHe is also the executive producer of Education Today, a channel dedicated to advancing, reporting and sharing education best practices and trends nationally to inspire school administrators, parents, and communities to excellence at K12EducationToday.comRodney has spoken and taught at several prestigious institutions including, Regis University, Oklahoma University, the University of Nevada in Las Vegas, California Polytechnic State University, Florida Atlantic University and the University of Hawaii.He earned a Master of Business Administration and has a certificate in Nonprofit Management from Duke University. He completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Texas in Austin and has a leadership certificate from the University of Southern California. His works with schools and communities have garnered him awards and congressional recognition.During his free-time, Rodney enjoys traveling, listening to live music, salsa dancing, and going for adventure rides with his rooftop down throughout the greater Los Angeles area where he resides in Pasadena, California.Connect with Rodney:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rodneywalker180/Website: https://www.grantcentralusa.com/OTHER RESOURCES:Weekly Newsletter: “Write Grants. Get Paid” - Get thought leadership on grant and freelance grant writing strategies every week in your inbox. https://grantwritingandfunding.com/Freelance Grant Writer Academy: Replace your Full-Time Income Writing Grants Part-Time from Home. https://grantwritingandfunding.com/freelance-grant-writer-academy/Grant Professional Mentorship: Double your Monthly Revenue with an Income Stream Outside of Grant Writing. https://grantwritingandfunding.com/mentorship RATE, REVIEW, & FOLLOW THE PODCASTFavor, please? If you love this podcast, would you please do me a favor and leave a review on iTunes or your podcast listener?This helps others find the podcast and I read each and every review!“Every time I listen to Holly’s show, I learn something” <– If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing my show!Also, if you haven’t done so already, follow the Grant Writing & Funding podcast to get grant and freelance grant writing proven strategies and conversations in your podcast player every single week.Thanks for listening!Warmly,Holly RustickLeading the $1 Billion for Good Movement: By 2030, aspiring and seasoned grant writers inside the Freelance Grant Writer Academy & Grant Professional Mentorship will 1) WIN $1 Billion in Grants, and 2) MAKE $30 Million in their Grant Writing Businesses. We are on our way already.

**Get your Free Checklist Downloadable www.grantwritingandfunding.com/90 Are you looking for ways to increase money for your nonprofit, or nonprofits that you work with, that doesn’t include funding from grants? Diversifying streams of income for nonprofits is vital. Many clients, especially start-up nonprofits, may think that grants are the only type of funding that they can get. Today, you are going to learn many ways of creating products for your nonprofit. These ideas may help your nonprofit bring in extra revenue that is for operational funds. Why Nonprofit Products Sell You might say, “Ugh. Not another t-shirt for sale! We are competing with millions of others. Why would anyone buy our product?” The truth is that consumers are spending their money more and more these days, on items that make a difference. Consumers are realizing the power and voice in how they spend their dollars. We’ve seen a huge shift in the #shoppingforgood movement where consumers are comparing brands and shopping for items that are actually impacting the world in good ways. We see the reflection of how consumers are shopping with this conscious shopping in mind, especially among millennials. A really cool online platform is called The Good Shop, where you can shop online for thousands of brands and then choose where you want a portion of the profits to go. These nonprofit causes are vetted and show transparency. It is pretty cool! What Products Sell: Ideas for Goods/Products Backpacks / fanny packs Business Card Holders Coffee mugs / Flasks Cookies / Baked Goods Sweatshirts and sweaters Food Truck! (What, yeah!) Hats and caps Jewelry Luggage Tags Notebooks Phone covers Purses Stuffed animals / plushies Tote bags T-shirts Wallets How Products Sell Start Small You’ll want to start small and test the market. Instead of investing thousands into a food truck or converting a kitchen into a commercial kitchen, maybe you test your cookies on a small scale first. Test out what types of cookies sell and unique recipes. Do a survey Put together some product ideas and ask your followers or community what they like and would purchase! This can easily be some mock-ups of different items and price points. If they won’t buy, make sure you ask them why not without badgering them. The feedback will help with your business design! Get Start-Up Capital There are 5 different ways to get capital to help you with developing the products: Pre-Ordering, Corporate investment, Small Business Administration, Grants, and Crowdfunding campaigns. Now is a great time to create products for your nonprofit. Consumers want to engage with your branding and to shop for good reasons. They need clothes, so why not advertise their ethics on their clothing? This will also raise the reach of your branding as often clothes with a great message or interesting logo can start conversations which lead to sharing the nonprofit’s mission. Please share your different product ideas by tagging us @grantwriting_funding on Instagram! I’m SUPER excited about next week’s post! I interviewed Mr. Rodney Walker, President of Grant Central USA. He is absolutely amazing and has helped secure well over $300 million for nonprofits. He also has a super active community on LinkedIn and is one of the most positive individuals I have ever met! Don’t forget to grab the FREE downloadable from last week’s episode! Listen to the podcast on iTunes, SoundCloud, Stitcher or watch on YouTube! To share your thoughts: Send Holly an email at [email protected] To help out the show: Leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings and reviews really help, and I read all of them! Subscribe on iTunes or on YouTube. Looking for more? Follow us on Instagram @grantwriting_funding

