Grant Writing & Funding

By Holly RustickBusiness Education How To Non-Profit

Grant Writing & Funding episodes

March 31, 2021How to Get Rid of Boring SWOT Analysis and Revive Your Strategic Planning
The Freelance Grant Writer Academy is OPEN for the last time in 2026!

You’re ready to quit your toxic job, retire with meaningful, part-time work, or work from home so you can pick up the kids. But how do you replace your paycheck?
Our 12-month group coaching program helps aspiring and seasoned grant writers replace your full-time income, on flexible hours, writing grants from home. You will build grant writing, marketing, and sales skills to find clients and create recurring income on flexible hours.
Get weekly coaching, unlimited grant and business reviews, business and grant training, hundreds of templates,Grant Writer & Consultant Certification, a community, and listed on our Grant Hire for Hire Directory.
Our students have earned over $12.6 million in freelance business revenue. You don’t have to figure this out alone.
Join the Academy for $3,500 or 8 monthly payments of $475. Doors close October 23rd at 11:59 PM Eastern.

Are you not sure even what a SWOT Analysis is or how it relates to strategic planning?
Well, I am definitely not saying get rid of the SWOT analysis altogether, but I am saying the old tired way of just shoving it in your planning and not knowing how to utilize is so over.
How? Well, you do need a SWOT Analysis for your nonprofit’s strategic planning, however, it doesn’t have to be boring.
It is actually one of the most FUN activities in your strategic planning.
A SWOT Analysis

A SWOT stands for:
Strengths
Weaknesses
Opportunities
Threats (or Challenges)
And for the SWOT you analyze each of these for your nonprofit.
How to Start a SWOT Analysis
Make sure you include all your board of directors and staff for your planning. You can even take a weekend or day away from the office (or on Zoom) and do the SWOT Analysis.
Strengths: Start with listing out all of the strengths of your nonprofit organization. What are the things that you are good at? What strengths do your employees, board members, volunteers, and staff bring to the table?
Weaknesses: List out the weaknesses your nonprofit has. Do you have a functioning website? Does your board of directors bring in annual funding? Do you receive grants?
Opportunities: What are some opportunities that your nonprofit could go after? Can you partner with new stakeholders? Is there training available for your staff? Are there funding opportunities available?
Threats: What are some things that could hinder or hurt your nonprofit? Are there natural disasters in your area? Are budget cuts coming up?
How to Implement a SWOT Analysis into Your Strategic Planning
List out at least 5 to 10 items for each area: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. Then have your team vote on the top 3 in each section, Make these your priorities to leverage or mitigate.
For example, if one of your top three strengths is that you have a highly-skilled and engaged board of directors but a weakness is that you have limited funding for your programs, then you may want to pull on your board members’ strengths to mitigate this weakness.
This may seem like a no-brainer, but unless you write it down – and do it together – it isn’t clearly identified, and then there is no action or buy-in.
I recommend doing a SWOT Analysis every single year and part of your strategic planning. Now that you know how to do one, remember it doesn’t have to be boring. It should be fun and engaging as your team brainstorms together.
ABOUT HOLLY RUSTICK
Grant 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/
Links:
Ep. 125: How to Make Decisions Swiftly and Lead Your Organization: Click here.
Ep. 126: Strategic Planning Crash Course 10 Steps To Skyrocket Your Nonprofit or Freelance Biz: Click here.
Ep. 95: 3 Steps for Ultimate Self-Care for Nonprofits: Click here.
Ep. 46: Why Values Are Important For Your Nonprofit: Click here.
Ep. 11: Creating Credibility & Culture: Part III Doing the SWOT: Click here.
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 PODCAST
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!

“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,
20 min
March 23, 2021 5 Proven Steps to Actually Find the Best-Fit Federal Grants
The Freelance Grant Writer Academy is OPEN for the last time in 2026!

