

Grant Writing & Funding
Holly Rustick
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.
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.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Aug 17, 2021 • 38min
Ep. 184: Why & How You Should Start a Cause Movement for What You are Passionate About
Join the Free, Live Training, "Earn an Extra $10K in 90 Days Writing Grants at Home" on Tuesday, October 14th at 4 pm - 5:30 pm EST. Click here https://grantwritingandfunding.com/academy-webinar.Why & How You Should Start a Cause Movement for What You are Passionate About
Starting a nonprofit organization is not the only way to create and advance a cause movement that you are passionate about. Sometimes it's as simple as volunteering for a cause, donating to a mission, or cleaning up a beach.
But sometimes you want to go a step deeper and have your passion drive your creativity into manifesting something new. That's what Rebecca Soriano has done! She has always been passionate about mental health and in her medical billing business serves a clientele of mental health providers.
During the pandemic though, Rebecca started a movement she calls Roar to Soar where she started to write handwritten letters to help with her own isolation. She started to see the impact these letters had (both for those who received them, as well as for her personal growth), and started to reach out to strangers who also felt isolated.
In fact, she posted online if people felt hopeless if they would like a letter and received 40+ requests per day. The movement grew from there where she also started writing letters to incarcerated individuals and creating friendships.
Click here to see all the amazing efforts Rebecca is doing and to join her movement: www.grantwritingandfunding.com/184
Thanks for listening!
Holly Rustick
Expert Grant Writer & Bestselling Author
https://www.grantwritingandfunding.com/
Favor, please?
If you love this podcast, would you please do me a favor and leave a review on iTunes or your podcast listener?
✨✨ Visit www.grantwritingandfunding.com to get the proven G.R.A.N.T.S. formula to write winning grants ✨✨

Aug 10, 2021 • 56min
Ep. 183: The Grant Writing Coach Tells All on Going from Biologist to Grant Professional
Join the Free, Live Training, "Earn an Extra $10K in 90 Days Writing Grants at Home" on Tuesday, October 14th at 4 pm - 5:30 pm EST. Click here https://grantwritingandfunding.com/academy-webinar.The Grant Writing Coach Tells All on Going from Biologist to Grant Professional
You weren't an English major or Public Administration major? No worries. You don't have to have been a writer all your life to transition into grant writing.
In this podcast, Sheleia Phillips tells all on how she has gone from biologist to grant professional... all from the suggestion during an internship.
This literally turned her life around as she realized she could apply her background in research papers and evidence-based practices to writing a grant. She then found out she loves grant writing as has pivoted her career!
What we Discuss:
Sheleia's transition into grant writing
✨How become a federal grant reviewer is important
✨Why she offers a hybrid of services to nonprofits
✨Nonprofit common challenges (and solutions!)
✨How to say no to too much work
✨How to set up a referral network
Thanks for listening!
Holly Rustick
Expert Grant Writer & Bestselling Author
https://www.grantwritingandfunding.com/
Favor, please?
If you love this podcast, would you please do me a favor and leave a review on iTunes or your podcast listener?
✨✨ Visit www.grantwritingandfunding.com to get the proven G.R.A.N.T.S. formula to write winning grants ✨✨

Aug 3, 2021 • 38min
Ep. 182: How to Save Time in Your Nonprofit & Grant Business with the Impact Method
Join the Free, Live Training, "Earn an Extra $10K in 90 Days Writing Grants at Home" on Tuesday, October 14th at 4 pm - 5:30 pm EST. Click here https://grantwritingandfunding.com/academy-webinar.How to Save Time in Your Nonprofit & Grant Business with the Impact Method
Capacity can really mean time and money. Sometimes money can leverage time and vice versa. But time seems to be the most valuable metric for nonprofits and grant writing businesses.
In this week's podcast, special guest Sarah Olivieri goes over the Impact Method that she has created and how it is used for nonprofits and freelance grant writers.
You will want this blueprint!
What we Discuss
What the Impact Method is
What capacity means
How to create an effective blueprint
How to get more time back in your day
How to have accountability
How to delegate better
Thanks for listening!
Holly Rustick
Expert Grant Writer & Bestselling Author
https://www.grantwritingandfunding.com/
Favor, please?
If you love this podcast, would you please do me a favor and leave a review on iTunes or your podcast listener?
✨✨ Visit www.grantwritingandfunding.com to get the proven G.R.A.N.T.S. formula to write winning grants ✨✨