Is your nonprofit ready to earn income?“What?? But we’re a nonprofit. We can’t earn income!”Oh, yes you can! Just because you are a nonprofit organization does not mean that you cannot earn income. Nonprofit doesn’t mean ‘no’ profit. It simply means you take the profit and put it back into the organization.However, you do have to make sure that anything you do to earn income directly relates to the mission of your nonprofit. For example, if your nonprofit is an animal shelter and you start raising revenue by providing human resource services for solo entrepreneurs, it may not be a good fit. Offering pet rentals for connecting with senior citizens may be a better way of raising revenue.Of course, if you do find something that is a great income generator and isn’t related to your mission, your nonprofit may still be able to do it, but it might not be ‘tax-exempt’ income; i.e. you may have to pay taxes on it.Before we get into earned income, if you would like more information about other types of revenue for nonprofits be sure to check out episode 90! There is an amazing FREE downloadable included! www.grantwritingandfunding.com/90.As with anyone wanting to get income for offering services or products, first the nonprofit needs to develop a business plan! Eek! Even a nonprofit needs a business plan?Yes! Actually, you should’ve developed one before you became incorporated, but it might not have happened or maybe your nonprofit has changed a lot since that amazing day!So what do you need to know?Well, what your nonprofit can provide and what the market will pay for. This is the basic supply/demand model.We aren’t going to go into a crazy business plan, but I am going to give you some examples so you can get some ideas for your nonprofit! Try to keep in mind the idea of supply and demand as you read through these.I might share something that sounds amazing and you think would work for your nonprofit, but first test it on a small-scale before you invest crazy time and money into it!General ServicesAccording to MissionBox, a fee-for-service approach for nonprofits is defined as “nonprofit uses its earnings to support its mission and prioritizes benefit to the community over profits. Your organization can grow financial sustainability with a fee-for-service model.”Case Study: YMCAThey are a hybrid as they offer Membership programs (see below) for their services. These services include workout classes, community classes, a gym, etc.Examples:Classes on gardening (or other specialized skill! Painting, etc)ConsultingCounselingManagementMarketingHuman resourcesIT skillsMembershipsI see a lot of 501(c)6 nonprofits utilizing the basic membership service approach. For example, a Chamber of Commerce, Lions Club, etc. may charge individuals, nonprofits, and corporations a fee to enjoy the membership of the organization.I typically see fees for membership at a flat rate. Other times, there is a sliding fee based on how much revenue your business has, or how many individuals in your business or nonprofit will benefit from the membership. Advantages of individuals, nonprofits, and businesses signing up for memberships could be specialized training, networking, advertising, and other opportunities.Case Study: Guam Women’s Chamber of CommerceI serve on the board at the Guam Women’s Chamber of Commerce and our operations are mainly funded through membership dues. This provides funding for the executive director and other types of administrative costs.Examples:Other types of incentives for membership fees include the members getting:A monthly magazineWeekly newsletterDiscounts to fundraisers or affiliates organizationsMember-only eventsThink of art museums, nature societies, or other nonprofits that offer these types of memberships. Maybe you have an animal shelter and include a membership where members get monthly pictures of the animals, free admission to the annual doggy 5K race, or other exclusive or informational opportunities.Tuition FeesThis is commonly associated with universities, but you could also think of this if your nonprofit is (or can!) offer any knowledge sessions.Nonprofit colleges and schools do charge tuition fees! Just because it is a nonprofit college doesn’t mean it is dirt cheap tuition fees, either!Case Study: Many USA UniversitiesExamples:University of Southern CaliforniaGeorgetown UniversityBoston UniversityUniversity of BostonTo name a few. Check out more!Speaking Engagements / AppearancesYour executive director, people who serve on your board of directors, or even some of your volunteers probably have amazing stories!Of course, all won’t necessarily be offered a financial contribution to be speakers, but some might be. Building up to speak at national or international conferences can include a nice side income. But even speaking at local trade associations or chambers can produce some money.Case Study: Bethany HamiltonBethany is a surfer from Hawaii who lost her arm during a shark attack while surfing. I

**Get your Free Checklist Downloadable https://www.grantwritingandfunding.com/90 Do you feel like earning revenue for your nonprofit or the nonprofit you work with is REALLY difficult? Do you feel like there is NO money left? Are you tired of only going after grants for revenue or approaching the same darn corporate sponsors as every other nonprofit? These may be signs that your nonprofit, or the one you are working with, may not be healthy when it comes to funding. But the fact is that most nonprofit executive directors, and many boards of directors, don’t have MBAs or know how to operate a business. Different Types of Revenue Streams for Nonprofits 1. Fees for Services or Goods (Products) 2.Grants 3. Fundraising 4. Corporate Solicitations 5. Individual Charitable Contributions 6. Crowdfunding Campaigns 7. Emerging Social Capital 8. Influencers Listen to the podcast on iTunes, SoundCloud, Stitcher or watch on YouTube! To share your thoughts: Send Holly an email at [email protected] To help out the show: Leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings and reviews really help, and I read all of them! Subscribe on iTunes or on YouTube. Looking for more? Follow us on Instagram @grantwriting_funding

Alexis Cook, Co-Founder and Co-President of Unlocked, joins us to share the inspiring story behind her ethical jewelry brand that empowers women transitioning out of homelessness. She walks us through how Unlocked was built from the ground up while she was still a student at Vanderbilt, how market research shaped their business model, and how they partner with nonprofits to create meaningful employment opportunities. We also explore why they chose a for-profit structure, how they’ve scaled and gained national recognition, their approach to product design and pricing for inclusivity, and how nonprofits and for-profits can collaborate to create lasting social impact.ABOUT OUR GUESTAlexis Cook is the Co-Founder and Co-President of Unlocked, an ethical jewelry brand based in Nashville, Tennessee, that employs and empowers women transitioning out of homelessness. She was an Ingram Scholar at Vanderbilt University, where she studied Human and Organizational Development and Economics. Alexis co-founded Unlocked during her undergraduate years and transitioned into running the company full-time after graduating in 2018. Since then, Unlocked has grown rapidly and has been featured in publications such as the Social Enterprise Alliance and News Channel 5.OTHER RESOURCES:Weekly Newsletter: “Write Grants. Get Paid” - Get thought leadership on grant and freelance grant writing strategies every week in your inbox. https://grantwritingandfunding.com/Freelance Grant Writer Academy: Replace your Full-Time Income Writing Grants Part-Time from Home. https://grantwritingandfunding.com/freelance-grant-writer-academy/Grant Professional Mentorship: Double your Monthly Revenue with an Income Stream Outside of Grant Writing. https://grantwritingandfunding.com/mentorshipRATE, REVIEW, & FOLLOW THE PODCASTFavor, please? If you love this podcast, would you please do me a favor and leave a review on iTunes or your podcast listener?This helps others find the podcast and I read each and every review!“Every time I listen to Holly’s show, I learn something” <– If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing my show!Also, if you haven’t done so already, follow the Grant Writing & Funding podcast to get grant and freelance grant writing proven strategies and conversations in your podcast player every single week.Thanks for listening!Warmly,Holly RustickLeading the $1 Billion for Good Movement: By 2030, aspiring and seasoned grant writers inside the Freelance Grant Writer Academy & Grant Professional Mentorship will 1) WIN $1 Billion in Grants, and 2) MAKE $30 Million in their Grant Writing Businesses. We are on our way already.

The final step in the G.R.A.N.T.S. Formula is "S," Strategic budget. I am going to show you how to create a strategic budget that you can use for every single grant that you write. By the end of the episode, you will have the tools to create an amazing budget. Having a simple and unified budget format could save you hundreds of hours of frustration. Want a free downloadable CHEAT SHEET and mini, video-series (five day mini video course!)? Visit www.grantwritingandfunding.com and get it NOW. You'll get Holly's proven, step-by-step system that has helped her secured millions of dollars for nonprofits over the last 15 years, as well as eliminate wasted hours as a consultant. Create extraordinary grants while minimizing your time writing grants! Listen to the podcast on iTunes, SoundCloud, Stitcher or watch on YouTube! To share your thoughts: Send Holly an email at [email protected] To help out the show: Leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings and reviews really help, and I read all of them! Subscribe on iTunes or on YouTube. Looking for more? Follow us on Instagram @grantwriting_funding

