Grant Writing & Funding

Quit your toxic nonprofit job and replace your full-time income while writing grants part-time, from home! Join our students in the Freelance Grant Writer Academy to create Financial Stability and Flexibility through writing grants for causes you are passionate about: https://grantwritingandfunding.com/freelance-grant-writer-academy World-renowned grant writing expert and Amazon bestselling author Holly Rustick provides coaching that helps new and experienced grant writers replace their full-time income while writing grants part-time from home (or anywhere they want to live or travel in the world). She coaches changemakers to master grant writing and start to grow 6-figure+ grant writing businesses on part-time hours via her signature group program, “Freelance Grant Writer Academy." As an unapologetic feminist, Holly’s work in coaching female grant writers to master grant writing, find their cause-area niche, and navigate value-based pricing and nonprofit sales is breaking glass ceilings for women all over the world. Every week, she coaches thousands of people through the top-ranking podcast, Grant Writing & Funding, books on grant writing, and inside the Freelance Grant Writer Academy. Holly has 20 years of experience in grant writing, and began her freelance grant writing journey back in 2005. While teaching in Kuwait and Indonesia, and then earning a Master’s Degree in International Political Economy in Belgium, Holly saw the light of setting up a virtual-based business in grant writing back in the mid-2000s. Having secured more than $45 million of dollars for nonprofit organizations, and then setting up a multi 6-figure freelance business, Holly has a mission to help female grant writers break out of toxic nonprofit J-O-B-S and create high-level income while freelance grant writing. Inside the Freelance Grant Writer Academy, students have secured more than $225+ million in grant funding and $4+ million in revenue in their grant writing businesses within two years. To amplify this work, she is past-president of the Guam Women’s Chamber of Commerce and was appointed to the Guam Business Advisory Task Force as an advisor to the first female governor of Guam. Holly lives on the island of Guam with her beautiful daughter, Isabella. If you are interested in replacing your full-time income while writing grants part-time from home (or from anywhere in the world!) join the Freelance Grant Writer Academy! www.grantwritingandfunding.com.

Latest episodes

Jul 15, 2025 • 20min

Gabrielle Quit Her Job When Pregnant & Built a $12K Per Month Grant Writing Business

In this conversation, Holly Rustick interviews Gabrielle Perry, a successful grant writer who shares her journey of transitioning from a 9-5 job to running her own grant writing business. Gabrielle discusses the challenges she faced, the importance of community and mentorship, and how she has achieved significant financial success through value-based pricing and building a strong brand. She emphasizes the personal transformation she has experienced, gaining confidence and freedom in her professional and personal life, and highlights the importance of structured education in her growth.TakeawaysGabrielle secured $232,784 in grants in 2025.She quit her 9-5 job to thrive in her business.Community and mentorship were crucial for her growth.Overcoming imposter syndrome was a significant challenge.She transitioned from one client to $12,000 a month.Value-based pricing transformed her business.Confidence gained from the Academy was invaluable.She enjoys more freedom and time with her children.Streamlined processes improved her efficiency.Structured education is essential for success.Visit www.grantwritingandfunding.com/gabrielle to learn more!Join the Freelance Grant Writer Academy to results - just like Gabrielle. https://grantwritingandfunding.com/academy Do you want a FREE Master Grant Template? Grab our FREE 5-Part Private Podcast, where you get1) a private podcast episode for 5 days explaining how to write our Academy Master Grant2) an editable Master Grant Template3) a Master Grant WorkbookJust visit https://www.grantwritingandfunding.com/private-podcast

Jun 19, 2025 • 1h 18min

First $100K as a Freelance Grant Writer: What These 3 Academy Students Did

Join Payton, Dr. Lauren, and Daphney to discover how they made their first $100,000 inside the Freelance Grant Writer Academy. Find out more about the Academy: https://grantwritingandfunding.com/academy Do you want a FREE Master Grant Template? Grab our FREE 5-Part Private Podcast, where you get1) a private podcast episode for 5 days explaining how to write our Academy Master Grant2) an editable Master Grant Template3) a Master Grant WorkbookJust visit https://www.grantwritingandfunding.com/private-podcast

Jun 19, 2025 • 43min

First Grant & First Client: 3 Stories Inside the Academy

Listen to how Gabrielle, Christina, and Eowyn all got their first grants or clients inside the Freelance Grant Writer Academy. Do you want a FREE Master Grant Template? Grab our FREE 5-Part Private Podcast, where you get1) a private podcast episode for 5 days explaining how to write our Academy Master Grant2) an editable Master Grant Template3) a Master Grant WorkbookJust visit https://www.grantwritingandfunding.com/private-podcast

