Grant Writing & Funding

Why Grants are Start-Up Funding and How Services Can Sustain Programs —------------------------------------------------------ ✨💌 Visit www.grantwritingandfunding.com for the Hub Haven Grant Writing Resources 💌✨ 👉💰🖥️ Grant Writing Master Course: Get sample grants, logic models, videos, and more. Start to write winning grants! https://grantwritingandfunding.com/grant-writing-master-course/ 🖥️🔥 👉 Want to get paid to write grants? Join the Freelance Grant Writer Master Course to launch and grow a freelance grant writing business: https://grantwritingandfunding.com/freelance-grant-writer-course/ 🤗☕👉 Want to increase funding strategies for your Nonprofit? Join the Nonprofit Strategic Planning Master Course to schedule out your year and to increase diverse funding strategies: https://grantwritingandfunding.com/nonprofit-strategic-planning/ ———————————————————————————— What We Discuss In This Episode: ✨ How Jack found support through LGBTQ nonprofits ✨ Why Jack started TurnOut ✨ Funding and challenges for LGBTQ+ nonprofit organizations ✨ TurnOut's first government grant ✨ Why grants should be start-up or expansion funding ✨ How to build a sustainable funding program ✨ How to utilize services as a revenue generator ✨ Why (and how often) to raise prices of services Jack began his career by working with community-based HIV organizations, and over the past 15 years he has had the privilege of working with grassroots queer groups all over the world. Over time it became obvious that the grassroots organizations leading this work needed much more support than they were getting, and that there were a huge number of queer people and allies who wanted to support but did not know where to start. So, in 2015, Jack left his job to start TurnOut. TurnOut now supports more than 5,000 volunteers working with over 150 LGBTQ+ nonprofits across California, helping to power organizations addressing LGBTQ+ youth homelessness, LGBTQ+ mental health, LGBTQ+ arts, and much more. Learn more at www.turnout.org! Find out more at: https://grantwritingandfunding.com/212 Favor, please? If you love this podcast, would you please do me a favor and leave a review on iTunes or your podcast listener?

A Grant Writer’s Dream: The System to Build Relationships with Funding Sources —------------------------------------------------------ ✨💌 Visit www.grantwritingandfunding.com for the Hub Haven Grant Writing Resources 💌✨ 👉💰🖥️ Grant Writing Master Course: Get sample grants, logic models, videos, and more. Start to write winning grants! https://grantwritingandfunding.com/grant-writing-master-course/ 🖥️🔥 👉 Want to get paid to write grants? Join the Freelance Grant Writer Master Course to launch and grow a freelance grant writing business: https://grantwritingandfunding.com/freelance-grant-writer-course/ 🤗☕👉 Want to increase funding strategies for your Nonprofit? Join the Nonprofit Strategic Planning Master Course to schedule out your year and to increase diverse funding strategies: https://grantwritingandfunding.com/nonprofit-strategic-planning/ —------------------------------------------------------ What We Discuss In This Episode: ✨ Why every grant secured costs your nonprofit money ✨ How to ensure you bring in money for core elements ✨ The confusing differences between programming and operating budget expenses ✨ How to build long-term relationships with nonprofit clients ✨ How to build relationships with funding sources Rachel Waterman is a thinker, published author, award- winning researcher, professional artist and mother of two with over 25 years of community development and grant writing experience. Rachel is Grant Professional Certified (GPC), a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE), a Grant Professionals Association (GPA) Approved Trainer, and CEO of Global Development Solutions - also known as GDS Grants - a grant consulting and research firm offering a gold standard level of service to organizations both in the US and abroad. She holds a master’s degree in community and economic development with a concentration in applied social research from Illinois State University, a bachelor’s degree in international studies from Barry University, and speaks Spanish and Portuguese fluently. Her career has encompassed a broad spectrum of professional experiences, including serving three years as a Peace Corps Volunteer in the Dominican Republic, to her work as a nonprofit executive director, city master planner, consultant, coach and Mayor of the city of Lake Worth Beach, Florida. Find out more at: https://grantwritingandfunding.com/211 Favor, please? If you love this podcast, would you please do me a favor and leave a review on iTunes or your podcast listener?