The fifth step in the G.R.A.N.T.S. Formula is "T," Timetable your Activities. Activities describe what you are going to do, but a timetable will show a clear delineation of each activity, who is responsible for ensuring that it happens when it will happen, and how each activity will be measured. The actual table also helps to break up all the WORDS in your application. You must include the following in your table: Description of the activity, Lead person who will be responsible for the activity, Start date of the activity, End date of the activity, and Measurement of success. Want a free downloadable CHEAT SHEET and mini, video-series (five day mini video course!)? Visit www.grantwritingandfunding.com and get it NOW. You'll get Holly's proven, step-by-step system that has helped her secured millions of dollars for nonprofits over the last 15 years, as well as eliminate wasted hours as a consultant. Create extraordinary grants while minimizing your time writing grants! Listen to the podcast on iTunes, SoundCloud, Stitcher or watch on YouTube! To share your thoughts: Send Holly an email at [email protected] To help out the show: Leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings and reviews really help, and I read all of them! Subscribe on iTunes or on YouTube. Looking for more? Follow us on Instagram @grantwriting_funding

The fourth step for setting up a winning grant structure is "N," Narrowing Your Objectives. In just 5 easy steps, we can take your objective from a wish to a plan! Want a free downloadable CHEAT SHEET and mini, video-series (five day mini video course!)? Visit www.grantwritingandfunding.com and get it NOW. You'll get Holly's proven, step-by-step system that has helped her secured millions of dollars for nonprofits over the last 15 years, as well as eliminate wasted hours as a consultant. Create extraordinary grants while minimizing your time writing grants! Listen to the podcast on iTunes, SoundCloud, Stitcher or watch on YouTube! To share your thoughts: Send Holly an email at [email protected] To help out the show: Leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings and reviews really help, and I read all of them! Subscribe on iTunes or on YouTube. Looking for more? Follow us on Instagram @grantwriting_funding

The third step for setting up a winning grant structure is "A," Articulate Goals. I'll show you step by step how to write a goal that aligns with the priorities of the funding source. Want a free downloadable CHEAT SHEET and mini, video-series (five day mini video course!)? Visit www.grantwritingandfunding.com and get it NOW. You'll get Holly's proven, step-by-step system that has helped her secured millions of dollars for nonprofits over the last 15 years, as well as eliminate wasted hours as a consultant. Create extraordinary grants while minimizing your time writing grants! Listen to the podcast on iTunes, SoundCloud, Stitcher or watch on YouTube! To share your thoughts: Send Holly an email at [email protected] To help out the show: Leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings and reviews really help, and I read all of them! Subscribe on iTunes or on YouTube. Looking for more? Follow us on Instagram @grantwriting_funding

The second step for setting up a winning grant structure is "R," Research Needs. I'll teach you exactly how to use research to explain specifically WHY your project is needed. Want a free downloadable CHEAT SHEET and mini, video-series (five day mini video course!)? Visit www.grantwritingandfunding.com and get it NOW. You'll get Holly's proven, step-by-step system that has helped her secured millions of dollars for nonprofits over the last 15 years, as well as eliminate wasted hours as a consultant. Create extraordinary grants while minimizing your time writing grants! Listen to the podcast on iTunes, SoundCloud, Stitcher or watch on YouTube! To share your thoughts: Send Holly an email at [email protected] To help out the show: Leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings and reviews really help, and I read all of them! Subscribe on iTunes or on YouTube. Looking for more? Follow us on Instagram @grantwriting_funding

Introducing the G.R.A.N.T.S. Formula – Your Key to Writing Efficient GrantsAre you ready to revolutionize your grant writing process?Look no further than the G.R.A.N.T.S. Formula, a proven framework designed to enhance your grant writing skills and create a competitive grant structure. Developed to address the challenges faced by grant writers, this formula will guide you from a blank page to a well-structured grant proposal in no time.Let’s dive into the details of the G.R.A.N.T.S. Formula, starting with the “G” – Get the FOA or RFP and Use it as a Template.A Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), or Request for Proposal (RFP), provides essential information on how funding agencies want grant applications to be written. Each FOA or RFP is unique, with its own set of requirements and guidelines.By thoroughly reading and understanding the FOA or RFP, you can use its criteria as headers in your grant application, ensuring alignment with the funding agency’s expectations.This will get you over the ‘blank staring at a screen’ that many beginner grant writers find themselves.During this initial step, you’ll familiarize yourself with the mission, eligibility criteria, deadlines, technical requirements, and sections to be addressed in the grant application. Additionally, you’ll have access to scoring criteria and contact information for any clarifications.I’ve received many emails from people saying that they’re struggling with the learning process of writing grants and gaining experience with grant writing. This formula will help you achieve exactly that! It will also help you go from staring at a blank page and being overwhelmed, to having a draft developed in no time at all!Let’s get into some of those tricks with our “G” from the G.R.A.N.T.S. Formula.ABOUT HOLLY RUSTICKGrant Writing & Funding (GWF) has a Global Movement to Secure $1 Billion in Grant Funding for Good and $30 Million in Grant Writing Businesses by 2030. Holly Rustick, CEO of GWF, is leading the movement; a world-renowned grant writer with 20+ years of experience, bestselling author, and business coach for new and seasoned grant writers to replace their full-time income writing grants part-time from home through her signature programs: the Freelance Grant Writer Academy and the Grant Professional Mentorship. Rustick is the host of the top grant writing podcast “Grant Writing & Funding” and the author of the Bestselling book, The Beginner’s Guide to Grant Writing. With an MA in International Political Economy, past-president of the Guam Women’s Chamber of Commerce, serving on numerous boards of directors, Holly is also an unapologetic feminist. She lives on the island of Guam with her beautiful daughter, Isabella. CONNECT WITH HOLLY RUSTICK Website: https://grantwritingandfunding.com/ RESOURCES:Weekly Newsletter: “Write Grants. Get Paid” - Get thought leadership on grant and freelance grant writing strategies every week in your inbox. https://grantwritingandfunding.com/Freelance Grant Writer Academy: Replace your Full-Time Income Writing Grants Part-Time from Home. https://grantwritingandfunding.com/freelance-grant-writer-academy/Grant Professional Mentorship: Double your Monthly Revenue with an Income Stream Outside of Grant Writing. https://grantwritingandfunding.com/mentorship RATE, REVIEW, & FOLLOW THE PODCASTFavor, please? If you love this podcast, would you please do me a favor and leave a review on iTunes or your podcast listener?This helps others find the podcast and I read each and every review!“Every time I listen to Holly’s show, I learn something” <– If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing my show!Also, if you haven’t done so already, follow the Grant Writing & Funding podcast to get grant and freelance grant writing proven strategies and conversations in your podcast player every single week.Thanks for listening!Warmly,Holly RustickLeading the $1 Billion for Good Movement: By 2030, aspiring and seasoned grant writers inside the Freelance Grant Writer Academy & Grant Professional Mentorship will 1) WIN $1 Billion in Grants, and 2) MAKE $30 Million in their Grant Writing Businesses. We are on our way already.