You’re ready to quit your toxic job, retire with meaningful, part-time work, or work from home so you can pick up the kids. But how do you replace your paycheck?
Our 12-month group coaching program helps aspiring and seasoned grant writers replace your full-time income, on flexible hours, writing grants from home. You will build grant writing, marketing, and sales skills to find clients and create recurring income on flexible hours.
Get weekly coaching, unlimited grant and business reviews, business and grant training, hundreds of templates,Grant Writer & Consultant Certification, a community, and listed on our Grant Hire for Hire Directory.
Our students have earned over $12.6 million in freelance business revenue. You don’t have to figure this out alone.
Join the Academy for $3,500 or 8 monthly payments of $475. Doors close October 23rd at 11:59 PM Eastern.

In this episode, Holly Rustick sits down with federal grant research expert Jason Adkins to answer one of the most common questions: how do you actually find federal grants for your nonprofit?
Jason breaks down five clear, actionable steps to uncover federal funding opportunities and shares the exact websites and strategies you need to get started. What may seem overwhelming at first quickly becomes manageable as he demystifies the process and shows how to approach federal grant research with confidence.
Along the way, they discuss why having an English degree doesn’t automatically make someone a grant writer, the importance of “failing forward,” and how celebrating wins—like keeping a running list of secured grants—can keep you motivated.
Jason also shares how his approach to writing federal grants mirrors foundation grants, why being a federal grant reviewer can strengthen your proposals, and the importance of writing clearly at a 9th–12th grade level. They dive into formatting tips, productivity strategies like scheduling dedicated time to find grants, and how to stay consistent without burnout.
If federal grants have ever felt intimidating, this episode will give you the tools and confidence to start finding—and winning—them.
ABOUT OUR GUEST
Jason Adkins is a federal grant research expert and experienced grant professional who specializes in helping nonprofits identify and secure federal funding opportunities. With a strong background in grant writing, reviewing, and research, Jason has developed proven systems to simplify the process of finding and applying for federal grants. He is passionate about equipping organizations and grant writers with practical tools, strategies, and confidence to navigate the federal funding landscape successfully.
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 PODCAST
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!
“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 Rustick
Leading 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.
51 min
March 16, 2021Why You Cannot Guarantee Grant Award Funding as a Grant Professional
The Freelance Grant Writer Academy is OPEN for the last time in 2026!

You’re ready to quit your toxic job, retire with meaningful, part-time work, or work from home so you can pick up the kids. But how do you replace your paycheck?
Our 12-month group coaching program helps aspiring and seasoned grant writers replace your full-time income, on flexible hours, writing grants from home. You will build grant writing, marketing, and sales skills to find clients and create recurring income on flexible hours.
Get weekly coaching, unlimited grant and business reviews, business and grant training, hundreds of templates,Grant Writer & Consultant Certification, a community, and listed on our Grant Hire for Hire Directory.
Our students have earned over $12.6 million in freelance business revenue. You don’t have to figure this out alone.
Join the Academy for $3,500 or 8 monthly payments of $475. Doors close October 23rd at 11:59 PM Eastern.

A common question I get, as a grant professional, from nonprofit clients, is, “Can you guarantee that the grant you write for us will get awarded?”
There are a number of reasons that I say no. Very simply put, here are a few of the determining factors:
It depends also on the nonprofit’s capacity and experience in winning and managing grants that depend on their competitiveness with getting a grant awarded.
It depends on how well the grant project aligns with the priority of the funding source.
It depends on how ‘trendy’ the project is with current funding overall.
It depends on how many grant applications the funding source receives.
These are just a few, but there are many more reasons.
Listen to this week’s podcast to hear them all and how you can respond to this question!
Links:
Ep. 160: 2 Questions You Should Ask Before Getting a Grant Writing Certificate: Click here.
Ep. 159: 7 Myths That You Need to Know About Grants & Freelance Grant Writing: Click here.
Ep. 135: 1K into 15K in 1 Month: How This Freelance Grant Writer Did It: Click here.
Ep. 161: How Grant Research Can Be a Service You Offer a Nonprofit Client: Click here.
ABOUT HOLLY RUSTICK

Grant 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 PODCAST
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!

“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 Rustick
Leading 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.
15 min
March 10, 2021How Grant Research Can Be a Service You Offer Nonprofit Clients
The Freelance Grant Writer Academy is OPEN for the last time in 2026!

