In this episode of Grant Writing Made Clear, Dr. Trenette tackles the emotional and practical reality of the final stretch before you hit submit. The last mile is where grant writing shifts to more precision, where anxiety can get louder, energy can get lower, and perfectionism may try to drive the car. This episode offers practical strategies that help you submit a proposal that is clear, compliant, and compelling.

3 Key takeaways

· The last mile feels hard because the work shifts from creating to inspecting

· You can submit while nervous, tired, or over it. Feelings are passengers, not the driver

· Small bursts of focused work beat waiting for inspiration
 

The seven last mile strategies mentioned

1. Define done like a scientist

2. Make a checklist that is extremely specific

3. Use the 15-minute sprint

4. Separate writing brain from review brain

5. Name the fear and give it a job

6. Build a micro self-care routine 

7. Get a second set of eyes with clear boundaries and deadlines

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Leading a grant is not only about writing a strong grant application. It is about implementation, compliance, budgeting, reporting, and leading people through the full life cycle of the project. In this episode, Dr. Trenette walks you through a practical readiness check so you can assess whether you are ready to serve as the lead on a grant, and what to strengthen if you are not there yet.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why implementation can be harder than grant writing
• The difference between being a leader and being a manager, and why you need both
• Mission clarity as a prerequisite for leading well
• Infrastructure that protects your project, including financial systems and staffing
• Why budget pacing and compliance matter even when nobody praises them
• The best way to learn leadership, which includes serving in a supporting role first
• A simple checklist to help you decide your next right step

Connect with us: Facebook community: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1BBd1aCj7r/

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In this episode, Dr. Trenette invites us to set 2026 goals differently. Instead of rushing into a “new year, go harder” mindset, we pause to reflect on what truly drained our energy in 2025 so we do not carry the same stress into a new calendar. This episode blends practical planning steps with encouragement that reminds us that our most important goals are not only about what we produce, but who we become while we are producing.

In This Episode, We Cover

• Why a new year does not automatically create new alignment
• How to reflect on 2025 without shame but with clarity and hope
• Three questions to identify what drained your energy, focus, and confidence
• How to do to clear mental clutter and recognize patterns
• Why choosing one aligned goal can create more momentum than setting ten goals
• How to turn that goal into strategies plus a tiny habit you can keep on rough weeks
• How to create a reset plan so one hard week does not become a lost season
• The Travis Greene lesson: touchdowns versus first downs

Simple Homework from the Episode

1. Identify what drained you in 2025 and name the deeper pattern
2. Do a mind sweep and circle the items connected to those patterns
3. Write ten goals and choose the most aligned goal
4. Select one tiny habit you can keep consistently
5. Write a reset plan for when life interrupts your plan

Listen to the Episode

Add your links here as you prefer:

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GrantWritingMadeClear
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/grant-writing-made-clear-with-dr-trenette/id1782782317
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0aTrG8cA70dk37zb9a1s0r

Community Invitation

Join our private Facebook community for connection, practical resources, and steady support:
 https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1BBd1aCj7r/

Grab your free copy of Think Like a Winner at https://trenette-goings.mykajabi.com/thinklikeawinner

If you’re thinking “I love Dr. Trenette and Grant Writing Made Clear” please rate, review, and subscribe!

Grant Writing Made Clear just passed a major milestone, one year on the air. In this anniversary episode, Dr. Trenette reflects on what this community has built and shares three practical moves from Season 1 that you can apply immediately to strengthen your grant writing practices.

This episode is part celebration, part gratitude, and part reset for the year ahead.

In this episode, you will hear

• Listener highlights from around the world and where the community is tuning in from
• The most listened to episodes from Season 1 and a replay recommendation
• The most saved resource so far and where to find it
• Three Season 1 moves you can apply this week
• A one minute challenge to help you take your next small step before Friday

Episode highlights

Top episodes in Season 1

• Episode 3: Grant Writing Basics
• Episode 4: Pros and Cons of Grants
• Episodes 1 and 2: Introduction to the podcast
• Episode 9: Part 1 of the conversation with Dr. Rachel Goode

Top summer replay episode

• Grant Writing Trends for 2025

Where listeners are tuning in

• Continents: 85% North America, 4% Africa, 4% Europe, 3% Asia, 1% Australia
• Countries include the US and Canada, followed by Germany, Rwanda, Nigeria, the UK, Zambia, India, the Philippines, Singapore, Spain, Indonesia, Belgium, Italy, Lesotho, Czechia, Guatemala, Russian Federation, Turkey, Sweden, Norway, Taiwan, Malawi, Vietnam, Tanzania, Portugal, Colombia, Japan, Kenya, Bangladesh, Poland, New Zealand, and many more
• Top cities: Atlanta (1), Chicago, (2) Houston (3), Seattle (4), Denver(5), Raleigh (6), Glendale CA (7), Charlotte (8), Kigali (9), and Philadelphia (10)
• Top listening platforms: Apple Podcasts (64%), Spotify (18%), Overcast (7%)

Three moves from Season 1 you can apply right now

Move 1: Consistency over intensity
Schedule two writing blocks each week. Put them on your calendar and protect them like meetings.