Learn about the process of submitting an IRB application with special guest Dr. Deborah Ellen. Dr. Ellen is Assistant Professor of Education at Guam Community College and active member of the Pacific Islands Bilingual Bicultural Association and co-chair of newly formed non-profit - Talaya Micronesia. Listen to the podcast on iTunes, SoundCloud, Stitcher or watch on YouTube! To share your thoughts: Send Holly an email at [email protected] To help out the show: Leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings and reviews really help, and I read all of them! Subscribe on iTunes or on YouTube. Looking for more? Follow us on Instagram @grantwriting_funding

What is IRB approval? Do I need one as a grant writer? Do I need one before starting my research? All these questions and more answered as Holly discusses the Institutional Review Board (IRB). Listen to the podcast on iTunes, SoundCloud, Stitcher or watch on YouTube! To share your thoughts: Send Holly an email at [email protected] To help out the show: Leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings and reviews really help, and I read all of them! Subscribe on iTunes or on YouTube. Looking for more? Follow us on Instagram @grantwriting_funding

Learn how to track sources and file them into a stunning bibliography for your grant. We're all about citations and celebrations because it's Holly's Birthday! Head on over to www.grantwritingandfunding.com/80 for your FREE gift! Listen to the podcast on iTunes, SoundCloud, Stitcher or watch on YouTube! To share your thoughts: Send Holly an email at [email protected] To help out the show: Leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings and reviews really help, and I read all of them! Subscribe on iTunes or on YouTube. Looking for more? Follow us on Instagram @grantwriting_funding

Gathering data is important when supporting grants, connecting with your beneficiaries, providing credibility for your projects, and even understanding what projects to develop. Data can be gathered in a multitude of different ways and as we discussed last week in our re-broadcast for conducting a Needs & Strengths Assessment (episode 78), I discussed methods for Needs & Strengths Assessments to utilize are online surveys, in-person surveys, and focus groups.However, there are some other methods (and can be FREE or very affordable) ways to gather research. One, low hanging fruit way, to gather data that we will discuss today is using polls on Facebook and Instagram.Social media can be a great platform to gather information about the needs and strengths of your beneficiaries or those who you may want to serve. So, let’s look at some main big social media mongrels. This is not extensive at all, but these are some of the larger social media platforms and you will walk away today being able to gather data on these platforms using very simple processes. If you have never utilized social media polls to gather information for your nonprofit or a nonprofit that you work with, after this episode you will be able to do it.A full disclaimer is that any tactic that I am talking about as of July 2019 may change in the future as social media is always changing strategies, user interfaces, and options. These polls may not always be an option or as we speak they may be getting more and more robust. But the essence behind the strategy is the same. Social media is to create interaction and I am sure that connecting with your supporters, beneficiaries, and advocates utilizing social media will always be possible to some extent. Facebook Social Media PollsAs of 2019 Facebook is still the behemoth on social media. Yes, there are shifts and I see more and more people are using other social media platforms as their main sources, but Facebook is still king as has the most users at 2.23 billion users every month. That’s nearly a 1/3 of the world’s population!Many nonprofits only have a Facebook page for their nonprofit and not even a website. I do not recommend this at all (and you can listen to more about why in episode 12: https://www.grantwritingandfunding.com/12) but the fact is this true. In any case, you should have some sort of social media platform for your nonprofit, or the ones you work with, and because of Facebook’s size, many nonprofits have pages on Facebook.In order to really utilize Facebook for polls, ads, and other ways you need to have a separate page for your nonprofit or a group and not just your personal page.For nonprofits, I like Facebook nonprofit pages so they can set up groups, go Live, add updated information, create ads, and form a tribe. So how do you gather information utilizing Facebook polls?Facebook has the option to easily create a poll in groups or on non-personal pages. All you have to do is click on ‘create a post’ and you have the option for poll. You can even add images to each choice. This is a great way to get your supporters or beneficiaries to answer some questions. I am an administrator of a couple of pages on Facebook and one poll I recently did was to ask people in the group which type of funding they are most focused on securing for their nonprofits in 2019. I gave them the choices of 1) grants, 2) fundraising events, 3) crowdfunding campaign, 4) donor support, 5) create products, or to 6) create services. If you are part of “Fund My Nonprofit” on Facebook, you can scroll down the page and check it out. If you are not yet in the group, please join as this is a free group and has hundreds of members! Just look for “Fund My Nonprofit – Funding Tips and How-To’s”.The Facebook poll I created took me less than a minute and the feedback was super helpful on a couple of different levels. One level is that I know what type of content to create for this group because I know what most people will find the most valuable. Most people clicked ‘grant funding’ which is perfect for me as that is what I can talk about all day long!Another level on how it was helpful is that it gives the people a voice and creates a stronger tribe. They get to tell me what they want more of and have a voice to contribute in the group.How do you get people to take your poll, though?Well, polls are simple, too, and very quick for people to take. You can use open-ended questions and ask people to reply in the comments, but by providing pre-set answers you will in most cases get a higher amount of responses. This is because when people are on social media, they are getting pings and notifications from a bunch of different sources all at the same time. Polls make a quick and easy way to gather information from a specific group of people.Guiding people to your pollThe best way you can get an increased number of people replying to your poll is to also email out the list. For example, since I am targeting mainly people

Join us as Holly revisits an important topic for nonprofits: Needs and Strengths Assessment! We discuss why your organization needs this research before applying for grants, and how to survey your audience to get the data you need. Listen to the podcast on iTunes, SoundCloud, Stitcher or watch on YouTube! To share your thoughts: Send Holly an email at [email protected] To help out the show: Leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings and reviews really help, and I read all of them! Subscribe on iTunes or on YouTube. Looking for more? Follow us on Instagram @grantwriting_funding

Get the free downloadable on www.grantwritingandfunding.com/77 that includes a template press release, a sample press release, and a podcast audio! As a grant freelancer or nonprofit freelancer, writing press releases can be another stream of income or expanded portfolio that you provide your clients. A great press release to write is when one of your clients wins a grants! Woo-hoo! Send that out to the local press 😊 Listen to the podcast on iTunes, SoundCloud, Stitcher or watch on YouTube! To share your thoughts: Send Holly an email at [email protected] To help out the show: Leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings and reviews really help, and I read all of them! Subscribe on iTunes or on YouTube. Looking for more? Follow us on Instagram @grantwriting_funding

Lights, camera, action! Are you ready to be on camera to represent your nonprofit? Join Holly as she shares valuable tips and tricks to being comfortable on video. Check out the podcast blog post on www.grantwritingandfunding.com/76 for a free downloadable that goes with this week's upload. This downloadable will ensure that you are ALWAYS ready before going on camera, whether that's your iPhone or on TV! Listen to the podcast on iTunes, SoundCloud, Stitcher or watch on YouTube! To share your thoughts: Send Holly an email at [email protected] To help out the show: Leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings and reviews really help, and I read all of them! Subscribe on iTunes or on YouTube. Looking for more? Follow us on Instagram @grantwriting_funding

Join Holly as she discusses public relations with Nikki R. Jones! With 12 years of communication experience, Nikki explains how nonprofits can navigate traditional and new media to create awareness for your organization. Listen to the podcast on iTunes, SoundCloud or Stitcher or watch on YouTube! To share your thoughts: Send Holly an email at [email protected] To help out the show: Leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings and reviews really help, and I read all of them! Subscribe on iTunes or on YouTube. Looking for more? Follow us on Instagram @grantwriting_funding