Jul 28, 2021 • 24min
Ep. 181: How to Take Time Off from Your Nonprofit or Grant Writing Business
Join the Free, Live Training, "Earn an Extra $10K in 90 Days Writing Grants at Home" on Tuesday, October 14th at 4 pm - 5:30 pm EST. Click here https://grantwritingandfunding.com/academy-webinar.How to Take Time Off from Your Nonprofit or Grant Writing Business
Yes. A summer sabbatical, two-week break, or maybe even a year abroad sojourn could be exactly what makes sense for you in your nonprofit or grant writing business right now.
I've been hearing this term thrown around in entrepreneur groups lately of taking a sabbatical. No longer is this term only whispered in the halls of academia.
This actual term of sabbatical is defined according to Merriam-Webster dictionary as:
noun
a period of paid leave granted to a university teacher or other worker for study or travel, traditionally one year for every seven years worked.
"she's away on sabbatical"
adjective
1.
relating to a sabbatical.
"sabbatical leave"
2.
ARCHAIC
of or appropriate to the sabbath.
So, yes, this is way more of an academia term yet also includes a nod to some thing sacred. Pretty cool, huh?
What is also interesting as most entrepreneurs and grant writers would use this term as paid time away. This might mean having saved up funds for this particular time off or maybe they are generating some passive income. For nonprofit leaders, the time I am talking about taking off is also paid time away.
Because, let's face it. Taking time to recharge isn't so relaxing when you're not getting paid.
When to Take Time Off
Well, there are several different ideas of this.
1) The most common is to take off time when you are so burned out that you literally can't function. Usually this type of 'time off' includes hospital rest at the very extreme all the way to sleeping for days on end. This is a dangerous place to be, however the good ole American work ethic and literally work people to death. Not that good after all, huh?
2) The next most common is to schedule time off after an intense workload period. So after a huge fundraiser or long grant season. You know you will need a break so you schedule in advance for after that intense period of working. Let's be real, sometimes they intense periods need to be had. But let's look at another way.
3) The least common but most effective. Schedule time off before you get burned out. Seems pretty simple, but so many people feel guilty for doing this! Imagine, you take off time so during those intense periods you can feel fresh and 100%. How much more productive and less intense would those periods feel?
While looking at this in my own life and grant writing business, I realized that I need to be operating on #3 A LOT more. I am a very classic A type personality and going, going, going is my game. But I often find myself operating in the #2 (or sometimes #1) phase and it is not a pretty place to be!
In this podcast, I go behind the scenes of how I was able to take off my 'summer sabbatical' and set up systems where my brand still continues but I get to take off time with my family!
This system can be replicated :)
Think about what phase (1, 2, or 3) you resonate with and how you can start to operate more in #3.
Thanks for listening!
Holly Rustick
Expert Grant Writer & Bestselling Author
https://www.grantwritingandfunding.com/
Favor, please?
If you love this podcast, would you please do me a favor and leave a review on iTunes or your podcast listener?
✨✨ Visit www.grantwritingandfunding.com to get the proven G.R.A.N.T.S. formula to write winning grants ✨✨

Jul 20, 2021 • 45min
180: Why You Should Stop Asking Your Board to Fundraise and Why Donors Rock
Join the Free, Live Training, "Earn an Extra $10K in 90 Days Writing Grants at Home" on Tuesday, October 14th at 4 pm - 5:30 pm EST. Click here https://grantwritingandfunding.com/academy-webinar.✨ Why You Should Stop Asking Your Board to Fundraise and Why Donors Rock ✨🎙️
What?! Yes, this might sound contradicting. (Well, the stopping to ask your board to fundraise, not the rocking donors!).
When Sarah Olivieri first mentioned this I told her she had to explain, and that she did.
Why might you ask your board members to stop fundraising? Well, she will point that out in the podcast, but it will take your mind for a little ride. Hint-hint: Maybe you should create a fundraising committee with other people that are dedicated to fundraising so your board can focus on guiding the nonprofit...
That's just one thought process to think about in this discussion! Here's a look at...
What We Discuss
✨Why You Should Stop Asking Your Board to Fundraise
✨Why Donors Rock
✨Why Donors love to give to unrestricted funding
✨How to get the first 150 Donors
✨Why you might not need a CRM or social media
✨Where to find donors
✨How to model the weight loss advertisements for fundraising
Thanks for listening!
Holly Rustick
Expert Grant Writer & Bestselling Author
https://www.grantwritingandfunding.com/
Favor, please?
If you love this podcast, would you please do me a favor and leave a review on iTunes or your podcast listener?
✨✨ Visit www.grantwritingandfunding.com to get the proven G.R.A.N.T.S. formula to write winning grants ✨✨