We are getting ready for our first 6-Week Grant Writing Training in 2022! After our amazing free masterclass this week, we've been getting a ton of questions about the 6-Week Training. So I thought, "Let's do a podcast about it!" If you want more information, you can also check out the training by clicking here: https://grantwritingandfunding.com/six-week-live-grant-writing-course/ What's all included in the 6-Week Grant Writing Training 6 weekly live Zoom sessions a private Facebook group with 6 additional FB Lives 35+ videos, downloadables, and workbooks Feedback on a Master Grant Application that you will write you also get to audit the Live Course at any point (or # of times) in the future! a grant writing certificate PLUS...time-sensitive special bonuses Here's what you'll learn: How to NOT start with a blank page Research tips How to Write an Objective Writing out Activities Developing a Budget Bonus Tips! If you’re done with pulling your hair out when even thinking about writing grants and ready to say YES… YES to understanding grant lingo. YES to learn the simple hacks to grant writing. YES to finding out where to find grants. YES to getting your grant writing skills reviewed. YES to having plug-n-play grant writing templates... Then now is your time to join the 6-Week Live Grant Writing Training. https://grantwritingandfunding.com/six-week-live-grant-writing-course/ Warmly, Holly

If you are looking to increase your grant writing skills to the next level, you are going to love these tips!First off, do you already know how to write grants? If not, that’s okay! You might also want to refer to our article on the steps on drafting an effective grant application. In this article and podcast, I am going to go over some sidebar tips on grant writing that will increase your competitiveness for getting grant funding.I’ve used these tips throughout my 16+ years of grant writing.Grant Writing Tip #1Go after funding opportunities based on how good of a fit they are for your programs, not only on how much money is available.Sure, sometimes it may not be worth going after certain grants if they do not have the funding to support your program.However, more often then not, I see nonprofit leaders just looking at how much money is available and then trying to fit their program into the funding source’s scope. This is referred to as chasing the money or mission drifting.Your eyes might light up when you see all those zeroes in a grant announcement. However, this does not mean that the funding source is just pouring money out to anyone and everyone.You will have better luck to secure grants when you apply for grants where you can show that your project is a good fit in one sentence. If you have to create complicated Venn diagrams and write more than a couple of sentences on why your project is a good fit, it probably isn’t a good fit after all.Grant Writing Tip #2Do your research and see if any other nonprofit organizations operate projects similar to the one you want to develop.This may seem like a no-brainer, but I can’t tell you how many nonprofit organizations come up with ideas for projects, but they don’t realize that the exact programs may already be operating in the neighborhood.Here’s the thing. Just because you don’t know if a project exists, does not mean that it doesn’t exist. Do your due diligence to check and see if other partner organizations are already running that specific project.Are you ready for the Catch-22?Just because a partner nonprofit is running that same type of project, it does not mean that you cannot develop the project. Your project might serve a different demographic, or be able to serve a wider network.However, it is important when writing your grant application that you demonstrate why there is a need for your project if there is already an existing similar project.For example, your nonprofit organization may want to start a community garden. You do your research and find out that less than five miles away, another nonprofit is running a community garden. It does not mean you have to throw in the towel, but instea,d you can reach out to the nonprofit and find out more about who they serve and any existing gaps.Let’s just say that they have a wait list for people wanting plots at the community garden. In that case, your project might be almost identical. In your grant, you could clearly state that there is a need for additional plots of land for gardening based on the wait list.However, let’s say that this other nonprofit has lots of plots available at their community garden. However, maybe their plots are only available for senior citizens, and your community garden will serve the community-at-large. In this way,  your project may still be needed since you serve a different demographic.You can see how this information will help shape the need for your project, and without this research, it might fall flat.Grant Writing Tip #3Use citations in your grant proposals.I can’t tell you how many grant applications I have reviewed that do not use citations! Many (mostly federal) funding sources require you to cite sources in your grant proposal. However, a lot of foundation grants do not stipulate this, but that does not mean that they do not want citations included.Also, use more than one citation in your grant proposal.What do I mean by this?Well, if you are showcasing the needs for a community garden project, then include quotes, references, testimonies, statistics, reports that identify the need for the project. Make sure that you include the citations from where you found these sources.For example: “According to the Nutritious Study Report (2022), sixty-eight percent of children under the age of ten in Gray County suffer from malnourishment.”Insert a footnote or attach a bibliography that includes the full citation!This showcases credibility.Grant Writing Tip #4Use specific language in your grant writing proposals.Do not use any of the following words by themselves: lack and need for.I see these words utilized a lot in grant applications, and the issue is that they are not specific. Grant writing is a technical language and requires specificity.The following examples would not be specific enough:“There is a lack of community gardens in Grey County.”“There is a need for community gardens in Grey County.”The following examples that are specific:“Currently Gray County has one community garden. However, the existing community garden has a continual wait list and cannot serve the high demand for garden plots (Interview, 2022)”.“Currently Gray County has one community garden, however this is available only for senior citizens. Project Amazing’s community gardens will serve the community-at-large and also focus on school fieldtrips to promote healthy nutrition.”Grant Writing Tip #5:Do not use flowery language.I love creative writing. I even published two poetry books! Believe me, I am not bashing on creative writing at all. However, there is a time and place for it, and grant writing is neither of those.When writing grants, remember (tip #4,) concise language is key.Emotional rambling, with no citations or specific language, is going to make grant reviewers pull out their hair. More importantly, they will not be able to give you the scores you need to get to the top of the funding list.Keep your flowery language for your blogs, but for grants, be specific, specific, specific.Grant Writing Tip #6The rule of thumb is to have a maximum of three objectives.