Are you a freelance grant writer or nonprofit consultant?If you are then you know that one thing you want to know is how to get nonprofit clients! Sure, in the beginning you may have gotten a lot of people asking you to write grants, but how do you know if they will be a good-fit nonprofit client?In order to secure nonprofit clients, freelance grant writers need to understand and do the following:1) Understand the different types of nonprofitsYou first need to really identify what types of nonprofits you want to target and to know that you need to understand the different types of nonprofit organizations.Are they the cash cow, the expanding monkey, or the pups?2) Be aware of funding priority shiftsThis means, pay attention to trends and make your mark as an expert! Maybe you have nonprofit organizations asking about:your grant writing success, orif you can write grants and get paid on commissionBe prepared to answer those questions! But also know what is going on in the grant writing arena.3) Do you want to be a generalist or specialist?These are all things for you to consider as a grant writer. What type of clients do you want to work with?Generalist: Maybe you love working with nonprofits that are varied, in different states, and have a variety of projects. You love a challenge! You love learning about the latest trends and projects going on all over the world and are at your best when you can learn about new projects.Specialist: You might be a specialist if you absolutely are passionate about working for a specific cause. Maybe you were in a nonprofit that served at-risk youth and you want to continue to serve other nonprofits that have this same specific cause. You want to focus most of your grant writing on writing to specific federal and founding funding sources that fund at-risk youth projects. You start an Instagram page on at-risk youth facts and statistics, create posts when grants are available, and follow the hashtag #nonprofityouth. Maybe your passion stems from being an at-risk youth yourself and you want to become part of that movement. This is a topic that you never get tired of talking about.4) Write grants!Get really good at first increasing the number of grants that you write. Just by doing this you will get experience! Sometimes you may have to start off as a volunteer, or working more as a generalist, but other things you can do are to take a grant writing course and show that you have some sort of experience.So to sum up how to identify and get nonprofit clients as a grant writer are the following:Understand the different types of nonprofits (and know which ones you want to work with)Be aware of funding priorities shiftingIdentify if you want (or need to be) a generalist or specialist grant writerWrite GrantsABOUT HOLLY RUSTICKGrant Writing & Funding (GWF) has a Global Movement to Secure $1 Billion in Grant Funding for Good and $30 Million in Grant Writing Businesses by 2030. Holly Rustick, CEO of GWF, is leading the movement; a world-renowned grant writer with 20+ years of experience, bestselling author, and business coach for new and seasoned grant writers to replace their full-time income writing grants part-time from home through her signature programs: the Freelance Grant Writer Academy and the Grant Professional Mentorship. Rustick is the host of the top grant writing podcast “Grant Writing & Funding” and the author of the Bestselling book, The Beginner’s Guide to Grant Writing. With an MA in International Political Economy, past-president of the Guam Women’s Chamber of Commerce, serving on numerous boards of directors, Holly is also an unapologetic feminist. She lives on the island of Guam with her beautiful daughter, Isabella. CONNECT WITH HOLLY RUSTICK Website: https://grantwritingandfunding.com/ RESOURCES:Weekly Newsletter: “Write Grants. Get Paid” - Get thought leadership on grant and freelance grant writing strategies every week in your inbox. https://grantwritingandfunding.com/Freelance Grant Writer Academy: Replace your Full-Time Income Writing Grants Part-Time from Home. https://grantwritingandfunding.com/freelance-grant-writer-academy/Grant Professional Mentorship: Double your Monthly Revenue with an Income Stream Outside of Grant Writing. https://grantwritingandfunding.com/mentorship RATE, REVIEW, & FOLLOW THE PODCASTFavor, please? If you love this podcast, would you please do me a favor and leave a review on iTunes or your podcast listener?This helps others find the podcast and I read each and every review!“Every time I listen to Holly’s show, I learn something” <– If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing my show!Also, if you haven’t done so already, follow the Grant Writing & Funding podcast to get grant and freelance grant writing proven strategies and conversations in your podcast player every single week.Thanks for listening!Warmly,Holly RustickLeading the $1 Billion for Good Movement: By 2030, aspiring and seasoned grant wr

If you are a freelance grant writer, then you probably get asked by potential clients what your grant writing success rate is; i.e.:“What is your grant writing success rate?”While I completely understand this question, it isn’t the clearest level of success for a grant writer.Sure, there is validation of having grants awarded. I definitely recommend boasting about your secured grants so potential nonprofit clients can see what types of grants and clients you have worked with.But stating an 80 percent or 50 percent success rate doesn’t really say how good of a grant writer you are. Chances are the nonprofit client that asks you your success rate won’t be able to interpret what is a ‘good’ success rate either.Of course, you can and should track grants won for your own method, but there are better ways to identify your value as a grant writer.What is Your Grant Writing Success Rate?A lot of time you, as a grant writer, won’t even know what your success rate is unless you are tracking it. But your success rate is built upon a variety of variables.#1) Quantity: If you have a ton of clients, your success rate could be lower. For example, you may write 10 grants per client and get two or three grants awarded per client. That could be a total of 30 grants secured and could total well into the millions of dollars. But your success rate would only be 10 percent. Ugh! On the other hand, if you only have written one grant and got it secured, then you have a 100 percent success rate. But you can see how that may not be a good indicator of you being a good grant writer.#2) Nonprofit Credibility: A grant writer’s success rate is much of the time really supported by the credibility and experience of the nonprofit. If a nonprofit has been around for 40+ years, has secured a multitude of grants (maybe 30 percent + of the annual operating budget is supported by grants), and has a strong infrastructure then your grant writing success rate is automatically increased just based on the health of the nonprofit. As a reviewer looks at resumes with a strong track record on managing grants and implementing projects, they will have more confidence in the application versus a start-up nonprofit’s grant application.#3) Nonprofit Project Experience: If the nonprofit has had years of experience serving a similar project that it is asking for funding for, they will have a leg-up. This differs from overall experience, as it looks at specific project experience. For example, if the nonprofit has a women’s project that serves victims of crime with housing and they are requesting grant funding for supportive services for their existing clients, they will have a higher chance of securing a grant compared to a nonprofit who has never served victims of crime and is asking for the same funding. According to Funding For Good, a success rate for a well-established nonprofit can be around 90 percent, expanding programs around 80 percent, and start-up projects around 30 percent. So it really does depend, in large part, of how much the nonprofit has experience with similar projects. Funding begets funding.#4) Funding priorities: This year is the year of opioid grants, research, and STEM funding. Last year the funding priority was human trafficking. The trends of federal grants are reflected of the political administration.#5) Knowing the grant: Another variable is how well you as a grant writer know a certain grant. I know other grant writers who only write grants for specific grants and categories; such as SAMHSA grants for family and children programs. They know they are more successful and like to write these grants so that is all they do. Some departments at universities focus nearly exclusively on NSF and NIH grants. This is due to it being a super good fit and them getting experience writing these grants and in return their success being very good at securing these grants.The top 5 reasons that success rates are not a true indicator on your grant writing skills are:A percentage is tweaked by the number of grants you have writtenThe credibility of the nonprofitThe experience that the nonprofit has with the projectCurrent funding priorities of federal grants and society trendsHow well you, as a grant writer, know the grantSo, what are good indicators for grant success?#1: The types and number of grants you have secured: The bottom line is writing more grants produces more awarded grants. It’s simple math. But, also it really depends on the types of grants you are writing and getting awarded. Maybe you know a lot about project for women in need so it’ll be easier for you to secure certain DOJ or SAMHSA grants. Then those types of clients will be more drawn to you because of your success with those grants.#2: The types of nonprofits you have worked with: If you have worked with start-up nonprofits, and due to the nature of start-ups work more on developing projects, then you will be more attractive for start-ups. Vice versa if you work with larger no