You’re ready to quit your toxic job, retire with meaningful, part-time work, or work from home so you can pick up the kids. But how do you replace your paycheck?
Our 12-month group coaching program helps aspiring and seasoned grant writers replace your full-time income, on flexible hours, writing grants from home. You will build grant writing, marketing, and sales skills to find clients and create recurring income on flexible hours.
Get weekly coaching, unlimited grant and business reviews, business and grant training, hundreds of templates,Grant Writer & Consultant Certification, a community, and listed on our Grant Hire for Hire Directory.
Our students have earned over $12.6 million in freelance business revenue. You don’t have to figure this out alone.
Join the Academy for $3,500 or 8 monthly payments of $475. Doors close October 23rd at 11:59 PM Eastern.

Did you know that you can do grant research as a stand-alone service or package it into your nonprofit client offers?
You might already be writing grants—but are you charging separately for researching and finding those grant opportunities?
If not… this episode might just change your business model.
Here’s the reality: many nonprofit clients will come to you with a list of grants and ask you to write them. But more often than not, they also expect you to find those opportunities in the first place.
And here’s where things get tricky—clients don’t always realize that grant research is a separate, billable service.
Why?
Because grant research requires:
A specialized skillset (yes, it’s absolutely an art!)
Time (hello, research rabbit holes)
Financial investment (most quality databases require paid access)
In this episode, I break down how grant research can stand on its own as a service—or be strategically bundled into your grant writing packages.
You’ll learn the how, why, and what of offering grant research so you can increase your value, set clearer expectations with clients, and boost your revenue.
Be sure to give it a listen!
ABOUT HOLLY RUSTICK
Grant 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 PODCAST
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!
“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 Rustick
Leading 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.
20 min
March 03, 2021 Ep. 160: 2 Questions You Should Ask Before Getting a Grant Writing Certificate
The Freelance Grant Writer Academy is OPEN for the last time in 2026!

You’re ready to quit your toxic job, retire with meaningful, part-time work, or work from home so you can pick up the kids. But how do you replace your paycheck?
Our 12-month group coaching program helps aspiring and seasoned grant writers replace your full-time income, on flexible hours, writing grants from home. You will build grant writing, marketing, and sales skills to find clients and create recurring income on flexible hours.
Get weekly coaching, unlimited grant and business reviews, business and grant training, hundreds of templates,Grant Writer & Consultant Certification, a community, and listed on our Grant Hire for Hire Directory.
Our students have earned over $12.6 million in freelance business revenue. You don’t have to figure this out alone.
Join the Academy for $3,500 or 8 monthly payments of $475. Doors close October 23rd at 11:59 PM Eastern.

✨ Join my Free 5-day FB Challenge: Confidently Pitch Your Grant Writing Services to Nonprofit Clients" Click here: http://grantwritingandfunding.com/5-day ✨
Grant Writing Certificate. To have or not to have?
And then... from where?
This is a question I get all the time.
I get this question from freelance grant writers and aspiring freelancers, but I also get it from potential nonprofit clients.
Do you have a grant writing certificate?
This question, and 7 more common questions asked by nonprofit clients, I will go over in even more detail (and give you a fill-in-the-blank script) in my upcoming 5-Day FB Challenge, "Confidently Pitch Your Grant Writing Services to Nonprofit Clients" on March 8th - 12th. Sign up above.
But for this week's podcast, I will uncover the answer to the elusive question, "Do you have a grant writing certificate?"
Here's the thing though. Grant Certificate or not, it doesn't really showcase your grant writing abilities. To have long-standing credibility and a reputation and to implement your learned skills, you need to write grants. Real-world grants. Not just a sample in a grant workshop. You need a pen to paper (or, er, keyboard to monitor?) and get out there and write some grants.
So, yes, a grant writing certificate can increase your resume and improve your skills, but grant writing certificate or not, you need to actually write grants.
If you aren't sure where to start, then check out nonprofits to volunteer at! And believe me, if you start volunteering the nonprofit won't ask you for a grant writing certificate! But you may be able to ask them to pay for your grant writing certificate and then you will volunteer ;)
So do you really need one? No. However, a grant writing certificate can be helpful in increasing credibility, knowledge, skills, and confidence. But you still will need to actually start writing 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!
Thanks for listening!
Holly Rustick
Expert Grant Writer & Bestselling Author
https://www.grantwritingandfunding.com/
21 min
February 24, 2021 7 Myths That You Need To Know About Grants & Freelance Grant Writing
The Freelance Grant Writer Academy is OPEN for the last time in 2026!