Jun 17, 2025 • 55min

Transformations from the Academy: From Stay-at-Home Mom to Making More Than Her Husband and Relocating to Spain

This episode is from the Freelance Grant Writer Academy “Cultivating Community: Peer Spotlights and Networking” with our very own co-coaches - Gwen Valentino and D Abshire!They share about how they got into grant writing, what their biggest challenges have been, what has been useful in changing their lives in the Academy, and what they see students doing inside the Academy that get the most results!Takeaways - they both now have FREEDOM and Choices!Gwen shares how she has 13X the amount of revenue she has - now out-performing her husband who is at the top rank of his 22 year job. She talks about how she has options and can now be a sponsor for her kids and so much more!D has literally moved from California to Spain in 2025 now that she has a virtual stable job! They have been able to go from volunteering as a board member to helping - and getting paid - as a grant and funding consultant to help smaller nonprofit organizations.This is SO good!Tune in today to listen to this podcast. To learn more about the podcast episodes go to https://grantwritingandfunding.com/grant-writing-podcast/ "Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple PodcastsFavor, 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! Thanks for listening!Warmly,Holly RustickCoaches new and experienced grant writers to earn high 5-6 figure incomes writing grants from home!Get Freelance Grant Writing Spicy Tips when you Join the weekly newsletter series “Write Grants. Get Paid” 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/———————————————————————————This podcast episode was lovingly sponsored by GEMS!This podcast episode is lovingly sponsored by Grant Easy Management Software (GEMS). Break Up with Your Spreadsheet – Get GEMS Grant Easy Management Software and NEVER MISS A DEADLINE AGAIN! Book YOUR FREE demo now! Click here: https://www.grantwritingandfunding.com/gems ——————————————————————————— Do you want a FREE Master Grant Template? Grab our FREE 5-Part Private Podcast, where you get1) a private podcast episode for 5 days explaining how to write our Academy Master Grant2) an editable Master Grant Template3) a Master Grant WorkbookJust visit https://www.grantwritingandfunding.com/private-podcast

Jun 12, 2025 • 18min

5 Reasons to Join the Academy in This Round

Here are 5 reasons you should join the Freelance Grant Writer Academy in this Round (i.e. before the doors close on June 22nd).#1) Live Discovery Sales Call Day Lab: Learn, Practice, Convert Happening on Tuesday, June 24th at 2:30 pm - 5pm EST (replay available)We will have a LIVE SALES CALL DAY for Academy students. This will be part of our annual live trainings!#1 - I’ll do a Sales Call training (my 5-Step Proven Process to have high-converting calls)#2 - We have mock sales calls (to show you how to do things right and wrong)#3 - Breakout rooms so you can practice sales calls!You will get an ethical sales process that doesn’t feel salesy at all, and that is curated to do sales with nonprofits for grant writing services (for-profit sales is different!). You will build confidence so you actually go MARKET and don’t feel weird on sales calls again, or give discounts! Learn how to overcome all the objections in an ethical way.Amazing! AND we won’t be offering this Live training again until next year.#2) We have Quit Your Job Training in late July.This will be another LIVE training for those of you looking to quit your job. We will show you:How much money to set aside before quitting your jobTransition your 9-5 into an anchor clientQuickly get a client to build some savingsA Script on how to have the ‘quit your job conversation’ with your bossHow to start treating your 9-5 like a client NOWA Timeline to quit your job safely and responsibly#3) It’s Mid-YearOftentimes people overestimate what they can do in a year, but underestimate what they can do in 6 months. What’s great about making a goal mid-year is that you still have time to do A LOT and have impact. In fact, it’s easier mid-year to meet your goal (vs beginning of the year), because the time doesn’t feel so vast. You know you have limited time. But you know you have enough time to learn a new skill, start a business, or get clients. You might just need help meeting that goal you made in January. And with everything with grants and change this year, you might not have hit the goals so far that you wanted to.2025 is a quarter of the way through the century.2025 can still be your milestone year if you resolve to have a goal NOW.#4) Earn More Money Today for Your RetirementRetirement might feel far away or it might be around the corner.You might be a young mom in your 20s and thinking about what retirement will look like one day.Or you might be ready to retire this year.In either case, when you become a freelance grant writer, you will learn how to increase income for your retirement.That might mean you can start adding more into your social security NOW because your revenue will increase. Another year of adding into that retirement could ESPECIALLY mean a LOT if you are younger because of compound interest.Or it could mean that you are now set up to retire this year as a freelance grant writer and earn some more money into your golden years, without having the pressure of working a full-time job.When you start TODAY that will add to your retirement starting today.5) Join tonight to get the BEST Bonuses!If you are on the fence, you should just go ahead and make the investment tonight. Why?Because you still have another 9 days before the doors actually close the Academy.Since you are on my newsletter list, you joined because you were interested in grant writing or freelance grant writing. In the Academy, we have BOTH.You will get more emails over the next 9 days. We will share all components of how people just like you are changing their entire lives by writing grants from home.It's possible.If you don't join tonight, chances are you will join before the doors close on June 22nd...But you won't be able to have access to these AMAZING BONSUES. In fact, Bonus #2 is happening before the doors even close. You won’t get a Done-For-You Grant Writing Business PlanYou won’t get a Grant Writing Package and Pricing Outlined for You.You won’t get a Grant Writing Retainer and Pricing developed for you.You won’t get a 12-Month Marketing Plan curated for YOU.You won't get a customized list of 25 nonprofit leads.You won't get a personalized system of how to make $10K in 90 days in the program.You won't get a Checklist (you can start next week!) to quit your job.You won't get a Checklist to write a grant.You won't get a checklist to create a 6-figure business.You won't get 2.5 hours in a small coaching group with me where I will hear about your specific situation.If you are on the fence of joining, join by Friday, June 13th so you can be sure to get these BEST Bonuses. They are not included inside the Program.You could have momentum now. Instead of kicking yourself for not joining earlier.2025 is already a year like no other in the Academy. We have EXTRA support and tons of live training and peer sharing this year.BONUS #1 ***NEW BONUS: Done-4-You Freelance Grant Writer Business PlanGet your Ideal Client identified based on your skills and experience - even if you are new to grant writingGet 1 Customized Package and 1 Customized Retainer Offer Outlined with Pricing Get a Customized 12-month Easy-Lift Marketing PlanBONUS #2: VIP Group Strategy Session “YOUR FIRST $10K IN THE ACADEMY & A 25 NONPROFIT LEAD LIST ”Create a List of 25+ Nonprofit Clients Leads (during the call!)3-Step Strategy to Get Your First $10K (and get feedback)Getting Started Checklist to Quit Your JobChecklist to Write a Grant TemplateChecklist on 6-figure Business SystemsCase Studies: How Academy Students Made $50K+ Within a YearMeet other VIP students!Join the Freelance Grant Writer Academy today: https://grantwritingandfunding.com/academy Do you want a FREE Master Grant Template? Grab our FREE 5-Part Private Podcast, where you get1) a private podcast episode for 5 days explaining how to write our Academy Master Grant2) an editable Master Grant Template3) a Master Grant WorkbookJust visit https://www.grantwritingandfunding.com/private-podcast