Move 2: Relationship first
Healthy relationships are important. Check in with team members and collaborators, clarify roles early, and practice gratitude often.

Move 3: Fit before prose
Before you write, assess fit. If the fit is not strong, save your time and energy for a better opportunity.

Next episode

Next week, Dr. Trenette will help you plan for a strong 2026.

Celebrate with me

If this podcast has helped you, share this episode with one colleague and leave a quick review. It helps more people find practical, clear grant writing support when they need it.

More from me: Join the Facebook community for weekly tips and support: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2385712291797538/?ref=share&mibextid=NSMWBT

Grab your free copy of Think Like a Winner at https://trenette-goings.mykajabi.com/thinklikeawinner

If you’re thinking “I love Dr. Trenette and Grant Writing Made Clear” please rate, review, and subscribe!

Grant Writing Made Clear

This week we talk about food as a steady source of energy, clarity, and care for people who carry big workloads and bigger missions. My guest, Julia Ambrozy, RD, is a registered dietitian who helps busy professionals build simple, sustainable nutrition routines that support focus, mood, and stamina. We explore how food choices fuel the impactful work we do.

Julia offers a clear way to think about meals during heavy seasons, how to create a basic plate that steadies energy, and what to reach for when you are moving between classes, meetings, and proposal deadlines. We talk about blood sugar and focus, hydration that actually works, easy protein and fiber wins, and how to plan for the week without turning food into another job. Julia also shares a kind, realistic approach to change, including how to reset after travel, how to eat well on a budget, and how to care for yourself when life is full.

I think you will appreciate Julia’s practical guidance. The goal is not perfection. The goal is a few simple moves you can repeat, so you feel better and do your best work.

Join our growing private Facebook community for connection, practical resources, and steady support: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1BBd1aCj7r/

Grab your free copy of Think Like a Winner at https://trenette-goings.mykajabi.com/thinklikeawinner

If you’re thinking “I love Dr. Trenette and Grant Writing Made Clear” please rate, review, and subscribe!

Grant Writing Made Clear

Today’s conversation is for those serious about becoming a strong leader. My guest, Josh Hinson, is Director of Relational Leadership @ Carolina, a human centered, transformational leadership program in the UNC Provost’s Office of Interprofessional Health Initiatives. Josh began partnering with Intend Health Strategies in 2019 through UNC’s pilot Relational Leadership Institute and previously served as a Clinical Assistant Professor at the UNC School of Social Work, where he directed the Global Transmigration – Refugee Mental Health and Wellness Initiative delivering mental health services to refugees across North Carolina.

We talk about practical ways relational leadership helps busy academics and nonprofit leaders steady the work: opening meetings in a way that centers people and still moves projects forward, sharing power without losing momentum, giving feedback that strengthens trust, and repairing quickly when things get tense. We connect these practices directly to grant writing, how presence beats performative urgency, how clear roles speed up proposal development, and how caring for the team actually improves deliverables and deadlines. Josh shares lessons about listening deeply, designing around real world constraints, and sustaining yourself and your team for the long haul.

Josh lives in Hillsborough, North Carolina, with his wife, their two children, a dog, and an ever declining population of chickens. I think you will appreciate his grounded, generous approach to leadership you can use this week as you manage many balls, including your next grant application.

Grab your free copy of Think Like a Winner at https://trenette-goings.mykajabi.com/thinklikeawinner

If you’re thinking “I love Dr. Trenette and Grant Writing Made Clear” please rate, review, and subscribe!

Grant Writing Made Clear 

Sometimes the most strategic move you can make is to pause, plan, and strategize. In this episode, Dr. Trenette shares recommendations for designing your season with clarity so you can stop reacting and start leading with intention.

Here are the 3 key takeaways:

1- Seasons require prioritizing:  If you do not set priorities, the season will set them for you.
2- Rhythms create stability: Weekly anchors like writing blocks, team touchpoints, rest, and family nights hold your plan together.

3- Boundaries prevent burnout: Clear guardrails protect your time, energy, and mission.

