Grant Writing & Funding

Grant Writing & Funding

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Grant Writing & Funding episodes

  • Challenges & Solutions of European Grants & How to Get Paid as a Grant Writer w/ Geir S. Nilsen

    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.


    I often get emails from people asking about grants in Europe. Although I have worked on international grants before, that is not my forte.

    So I was super pleased when Geir Sand Nilsen reached out to me to discuss the challenges and solutions of European grants. This goes for grants for businesses, grant writers, and nonprofits.

    In this podcast, Geir and I discuss:

    Challenges of EU grants

    • Navigation is a mess
    • EU is a union with many different languages and cultures so it is difficult to organize a central place for grant research
    • It’s a partner’s game. You need intra-country partners for many grants
    • Local help. Your country needs to have money to fund the grants
    • In the end, it’s about Europe

    About Geir Sand Nilsen

    Geir Sand Nilsen is a Norwegian-based serial tech entrepreneur and thought leader. He has experience from a wide range of industries including app development, mobile marketing, social media, chatbots, and educational technology. 

    For his ventures, Geir has raised both public grants and private funding from the Nordics, EU, Singapore and the US. In his newest venture, mrgrants.com, Geir will use technology to make life easier for all grant writers in the EU.

    Connect with Geir:

    • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/geirsand
    • Twitter: https://twitter.com/geirsand

    Geir’s Top Quotes:

    • “My nature is finding money to build the dreams. Now I just want to go back and do this a lot, and help others do the same thing.”
    • “Building a business that scales always comes down to understanding people.”

    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.

    42 min
  • Get a Committed Board, Increase Product Sales & Organize a Fundraiser with Ashia Stevens

    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 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 GUEST

    Ashia 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/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.

    42 min
  • How to Write a Successful Evaluation Section in Grants with James Pann

    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.


    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 GUEST

    Dr. 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/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.

    47 min
  • 111: 7 Steps to Quickly Get Money From Products & Services for Nonprofits

    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.


    ✨✨ 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
    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
    23 min
  • Why Grants Should be Eliminated with Vu Le of Nonprofit AF

    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.


    Vu Le of Nonprofit AF discusses grant writing challenges

    I 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 Le

    Vu 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/NonprofitAF


    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.

    42 min
  • How to Write a Grant in 15 Minutes

    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.


    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:

    1. 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.
    2. 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.
    3. 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.
    4. 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.
    5. You understand the application process and scoring criteria — What you actually need to write and include.

    R: Research the Needs & Target Population

    Do 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 Goal

    A 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 Objectives

    The 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 training
    • It 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 Activities

    Okay, 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 gritty of what needs to get done and utilizes an implementation plan.

    This also helps with the last point…

    S: Strategic Budget

    A budget is essential for a grant application because you are, after all, asking for money. You need to describe how much you need for each activity or objective in rolling out the project. 

    Having a well defined goal, objectives, and activities then allows you to know what a reasonable budget will be. You may think that you only need $5,000, but when you really flesh out your project you realize you actually need $50,000. 

    Make sure that for each item you put in your budget you are able to quantify why you need it (i.e. how it relates to your project) and where you came up with the amount. 

    Don’t guestimate!

    If you are asking for an item that is more than $5,000 then you will need to provide several quotes to showcase that is the price across the market. You may want to do this even for smaller items, such as computers. 

    Th...

    17 min
  • Freelance Grant Writing Wisdom with Dr. Bev

    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.


    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 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.


    1 hr 14 min
  • Behind the Scenes with the Co-Founder of Instrumentl (Plus, grant research tutorial!)

    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.


    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 years
    • Started 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/beinstrumentl

    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.

    59 min
  • How to Shift Your Mindset to Build Confidence & Increase Funding with THE Sean Croxton

    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.


    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 GUEST

    Sean 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/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.

    58 min
  • 105: How to Conduct Nonprofit Strategic Planning for Your Best Year Ever

    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.


    Get ready for 2020 with some strategic planning!
    35 min

About Grant Writing & Funding

From the publisher's feed

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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