You’re ready to quit your toxic job, retire with meaningful, part-time work, or work from home so you can pick up the kids. But how do you replace your paycheck?
Our 12-month group coaching program helps aspiring and seasoned grant writers replace your full-time income, on flexible hours, writing grants from home. You will build grant writing, marketing, and sales skills to find clients and create recurring income on flexible hours.
Get weekly coaching, unlimited grant and business reviews, business and grant training, hundreds of templates,Grant Writer & Consultant Certification, a community, and listed on our Grant Hire for Hire Directory.
Our students have earned over $12.6 million in freelance business revenue. You don’t have to figure this out alone.
Join the Academy for $3,500 or 8 monthly payments of $475. Doors close October 23rd at 11:59 PM Eastern.

There’s a lot of misinformation out there about grant writing—and believing these myths can hold you back from success.
In this episode, we break down seven of the most common grant writing myths and what you actually need to know.

First, let’s talk about the idea that grants are easy to get. While grants are absolutely possible to win, they are competitive and require skill, strategy, and practice to write effectively. We also unpack the misconception that grants never have to be paid back. While generally true, funds must be used exactly as approved—or you risk having to return them. Always communicate with the funder before making any changes to your budget.
Another big myth? That grants can be used for personal expenses. The reality is that grants are awarded for specific program purposes—not to pay off personal debt or unrelated costs. We also cover the belief that grant writing is just like writing an English paper. While writing skills help, grant writing is a technical craft with its own rules and structure.
And let’s talk about money. You should not be writing grants for free if you have the skills and experience—you can and should get paid for your work. But at the same time, working on commission is not ethical and goes against industry best practices.
Finally, we address whether you can get paid clients without experience. If you’re new, it’s important to first build your skills—through volunteering, training, or internships—so you can confidently deliver results and charge for your services.

If you’re ready to separate fact from fiction and build a strong foundation in grant writing, this episode is a must-listen.

ABOUT HOLLY RUSTICK
Grant 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 PODCAST
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!
“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 Rustick
Leading 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.
26 min
February 16, 2021 Ep. 158: 3 Tactics You Didn't Know to Become a Nonprofit Executive Director Ninja
The Freelance Grant Writer Academy is OPEN for the last time in 2026!

You’re ready to quit your toxic job, retire with meaningful, part-time work, or work from home so you can pick up the kids. But how do you replace your paycheck?
Our 12-month group coaching program helps aspiring and seasoned grant writers replace your full-time income, on flexible hours, writing grants from home. You will build grant writing, marketing, and sales skills to find clients and create recurring income on flexible hours.
Get weekly coaching, unlimited grant and business reviews, business and grant training, hundreds of templates,Grant Writer & Consultant Certification, a community, and listed on our Grant Hire for Hire Directory.
Our students have earned over $12.6 million in freelance business revenue. You don’t have to figure this out alone.
Join the Academy for $3,500 or 8 monthly payments of $475. Doors close October 23rd at 11:59 PM Eastern.