Jul 13, 2021 • 39min
Ep. 179: How Nonprofits Get Funding from Grants, Fundraisers, and Donors
Join the Free, Live Training, "Earn an Extra $10K in 90 Days Writing Grants at Home" on Tuesday, October 14th at 4 pm - 5:30 pm EST. Click here https://grantwritingandfunding.com/academy-webinar.How Nonprofits Get Funding from Grants, Fundraisers, and Donors
For a nonprofit organization to be successful, it is important to have a healthy mix of funding from grants, fundraisers, donors, services, and more. For nonprofits to entirely rely on grants is not healthy.
Is your nonprofit struggling financially?
Do you only get grants or only do fundraising?
If you nodded your head to either of these questions, you will definitely want to check out this episode.
And if you are a nonprofit board director, executive director, or even a freelance grant writer looking to expand your services, then this podcast is for you.
Guess who is back on the Grant Writing & Funding podcast with me this week? Dr. Beverly Browning! Woot-woot!
What we Discuss
How your board of directors can contribute financially
Why your start-up nonprofit should do monthly fundraisers and how it doesn’t have to be hard
Why it’s critical your nonprofit is on Guidestar.org
How you can get money to start a nonprofit
How you can raise $40,000+ in more than a year
What your funding should consist of (it’s not all grants)
Why social media is intertwined with funding opportunities
If you are looking to improve your nonprofit’s financial portfolio and, heck, just get some ideas that will help increase your funding, then make sure to check out this podcast.
Thanks for listening!
Holly Rustick
Expert Grant Writer & Bestselling Author
https://www.grantwritingandfunding.com/
Favor, please?
If you love this podcast, would you please do me a favor and leave a review on iTunes or your podcast listener?
✨✨ Visit www.grantwritingandfunding.com to get the proven G.R.A.N.T.S. formula to write winning grants ✨✨

Jul 6, 2021 • 32min
Ep. 178: How to Create a Strategic Plan for Your Nonprofit & Avoid Burnout
Join the Free, Live Training, "Earn an Extra $10K in 90 Days Writing Grants at Home" on Tuesday, October 14th at 4 pm - 5:30 pm EST. Click here https://grantwritingandfunding.com/academy-webinar.Are you struggling to understand nonprofit strategic planning? Or maybe your entire team is suffering burnout as you move like a sloth from fundraiser to fundraiser.
In this week’s podcast, Dr. Beverly Browning is co-hosting as she discusses how to create a strategic plan for your nonprofit and avoid burnout!
To give you a bit of a sneak peek, this is why you need a strategic plan for your nonprofit:
✨ It gives your nonprofit a guide
✨ It helps your board know what to report on and what milestones to target
✨ It prevents 24/7 burnout
✨ Sometimes your funding sources require it (grants, etc)
✨ It sets target funding goals so you don’t run around in circles
These are all important reasons!
So who is this for? Well, this is for you if you are:
✨ Thinking about starting a nonprofit
✨ Need to grow your nonprofit and 2021 needs to look different otherwise you aren’t sure what will happen (but it won’t be good)
✨ Are a freelance grant writer and want to offer strategic planning as a service
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 ✨✨