"How can I get paid as a grant writer?" A question that's on everyone's mind, but how do you approach it? A nonprofit might not have the budget to pay your for your work, or maybe you think you can be paid in a commission. In this podcast, Holly discusses the best ways a nonprofit can pay you as a grant writer. To share your thoughts: Send Holly an email at [email protected] To help out the show: Leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings and reviews really help, and I read all of them! Subscribe on iTunes or on YouTube. Looking for more? Follow us on Instagram @grantwriting_funding

In this episode, Holly Rustick takes you behind the scenes of a live coaching call with founding member Meg Tyquiengco of Energetic Presence, offering a real look into the kind of support available inside the Grant Writing & Funding Membership. During this 30-minute one-on-one session, Meg brings forward key challenges many nonprofits face, including how to transition from a working board of directors to a governing board, how to grow an organization with only a part-time executive director, how to effectively manage volunteers, and how to localize a nonprofit chapter within a larger national organization. Holly provides practical strategies, insights, and coaching to help navigate each of these areas, making this episode a valuable resource for nonprofit leaders looking to strengthen their structure, leadership, and impact.ABOUT OUR GUESTMeg Tyquiengco is a coach, mentor, and trainer/facilitator through her organization, Energetic Presence. She specializes in leadership, communication, teamwork, and sales and service, with a focus on creating teams of leaders. Meg is also a sought-after speaker across Guam, where she promotes “The Power of Giving Back,” leadership through mentoring, and the importance of supporting your community.OTHER RESOURCES:Weekly Newsletter: “Write Grants. Get Paid” - Get thought leadership on grant and freelance grant writing strategies every week in your inbox. https://grantwritingandfunding.com/Freelance Grant Writer Academy: Replace your Full-Time Income Writing Grants Part-Time from Home.https://grantwritingandfunding.com/freelance-grant-writer-academy/Grant Professional Mentorship: Double your Monthly Revenue with an Income Stream Outside of Grant Writing. https://grantwritingandfunding.com/mentorshipRATE, REVIEW, & FOLLOW THE PODCASTFavor, please? If you love this podcast, would you please do me a favor and leave a review on iTunes or your podcast listener?This helps others find the podcast and I read each and every review!“Every time I listen to Holly’s show, I learn something” ← If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing my show!Also, if you haven’t done so already, follow the Grant Writing & Funding podcast to get grant and freelance grant writing proven strategies and conversations in your podcast player every single week.Thanks for listening!Warmly,Holly RustickLeading the $1 Billion for Good Movement: By 2030, aspiring and seasoned grant writers inside the Freelance Grant Writer Academy & Grant Professional Mentorship will 1) WIN $1 Billion in Grants, and 2) MAKE $30 Million in their Grant Writing Businesses. We are on our way already.

Sarah Olivieri, founder of PivotGround and creator of The Impact Method, joins us to share how nonprofits can build stronger, more effective organizations through strategic frameworks and intentional planning. We dive into The Impact Method, how to develop a clear blueprint for your organization, and the key elements of a successful blueprint checklist. Sarah also breaks down practical approaches to time management and introduces the Accountability Optimizer to help teams stay focused, aligned, and results-driven while increasing their overall impact and funding potential.ABOUT OUR GUESTSarah Olivieri is the founder of PivotGround and the creator of The Impact Method, a framework designed to help nonprofits improve their programs, increase funding, and strengthen their overall operations. Through her work, Sarah supports organizations in building clear strategies, optimizing performance, and creating sustainable impact. Her mission is to help nonprofits deliver better programming, attract more resources, and ultimately make the world a better place.OTHER RESOURCES:Weekly Newsletter: “Write Grants. Get Paid” - Get thought leadership on grant and freelance grant writing strategies every week in your inbox. https://grantwritingandfunding.com/Freelance Grant Writer Academy: Replace your Full-Time Income Writing Grants Part-Time from Home. https://grantwritingandfunding.com/freelance-grant-writer-academy/Grant Professional Mentorship: Double your Monthly Revenue with an Income Stream Outside of Grant Writing. https://grantwritingandfunding.com/mentorshipRATE, REVIEW, & FOLLOW THE PODCASTFavor, please? If you love this podcast, would you please do me a favor and leave a review on iTunes or your podcast listener?This helps others find the podcast and I read each and every review!“Every time I listen to Holly’s show, I learn something” <– If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing my show!Also, if you haven’t done so already, follow the Grant Writing & Funding podcast to get grant and freelance grant writing proven strategies and conversations in your podcast player every single week.Thanks for listening!Warmly,Holly RustickLeading the $1 Billion for Good Movement: By 2030, aspiring and seasoned grant writers inside the Freelance Grant Writer Academy & Grant Professional Mentorship will 1) WIN $1 Billion in Grants, and 2) MAKE $30 Million in their Grant Writing Businesses. We are on our way already.