✨ Click here to download the Infographic Top 10 Responsibilities of a Nonprofit Executive Director: https://grantwritingandfunding.com/158-3-tactics-you-didnt-know-to-become-a-nonprofit-executive-director-ninja/
✨
What if you had a checklist to help streamline your duties as an executive director of a nonprofit organization?
Sometimes an executive director of a nonprofit organization is stereotyped as juggling a million things and getting paid peanuts. But this doesn't, nor shouldn't, need to be the case. For a nonprofit organization to thrive, the executive director should have a roadmap. Some nonprofit organizations may not even have an executive director yet, and are even drooling at this aspect of having one!
But the deal is - if your nonprofit is so fortunate to have an executive director - don't burn them out!
So here's the old hierarchal order of a nonprofit. There is a board of directors that provides guidance for the nonprofit organization and then the executive director implements this guidance. Of course, the board should still support the mission in governance ways, and other staff, volunteers, and consultants can help out too!
The executive director is then often tasked with a lot of items, ranging from taking minutes of meetings to writing grants! This is why they get the stereotype of juggling a lot of diverse responsibilities.
Well, if you know of a busy nonprofit executive director that feels like they are virtually drowning, or if you are one, then you will want to listen to this week's podcast!
Sean discusses the following:
How to communicate with your board of directors
How to delegate
How to manage time (time management hacks)
What activities to focus on most of the time (high level)
What you should ask for in a contract and why one is important
Much more...
✨ Click here to download the Infographic Top 10 Responsibilities of a Nonprofit Executive Director: https://grantwritingandfunding.com/158-3-tactics-you-didnt-know-to-become-a-nonprofit-executive-director-ninja/✨
46 min
February 11, 2021Zero to 10 Nonprofit Clients in 5 Steps: Freelance Grant Writer Client Roadmap
The Freelance Grant Writer Academy is OPEN for the last time in 2026!

You’re ready to quit your toxic job, retire with meaningful, part-time work, or work from home so you can pick up the kids. But how do you replace your paycheck?
Our 12-month group coaching program helps aspiring and seasoned grant writers replace your full-time income, on flexible hours, writing grants from home. You will build grant writing, marketing, and sales skills to find clients and create recurring income on flexible hours.
Get weekly coaching, unlimited grant and business reviews, business and grant training, hundreds of templates,Grant Writer & Consultant Certification, a community, and listed on our Grant Hire for Hire Directory.
Our students have earned over $12.6 million in freelance business revenue. You don’t have to figure this out alone.
Join the Academy for $3,500 or 8 monthly payments of $475. Doors close October 23rd at 11:59 PM Eastern.

Ready to start growing your freelance grant writing business—but not sure where to begin? You’re not alone. Starting a freelance grant writing business or nonprofit consultancy can feel overwhelming, especially when it comes to finding and securing your first clients. It can feel like you’re staring out at a massive ocean of possibilities with no clear direction.
But it doesn’t have to be that way.
In this episode, we walk through a clear, actionable roadmap to help you confidently connect with nonprofit leads and start securing clients—yes, even if you’re starting from zero.
This step-by-step approach breaks down exactly how to identify your strengths, clarify your niche, and position your services so you can attract the right clients.
We cover the five essential steps to building your client pipeline:
Identifying your skillset
Clarifying your passion, knowledge, and experiences
Deciding which services to offer first
Creating a targeted nonprofit client lead list
Pitching your services with confidence
By following this roadmap, you can build a list of at least 50 nonprofit leads—making it much more realistic to secure your first (or next) 10 clients.
Even better? These strategies help turn cold outreach into warm opportunities, so you can spend less time guessing and more time growing your business.
If you’re ready to take the guesswork out of finding clients and start building momentum, this episode is your starting point.
ABOUT HOLLY RUSTICK
Grant 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 PODCAST
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!
“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 Rustick
Leading 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.
39 min
February 03, 2021 Common Freelance Grant Writer Mistakes: How To Avoid Them & Grow Your Business
The Freelance Grant Writer Academy is OPEN for the last time in 2026!

You’re ready to quit your toxic job, retire with meaningful, part-time work, or work from home so you can pick up the kids. But how do you replace your paycheck?
Our 12-month group coaching program helps aspiring and seasoned grant writers replace your full-time income, on flexible hours, writing grants from home. You will build grant writing, marketing, and sales skills to find clients and create recurring income on flexible hours.
Get weekly coaching, unlimited grant and business reviews, business and grant training, hundreds of templates,Grant Writer & Consultant Certification, a community, and listed on our Grant Hire for Hire Directory.
Our students have earned over $12.6 million in freelance business revenue. You don’t have to figure this out alone.
Join the Academy for $3,500 or 8 monthly payments of $475. Doors close October 23rd at 11:59 PM Eastern.