What you will learn

• A three pillar season plan: Vision/Goals, Rhythms, and Boundaries
• How to run a simple mid-season check in that realigns focus
• A practical challenge to set 3 to 5 goals, anchor your week, and protect your energy

Action steps

• Block one hour to set 3 to 5 vision goals for this season
• Establish weekly rhythms that support those goals
• Write non-negotiable boundaries that keep the plan sustainable
• Schedule a mid-season check in today

More from me

• Join the Facebook community for weekly tips and support: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2385712291797538/?ref=share&mibextid=NSMWBT
• If this episode helps you, please subscribe and leave a quick review so others can build seasons of purpose

Grab your free copy of Think Like a Winner at https://trenette-goings.mykajabi.com/thinklikeawinner

If you’re thinking “I love Dr. Trenette and Grant Writing Made Clear” please rate, review, and subscribe!

Grant Writing Made Clear

Many, if not most, foundations screen with Letters of Intent (LOIs). LOIs are short, high-stakes documents that decide whether you get to submit a full proposal. In this episode, I break down what program officers look for in LOIs, share a simple LOI structure that works, and the mindset that helps you rise to the top of a crowded review pile.

If you have ever felt unsure about how to stand out in 2–3 pages, this episode will show you how to communicate with confidence, clarity, and alignment.

HERE ARE THE 3 KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THIS EPISODE:

1- Alignment is key: A tailored LOI that mirrors a foundation’s stated priorities will outperform a generic template every time. Speak their language and connect your project to their portfolio.
2- Clarity + compliance win first: Follow the instructions exactly. Be clear and specific in your writing. Clarity helps you succeed.
3- Credibility needs numbers: Replace vague claims with evidence (e.g., results, figures).

WHAT YOU WILL LEARN

• Why foundations rely on LOIs and how to use that to your advantage
• A clean LOI outline you can adapt quickly
• Common LOI killers and stronger alternatives

ACTION STEPS

• Identify one truly aligned foundation and draft a practice LOI (do not submit yet)
• Craft a one-sentence clear and compelling problem statement
• Compile preliminary results you can plug into any LOI

MORE FROM ME

• Join the Facebook community for weekly tips and support: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2385712291797538/?ref=share&mibextid=NSMWBT
• Subscribe and leave a quick review. Your support helps more organizations fund good work

Grab your free copy of Think Like a Winner at https://trenette-goings.mykajabi.com/thinklikeawinner

If you’re thinking “I love Dr. Trenette and Grant Writing Made Clear” please rate, review, and subscribe!

Grant Writing Made Clear

Grants do more than fund interventions. In this episode, Dr. Trenette shares how the process of grant writing builds clarity of mission, professional credibility, strategic discipline, partnerships, and a resilient growth mindset. You will walk away with practical ways to treat each proposal.

What you will learn

• How writing proposals clarifies who you serve, why it matters, and the activities you use to serve your population
• Why an unfunded proposal can still grow credibility and open doors 
• How collaboration around grants strengthens relationships and reduces duplication
• A healthy way to use reviewer feedback so every no becomes data for your next yes

Next steps

• Share this episode with a colleague who needs encouragement
• Subscribe so you never miss an episode

Grab your free copy of Think Like a Winner at https://trenette-goings.mykajabi.com/thinklikeawinner

If you’re thinking “I love Dr. Trenette and Grant Writing Made Clear” please rate, review, and subscribe!

DWelcome back to Season 2! In this opening episode, Dr. Trenette reflects on her summer sabbatical and the powerful lessons she learned about rest, renewal, and resistance. From presenting in Paris to glamping in South Carolina and soaking up sunshine in Jamaica, she shares how stepping back created space for new ideas, creativity, and joy.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• Insights from international conferences and cultural experiences that sparked fresh perspectives.
• Honest reflections on what it feels like when everyone suddenly “needs you” the moment you take a break.
• Why rest is more than self-care. 
• Practical strategies for protecting your time and creating healthier rhythms for yourself and your team (like ending meetings at :50 instead of :00).
• A sneak peek at what’s ahead in Season 2 from grant writing strategies and mindset shifts to leadership and self-care.

Resources & Next Steps:

• Join the Grant Writing Made Clear Facebook community.
• Subscribe to the podcast so you don’t miss Season 2’s episodes.
• Watch for details about Dr. Trenette’s November workshop on navigating today’s funding landscape.

Grab your free copy of Think Like a Winner at https://trenette-goings.mykajabi.com/thinklikeawinner

If you’re thinking “I love Dr. Trenette and Grant Writing Made Clear” please rate, review, and subscribe!