Jun 12, 2025 • 11min

Will Create a Done-For-You Grant Writing Business Plan AND Find 25 Nonprofit Leads

BONUSES END JUNE 13th, 2025***Not sure where to start with a freelance grant writing business? It sounds amazing, but you just don’t know where to start.Should you start with getting grant writing skills?Should you start with a website?Should you start reaching out to nonprofits?Do you need to start learning (or honing) grant skills first?This can feel overwhelming.And overwhelm can lead to taking NO action. That’s why when you join the Freelance Grant Writer Academy by Friday, June 13th at 11:59 pm EST, you will get VIP Bonuses (Valued at $2,500) to give you a clear path in starting your freelance grant writing business and in quitting your toxic nonprofit job.We have coached literally hundreds of new and seasoned grant writers.When you join the Academy before Friday, June 13th at 11:59 p.m., we will create a Done-For-You Grant Writing Business Plan for YOU.This Done-For-You GW Business Plan will be entirely based on your experience, education, and life situation to make sense for you.First, we will analyze what causes or types of organizations you are passionate about to come up with YOUR ideal client.Next, we will analyze your education, experience, and geographic area to understand a package and retainer offer (including data-driven pricing). Finally, we provide a 12-month Marketing Plan that is customized for you. So if you aren’t on social media yet, we provide social media optional marketing AND if you have a ton of followers, we provide ways to increase your lead generation on the platforms you use (and also non-social media marketing techniques).This is our NEWEST Bonus and we are SO excited to include it as after working with hundreds of people in the Academy, figuring this out on your own can feel overwhelming. We do it for you so you can get clarity on what you do and get clients fast.When you know what you offer, and for how much, and have a marketing plan, you get clients fast because you have confidence. Join the Freelance Grant Writer Academy now: https://grantwritingandfunding.com/academy Do you want a FREE Master Grant Template? Grab our FREE 5-Part Private Podcast, where you get1) a private podcast episode for 5 days explaining how to write our Academy Master Grant2) an editable Master Grant Template3) a Master Grant WorkbookJust visit https://www.grantwritingandfunding.com/private-podcast

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Grant Writing & Funding

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