Being a freelance grant writer doesn’t have to feel like a frustrating career filled with stress and uncertainty—it can be the exact opposite.
In this episode, Holly Rustick sits down with freelance grant writing expert and coach Rodney Walker to talk about how to build your business with a strong foundation and grow in a methodical, sustainable way.
Rodney shares his journey from struggle to success and offers an honest, behind-the-scenes look at the mistakes many new grant writers make—and how to avoid them. From developing real confidence as a business owner to understanding when closed doors are actually signs to pivot, this conversation is packed with insights.
They also explore the power of affirmations, what it truly takes to move from broke to financially stable, and insider details about igrantwriters.com—including how you might already be featured there. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to strengthen your existing grant writing business, this episode will help you feel more confident, clear, and grounded in your path forward.
ABOUT OUR GUEST
Rodney Walker is a freelance grant writing expert, coach, and founder of igrantwriters.com. He has helped aspiring and established grant writers build profitable businesses by strengthening their confidence, refining their skills, and avoiding common pitfalls in the industry. Through his work, Rodney empowers grant writers to create sustainable income streams while making a meaningful impact in the nonprofit sector.
CONNECT WITH OUR GUEST
Website: https://igrantwriters.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 PODCAST
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!
“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 Rustick
Leading 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.
49 min
January 26, 2021 Ep. 155: 5-Steps to Know How & When Your Nonprofit or Business Should Publicly Support a Movement
The Freelance Grant Writer Academy is OPEN for the last time in 2026!

You’re ready to quit your toxic job, retire with meaningful, part-time work, or work from home so you can pick up the kids. But how do you replace your paycheck?
Our 12-month group coaching program helps aspiring and seasoned grant writers replace your full-time income, on flexible hours, writing grants from home. You will build grant writing, marketing, and sales skills to find clients and create recurring income on flexible hours.
Get weekly coaching, unlimited grant and business reviews, business and grant training, hundreds of templates,Grant Writer & Consultant Certification, a community, and listed on our Grant Hire for Hire Directory.
Our students have earned over $12.6 million in freelance business revenue. You don’t have to figure this out alone.
Join the Academy for $3,500 or 8 monthly payments of $475. Doors close October 23rd at 11:59 PM Eastern.

In this podcast, I am going to bring up when your freelance company or nonprofit should stand up for movements or injustice.
Here’s the deal. Sometimes I see nonprofits and freelance companies not sure if they should publicly support something. Most of the time it’s not because you don’t support something, but rather you might not be sure if your brand should make a stand.
In this episode, I am going to give you indicators on how you can quickly decide if you want your nonprofit to stand on an issue and how you want to represent it. I am not going to shove down your throat what my stances are on issues, however, I will use my company’s stances as examples that I actually practice what I preach.
Here’s the issue. Many times nonprofits and freelancers are just scared to publish a social media post or say they are in alignment with issues. They may fear losing donors, losing followers, or getting unsubscribes on their email list. They may not want to marginalize or polarize their audience.
I am going to show you how to make decisions where those fears will not be an issue.
Why is this important? Because we are moving more and more from a position where non-political players have an influence in the social, economic, and yes political movements. The invention of social media is has created a platform for sharing views and perspectives. I remember when celebrities first got on social media and suddenly there was direct access to their thoughts and beliefs. It was, and is, pretty cool. But social media is also your platform of your nonprofit’s view and ethics or your freelance grant writing businesses branding. To post nothing is to post something.
✨✨ 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]
Thanks for listening!
Holly Rustick
Expert Grant Writer & Bestselling Author
https://www.grantwritingandfunding.com/
✨✨ Visit www.grantwritingandfunding.com to get the proven G.R.A.N.T.S. formula to write winning grants ✨✨
31 min

About Grant Writing & Funding

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This show is for grant writers who are working in nonprofits or already have a few freelance clients but haven't replaced their nonprofit income yet, and don't have a clear system to get there.

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