What would happen if you handed a newly elected board member your nonprofit bylaws — and they instantly understood their role, responsibilities, and expectations?In this episode, Holly breaks down the essential components every nonprofit should include in its bylaws to create clarity, accountability, and strong governance. Your bylaws are more than just a legal requirement — they are the operating manual for your board of directors.You’ll learn the top 14 bylaw elements Holly recommends, including board size, officer roles, conflict of interest policies, quorum requirements, meeting structures, amendment processes, and more. She also shares practical insights on staggered terms, attendance expectations, fiscal year clarity, and why non-compensation policies matter.Whether you’re starting a nonprofit, restructuring your board, or simply reviewing your governance documents, this episode will help you strengthen your foundation.Get the FREE Downloadable Bylaws Template here: https://www.grantwritingandfunding.com/bylaws ABOUT HOLLY RUSTICKGrant Writing & Funding (GWF) has a Global Movement to Secure $1 Billion in Grant Funding for Good and $30 Million in Grant Writing Businesses by 2030. Holly Rustick, CEO of GWF, is leading the movement; a world-renowned grant writer with 20+ years of experience, bestselling author, and business coach for new and seasoned grant writers to replace their full-time income writing grants part-time from home through her signature programs: the Freelance Grant Writer Academy and the Grant Professional Mentorship.Rustick is the host of the top grant writing podcast “Grant Writing & Funding” and the author of the Bestselling book, The Beginner’s Guide to Grant Writing. With an MA in International Political Economy, past-president of the Guam Women’s Chamber of Commerce, serving on numerous boards of directors, Holly is also an unapologetic feminist. She lives on the island of Guam with her beautiful daughter, Isabella.CONNECT WITH HOLLY RUSTICKWebsite: https://grantwritingandfunding.com/RESOURCES:Weekly Newsletter: “Write Grants. Get Paid” - Get thought leadership on grant and freelance grant writing strategies every week in your inbox. https://grantwritingandfunding.com/Freelance Grant Writer Academy: Replace your Full-Time Income Writing Grants Part-Time from Home. https://grantwritingandfunding.com/freelance-grant-writer-academy/Grant Professional Mentorship: Double your Monthly Revenue with an Income Stream Outside of Grant Writing. https://grantwritingandfunding.com/mentorshipRATE, REVIEW, & FOLLOW THE PODCASTFavor, please? If you love this podcast, would you please do me a favor and leave a review on iTunes or your podcast listener?This helps others find the podcast and I read each and every review!“Every time I listen to Holly’s show, I learn something” <– If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing my show!Also, if you haven’t done so already, follow the Grant Writing & Funding podcast to get grant and freelance grant writing proven strategies and conversations in your podcast player every single week.Thanks for listening!Warmly,Holly RustickLeading the $1 Billion for Good Movement: By 2030, aspiring and seasoned grant writers inside the Freelance Grant Writer Academy & Grant Professional Mentorship will 1) WIN $1 Billion in Grants, and 2) MAKE $30 Million in their Grant Writing Businesses. We are on our way already.

Developing your Articles of Incorporation is a critical next step in officially establishing your nonprofit organization.Once you’ve decided to move forward with forming a nonprofit, filing your Articles of Incorporation with your state is required—and while each state has its own process, the purpose remains the same.In this episode, we walk through what Articles of Incorporation are, why they matter, and how to create them.Some states provide simple templates you can fill out, while others require you to draft your own. That’s why understanding the core components is so important.Think of your Articles of Incorporation as the constitution of your nonprofit.They outline how your organization will operate and provide structure and guidance—especially as new board members join over time. These documents ensure consistency, clarity, and accountability in how your nonprofit is governed.We also break down the two main reasons you need Articles of Incorporation: They are required to establish a tax-exempt nonprofit organization They provide foundational guidance for your nonprofit’s structure and operations In this episode, you’ll get a clear, basic outline to help you start drafting your own Articles of Incorporation.And if you’re a grant writer, this is an especially valuable skill—because many nonprofits will look to you for guidance when they’re just getting started. Having a nonprofit toolkit (including templates like this) can position you as an even more valuable resource.You can also download a free Articles of Incorporation template here: https://grantwritingandfunding.podia.com/article-of-incorporation-templateABOUT HOLLY RUSTICKGrant Writing & Funding (GWF) has a Global Movement to Secure $1 Billion in Grant Funding for Good and $30 Million in Grant Writing Businesses by 2030. Holly Rustick, CEO of GWF, is leading the movement; a world-renowned grant writer with 20+ years of experience, bestselling author, and business coach for new and seasoned grant writers to replace their full-time income writing grants part-time from home through her signature programs: the Freelance Grant Writer Academy and the Grant Professional Mentorship.Rustick is the host of the top grant writing podcast “Grant Writing & Funding” and the author of the Bestselling book, The Beginner’s Guide to Grant Writing. With an MA in International Political Economy, past-president of the Guam Women’s Chamber of Commerce, serving on numerous boards of directors, Holly is also an unapologetic feminist. She lives on the island of Guam with her beautiful daughter, Isabella.CONNECT WITH HOLLY RUSTICKWebsite: https://grantwritingandfunding.com/OTHER RESOURCES:Weekly Newsletter: “Write Grants. Get Paid” - Get thought leadership on grant and freelance grant writing strategies every week in your inbox. https://grantwritingandfunding.com/Freelance Grant Writer Academy: Replace your Full-Time Income Writing Grants Part-Time from Home. https://grantwritingandfunding.com/freelance-grant-writer-academy/Grant Professional Mentorship: Double your Monthly Revenue with an Income Stream Outside of Grant Writing. https://grantwritingandfunding.com/mentorshipRATE, REVIEW, & FOLLOW THE PODCASTFavor, please? If you love this podcast, would you please do me a favor and leave a review on iTunes or your podcast listener?This helps others find the podcast and I read each and every review!“Every time I listen to Holly’s show, I learn something” <– If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing my show!Also, if you haven’t done so already, follow the Grant Writing & Funding podcast to get grant and freelance grant writing proven strategies and conversations in your podcast player every single week.Thanks for listening!Warmly,Holly RustickLeading the $1 Billion for Good Movement: By 2030, aspiring and seasoned grant writers inside the Freelance Grant Writer Academy & Grant Professional Mentorship will 1) WIN $1 Billion in Grants, and 2) MAKE $30 Million in their Grant Writing Businesses. We are on our way already.

Have you identified your values, and developed a concise and well communicated mission and visions statement for your nonprofit or freelance grant writing company? Your mission statement is what you do today, and your vision statement is what you will be doing tomorrow. These elements are crucial, as they guide your organization to success.ABOUT HOLLY RUSTICKGrant Writing & Funding (GWF) has a Global Movement to Secure $1 Billion in Grant Funding for Good and $30 Million in Grant Writing Businesses by 2030. Holly Rustick, CEO of GWF, is leading the movement; a world-renowned grant writer with 20+ years of experience, bestselling author, and business coach for new and seasoned grant writers to replace their full-time income writing grants part-time from home through her signature programs: the Freelance Grant Writer Academy and the Grant Professional Mentorship. Rustick is the host of the top grant writing podcast “Grant Writing & Funding” and the author of the Bestselling book, The Beginner’s Guide to Grant Writing. With an MA in International Political Economy, past-president of the Guam Women’s Chamber of Commerce, serving on numerous boards of directors, Holly is also an unapologetic feminist. She lives on the island of Guam with her beautiful daughter, Isabella. CONNECT WITH HOLLY RUSTICK Website: https://grantwritingandfunding.com/ RESOURCES:Weekly Newsletter: “Write Grants. Get Paid” - Get thought leadership on grant and freelance grant writing strategies every week in your inbox. https://grantwritingandfunding.com/Freelance Grant Writer Academy: Replace your Full-Time Income Writing Grants Part-Time from Home. https://grantwritingandfunding.com/freelance-grant-writer-academy/Grant Professional Mentorship: Double your Monthly Revenue with an Income Stream Outside of Grant Writing. https://grantwritingandfunding.com/mentorship RATE, REVIEW, & FOLLOW THE PODCASTFavor, please? If you love this podcast, would you please do me a favor and leave a review on iTunes or your podcast listener?This helps others find the podcast and I read each and every review!“Every time I listen to Holly’s show, I learn something” <– If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing my show!Also, if you haven’t done so already, follow the Grant Writing & Funding podcast to get grant and freelance grant writing proven strategies and conversations in your podcast player every single week.Thanks for listening!Warmly,Holly RustickLeading the $1 Billion for Good Movement: By 2030, aspiring and seasoned grant writers inside the Freelance Grant Writer Academy & Grant Professional Mentorship will 1) WIN $1 Billion in Grants, and 2) MAKE $30 Million in their Grant Writing Businesses. We are on our way already.

