Before you write the grant, you need to find the grant. Grant prospect research is a pivotal component of a grant professional's work. So where do you find the right funder and the right application for your organization and the needs it serves? The answer is simple: the same place grant professionals have been looking for the past 20+ years. We're talking about the usual suspects, plus a few you might not know about yet. 

Join our cohosts as we talk with Carol Kraus, former Director of Illinois’ Grant Accountability and Transparency Unit. With backing by the state’s legislature, this new unit worked with stakeholders, creating a streamlined grant process for all state grant programs, including federal pass through funding. Imagine a one stop shop for grant prospect research, grant application portals, and grant management regulations for every state agency. It’s like a dream come true, and Illinois set the standard for the rest of us to follow.

The grants and fundraising arena has always been a competitive endeavor. If you have spent any amount of time in the fund seeking world, you understand that the need always outweighs the grant awards offered by funders and donations handed out by individuals. But that does not mean us grant professionals and fundraisers have to throw off the gloves and duke it out until the last one is standing. Join today's episode for real world examples of how to dial down the crazy-making competition of grant seeking and fundraising. If we all participate in social grant responsibility, it will be better for all those we serve.

Getting comfortable with understanding and developing program/project budgets is essential for winning grants. Most grant professionals do not have a finance or accounting background, but budget building skills are necessary for every grant proposal. Consider this episode grant budgets for English majors. It is a deep dive you don't want to miss.

This season's ripped from the headlines episode highlights three instances of grants gone wrong. Join our cohosts as we discuss grant fraud from both a grantee and grantor standpoint. Real life instances of grant fraud can be a powerful lesson in what not to do and serve as a reminder why our grant office should include policies, procedures, and checks and balances. We want to be good stewards of the resources funders entrust to our organizations. 

There are many varying specialties for grant professionals. So how do you choose the right one for your career? We recommend learning as much as you can about each one. Today we are highlighting TJ Hansell and his work with Tribal Nations, both as a funder and fund seeker. Who knows? This may be the grant specialty for you.

Grant applications vary from application to application. Public and private funding processes are often at two ends of the spectrum, from the level of detail provided in the guidelines to application length to submission processes. Join our cohosts as we discuss the differences between the two, including what we like and don't about each. Neither are perfect, and there is always room for improvement.

Burnout is a reality in the grant profession. So how do you recognize the signs? And how do you learn to successfully move past the stress to get to the other side? Join our cohosts as we talk with Trish Bachman, Bethany Planton, and Johna Rodgers, a trio who continues to study the effects of burnout in our profession. Based on their research, burnout is not a matter of if it happens, but when.

At the end of the day, we'd like funders to read our proposals with an eye towards funding our programs. So how do we keep them focused and excited to hear all we have to say? It's all in the story we tell. Join our cohosts as we chat with author Joshilyn Jackson. She translates her New York times bestseller writing techniques into sound advice for successful grant writing.

The often overlooked and underappreciated source of nonprofit funding is monthly giving. Join our cohosts as we talk to Erica Waasdorp, author of Monthly Giving: The Sleeping Giant. Learn how easy it is to get your program started. It may not be the sexiest tool in your arsenal, but it's one of the most effective.