Jun 29, 2021 • 43min
Ep. 177: 8 Expert Tips For Raising $10,000+ in a Nonprofit Facebook Fundraiser
Join the Free, Live Training, "Earn an Extra $10K in 90 Days Writing Grants at Home" on Tuesday, October 14th at 4 pm - 5:30 pm EST. Click here https://grantwritingandfunding.com/academy-webinar.8 Expert Tips For Raising $10,000+ in a Nonprofit Facebook Fundraiser
✨ Click here for Sean's free guide on Nonprofit Facebook fundraising✨
http://grantwritingandfunding.com/8-expert-tips-for-raising-10000-in-a-nonprofit-facebook-fundraiser/
Sound too good to be true? Nope! Sean Kosofsky, the Nonprofit Fixer, shares his expert tips for raising $10,000+ through a Nonprofit Facebook Fundraiser.
This is a must-listen!
You may be wondering if it's some complicated framework where you will spend 20,000 hours trying to figure it out.
It's not. On the contrary Sean shares how this can be a very low-hanging, low-energy but quick to generate unrestricted funding for your nonprofit!
Still waiting for the punch line? Or the BUT...
There's not one. I was amazed and I know you will be to.
Follow this expert advice (and get his FREE Guide) and let us know how you do in this Facebook fundraiser! It's not about creating advertisement, algorithms, or complicated data sets. It's a simple process where you can reach out to your friends and followers to help out. It gets other people doing the work for you.
Ah-mazing!
What We Discuss:
✔️Peer-to-peer fundraising
✔️Facebook fundraising
✔️Low hanging fruit asks
✔️How to plan for a fundraiser (and it can be quick)
✔️How to use unrestricted funds
✨✨ 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
holly@grantwritingandfunding.com
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/in/holly-rustick-0765b817/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/grantwritingandfunding/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/grantwritingandfunding/
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 ✨✨

Jun 22, 2021 • 45min
Ep. 176: 10 Step Ultimate Guide for Nonprofit Strategic Planning
Join the Free, Live Training, "Earn an Extra $10K in 90 Days Writing Grants at Home" on Tuesday, October 14th at 4 pm - 5:30 pm EST. Click here https://grantwritingandfunding.com/academy-webinar.Are you ready to check-in on your 2021 nonprofit goals?
If you are either a nonprofit leader, staff, or volunteer and are trying to move the needle forward on your nonprofit OR if you are an aspiring freelance consultant and are stuck in overwhelm then this podcast is for you!
Just imagine how much more accomplished you will feel having the steps to create a plan that will work.
These 10 steps can be down internally in your nonprofit or business OR if you are a freelance grant writer or nonprofit consultant can be learned services you can offer!
So if you want to make a huge difference in ending the cycle of stressing out about not having enough time, not securing the funding you need, and having real burnout and instead you want to feel in control of your life, have a higher quality of life, and have a plan that brings in real financial results, then this is for you.
If you want to go WAY more into depth, get downloadables and checklists, and MORE, then get the Nonprofit Strategic Planning Master Course. If you get it by June 30th you get $200 off the price!
As a grant writer, you know that all nonprofits are not able to go for grants all the time or that they could improve their projects.
Thus, this episode will give you skills to do each of these 10 steps as a stand-alone service for nonprofits or you can do them all as an overall package. In any case, this is another way to multiply your streams of income.
So, let’s get started!
✨✨ 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
holly@grantwritingandfunding.com
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/in/holly-rustick-0765b817/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/grantwritingandfunding/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/grantwritingandfunding/
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 ✨✨

Jun 15, 2021 • 16min
Ep. 175: 2021 Grant Funding Forecast
Join the Free, Live Training, "Earn an Extra $10K in 90 Days Writing Grants at Home" on Tuesday, October 14th at 4 pm - 5:30 pm EST. Click here https://grantwritingandfunding.com/academy-webinar.Complete Guide to the 2021 Grant Funding Forecast
If you are wanting to know what type of grant funding is forecasted out there for your nonprofit, government office, or business then look no further!
In this week's podcast (and video), I share with you the following:
Grant Funding Pulse
2019, 2020, and 2021 Grant Funding
Federal Grant forecast
State Grant Forecast
Foundation Grant Forecast
This is for you if you are writing or seeking grants!
It might not surprise how many grants were given out in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but what about 2021? Will there be a plateau or leveling down of grants?
The answer might surprise you!
Check out this week's podcast or video to find out!
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
holly@grantwritingandfunding.com
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/in/holly-rustick-0765b817/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/grantwritingandfunding/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/grantwritingandfunding/
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 ✨✨