Don’t make a desperate plea just to fill seats on your board of directors. The people you bring onto your board should be intentional, aligned, and truly invested in your mission. Your board members don’t just show up to meetings—they represent your organization everywhere they go.In this episode, Holly talks about the importance of being strategic when building your board. She shares why rushing to fill positions can hurt your nonprofit in the long run, how the right board members can elevate your credibility and impact, and what to consider when selecting individuals who will advocate for your mission, open doors, and support sustainable growth.ABOUT HOLLY RUSTICKGrant Writing & Funding (GWF) has a Global Movement to Secure $1 Billion in Grant Funding for Good and $30 Million in Grant Writing Businesses by 2030. Holly Rustick, CEO of GWF, is leading the movement; a world-renowned grant writer with 20+ years of experience, bestselling author, and business coach for new and seasoned grant writers to replace their full-time income writing grants part-time from home through her signature programs: the Freelance Grant Writer Academy and the Grant Professional Mentorship.Rustick is the host of the top grant writing podcast “Grant Writing & Funding” and the author of the Bestselling book, The Beginner’s Guide to Grant Writing. With an MA in International Political Economy, past-president of the Guam Women’s Chamber of Commerce, serving on numerous boards of directors, Holly is also an unapologetic feminist. She lives on the island of Guam with her beautiful daughter, Isabella.CONNECT WITH HOLLY RUSTICKWebsite: https://grantwritingandfunding.com/RESOURCES:Weekly Newsletter: “Write Grants. Get Paid” - Get thought leadership on grant and freelance grant writing strategies every week in your inbox. https://grantwritingandfunding.com/Freelance Grant Writer Academy: Replace your Full-Time Income Writing Grants Part-Time from Home. https://grantwritingandfunding.com/freelance-grant-writer-academy/Grant Professional Mentorship: Double your Monthly Revenue with an Income Stream Outside of Grant Writing. https://grantwritingandfunding.com/mentorshipRATE, REVIEW, & FOLLOW THE PODCASTFavor, please? If you love this podcast, would you please do me a favor and leave a review on iTunes or your podcast listener?This helps others find the podcast and I read each and every review!“Every time I listen to Holly’s show, I learn something” <– If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing my show!Also, if you haven’t done so already, follow the Grant Writing & Funding podcast to get grant and freelance grant writing proven strategies and conversations in your podcast player every single week.Thanks for listening!Warmly,Holly RustickLeading the $1 Billion for Good Movement: By 2030, aspiring and seasoned grant writers inside the Freelance Grant Writer Academy & Grant Professional Mentorship will 1) WIN $1 Billion in Grants, and 2) MAKE $30 Million in their Grant Writing Businesses. We are on our way already.

If you’re starting a nonprofit—or thinking about it—there’s one critical step you can’t afford to skip: obtaining your 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status.In this episode, we break down why this designation is so important and how it directly impacts your ability to secure funding.Most foundations and federal grant programs require nonprofits to have 501(c)(3) status before they will even consider awarding funds. Without it, your opportunities for grant funding are extremely limited.But it’s not just about eligibility—it’s also about credibility.Having official tax-exempt status signals to donors, funders, and partners that your organization is legitimate, transparent, and structured for impact—not just a front for collecting money.We also discuss how this status benefits your supporters by allowing individuals and corporations to receive tax deductions for their donations—making it easier to attract and retain donors.If you’re in the early stages of building your nonprofit, this episode will help you understand why securing your 501(c)(3) status should be a top priority after establishing your board and clearly defining your mission.ABOUT HOLLY RUSTICKGrant Writing & Funding (GWF) has a Global Movement to Secure $1 Billion in Grant Funding for Good and $30 Million in Grant Writing Businesses by 2030. Holly Rustick, CEO of GWF, is leading the movement; a world-renowned grant writer with 20+ years of experience, bestselling author, and business coach for new and seasoned grant writers to replace their full-time income writing grants part-time from home through her signature programs: the Freelance Grant Writer Academy and the Grant Professional Mentorship.Rustick is the host of the top grant writing podcast “Grant Writing & Funding” and the author of the Bestselling book, The Beginner’s Guide to Grant Writing. With an MA in International Political Economy, past-president of the Guam Women’s Chamber of Commerce, serving on numerous boards of directors, Holly is also an unapologetic feminist. She lives on the island of Guam with her beautiful daughter, Isabella. CONNECT WITH HOLLY RUSTICKWebsite: https://grantwritingandfunding.com/RESOURCES:Weekly Newsletter: “Write Grants. Get Paid” - Get thought leadership on grant and freelance grant writing strategies every week in your inbox.https://grantwritingandfunding.com/Freelance Grant Writer Academy: Replace your Full-Time Income Writing Grants Part-Time from Home.https://grantwritingandfunding.com/freelance-grant-writer-academy/Grant Professional Mentorship: Double your Monthly Revenue with an Income Stream Outside of Grant Writing. https://grantwritingandfunding.com/mentorshipRATE, REVIEW, & FOLLOW THE PODCASTFavor, please? If you love this podcast, would you please do me a favor and leave a review on iTunes or your podcast listener?This helps others find the podcast and I read each and every review!“Every time I listen to Holly’s show, I learn something” <– If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing my show!Also, if you haven’t done so already, follow the Grant Writing & Funding podcast to get grant and freelance grant writing proven strategies and conversations in your podcast player every single week.Thanks for listening!Warmly,Holly RustickLeading the $1 Billion for Good Movement: By 2030, aspiring and seasoned grant writers inside the Freelance Grant Writer Academy & Grant Professional Mentorship will 1) WIN $1 Billion in Grants, and 2) MAKE $30 Million in their Grant Writing Businesses. We are on our way already.

So you have an idea for a new nonprofit, now what? In order to get your organization together it's a good idea to first conduct some market research. Find out where your new nonprofit will stand among the other organizations in your area. This will help strengthen your stakeholder relationships and discover if your nonprofit will be filling a gap in your community. ✨✨ Visit www.grantwritingandfunding.com to get the proven G.R.A.N.T.S. formula to write winning grants ✨✨ Favor, please? If you love this podcast, would you please do me a favor and leave a review on iTunes or your podcast listener? This helps others find the podcast and I read each and every review! If you have any questions, feel free to email [email protected] I’d love to connect with you! YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWzIfwJt0az9KKwKz1Uc8vg Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hollyrustick LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/holly-rustick-0765b817/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/grantwritingandfunding/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/grantwritingandfunding/ Thanks for listening! Holly Rustick Expert Grant Writer & Bestselling Author https://www.grantwritingandfunding.com/