✨💌 Visit www.grantwritingandfunding.com for the Hub Haven Grant Writing Resources 💌✨ 👉💰🖥️ Grant Writing Master Course: Get sample grants, logic models, videos, and more. Start to write winning grants! https://grantwritingandfunding.com/grant-writing-master-course/ 🖥️🔥 👉 Want to get paid to write grants? Join the Freelance Grant Writer Master Course to launch and grow a freelance grant writing business: https://grantwritingandfunding.com/freelance-grant-writer-course/ 🤗☕👉 Want to increase funding strategies for your Nonprofit? Join the Nonprofit Strategic Planning Master Course to schedule out your year and to increase diverse funding strategies: https://grantwritingandfunding.com/nonprofit-strategic-planning/ #1: Do Your Research Oh, the R word. I know some of you just groaned, but research is essential. In a typical business plan, you would definitely do market research, and it's not much different for a nonprofit organization. You need to understand what the needs are (using research) for your program. Potentially, a workforce program may not be what is the priority for the target demographic, but instead GED or educational support might be more of a priority. By doing this research you can fill out a section of your template (and include citations!) of what the specific needs are for your target demographic. This is huge as you can use this research for so many other items (website, social media copy, PSAs, etc.). #2: Identify a Problem Statement Now that you have done your research for your grant writing template, you can solidify a specific problem statement. Example problem statement: "There are no workforce training programs for at-risk youth, ages 16 to 18-year-old in Amazing city, which leads to a myriad of compounding risk factors." #3: Design Your Goal, Objective, Timeline Activity What is the one main positive change that your nonprofit's program will have? Example goal: "At-risk youth, ages 16 to 18-year-old in Amazing city will reduce their risk factors by securing workforce skills." The objectives underneath this will be how you will reach your goal. Example objective: "Program Amazing will provide three levels of workforce training to 25 at-risk youth, ages 16 to 18-year-old in Amazing city by the end of year one." Underneath your objective you will include different activities to accomplish to ensure your objective is accomplished. For example: Activity 1: The project director will secure three MOUs with workforce training partners by the end of month three. Activity 2: The project director will hire a outreach awareness coordinator to create fliers, social media posts and applications for the program in month one. Activity 3: The project director will attend six outreach events with partner organizations to recruit beneficiaries in the first three months. Activity 4: The project director will screen applications in month four. Activity 5: The project director will launch the program in month five. Activity 6: The 25 beneficiaries will attend workforce training during month five to month 12. #4: Develop Your Budget I love taking an excel sheet and putting it right next to my activities to figure out how much money will be needed for every item. We offer all of these plug-n-play documents in our Grant Writing Master Course. #5: Write up Your Nonprofit's Background Now it is time to write up the section that you will copy and paste the most! Check out www.grantwritingandfunding.com/208 for the full article. Favor, please? If you love this podcast, would you please do me a favor and leave a review on iTunes or your podcast listener? 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 ✨✨

How Nonprofits Can Use YouTube to increase Donations How Nonprofits Can Use YouTube to Increase Donations YouTube is a popular platform that is being used to increase donations for nonprofit organizations. But how do you as a nonprofit leverage this platform? If your nonprofit organization has a tie to an influencer on YouTube, then don't be shy to ask that channel to support your nonprofit with a fundraiser. In this specific podcast, Sydney Stelmaszek reached out to me (she's a student of the grant writing master course, so it's always great to showcase student's journeys too!) and shared with me how her and her husband have utilized his YouTube platform to raise money for her nonprofit. —------------------------------------------------------ ✨💌 Visit www.grantwritingandfunding.com for the Hub Haven Grant Writing Resources 💌✨ 👉💰🖥️ Grant Writing Master Course: Get sample grants, logic models, videos, and more. Start to write winning grants! https://grantwritingandfunding.com/grant-writing-master-course/ 🖥️🔥 👉 Want to get paid to write grants? Join the Freelance Grant Writer Master Course to launch and grow a freelance grant writing business: https://grantwritingandfunding.com/freelance-grant-writer-course/ 🤗☕👉 Want to increase funding strategies for your Nonprofit? Join the Nonprofit Strategic Planning Master Course to schedule out your year and to increase diverse funding strategies: https://grantwritingandfunding.com/nonprofit-strategic-planning/ —------------------------------------------------------ So you get to hear firsthand how the Stelmaszeks utilized a different sector (technology) on YouTube and raised money for SynGAP1 (a rare disease their son suffers from) research. What I absolutely loved about what Sydney shares is how thinking out-of-the-box can really help nonprofit organizations come up with ideas that are unique and align with their missions. I also love the tenacity that Sydney and her husband have with helping raise funds for a disease that has impacted their lives so personally. Their can-do attitude and drive will surely help their son and so many other people. What We Discuss in this Episode about YouTube Donations Raising Funds for International Nonprofit Organizations How to leverage YouTube for fundraising Working at an international NGO SynGap1 Research How to find Influencers to work your fundraising events How a Tesla drive across the country was live-streamed How much money Sydney and her husband raised via YouTube for a nonprofit Find out more at: https://grantwritingandfunding.com/207 Favor, please? If you love this podcast, would you please do me a favor and leave a review on iTunes or your podcast listener?

I get a lot of questions about nonprofit financial management, cashflow planning, and fiscal software. Some common questions are: How do we plan out our nonprofit's budget? Who should review our finances? Does our nonprofit need an audit? Should our nonprofit use QuickBooks for our financial accounting? In this week's video and podcast, Ansley Fender goes into detail answering these questions and more! —------------------------------------------------------ ✨💌 Visit www.grantwritingandfunding.com for the Hub Haven Grant Writing Resources 💌✨ 👉💰🖥️ Grant Writing Master Course: Get sample grants, logic models, videos, and more. Start to write winning grants! https://grantwritingandfunding.com/grant-writing-master-course/ 🖥️🔥 👉 Want to get paid to write grants? Join the Freelance Grant Writer Master Course to launch and grow a freelance grant writing business: https://grantwritingandfunding.com/freelance-grant-writer-course/ 🤗☕👉 Want to increase funding strategies for your Nonprofit? Join the Nonprofit Strategic Planning Master Course to schedule out your year and to increase diverse funding strategies: https://grantwritingandfunding.com/nonprofit-strategic-planning/ —------------------------------------------------------ Ansley discusses the basics of how your nonprofit organization can eliminate red flags with simple financial strategies. For example, she recommends having an internal eye, treasurer, and auditor review your nonprofit's fiscal books. She also touches on the intersection of a nonprofit's administrative, programmatic, operations, and fundraising strategies. What Ansley and I Discuss: If your nonprofit should use QuickBooks The 3 roles of auditing your financial books How to handle grant writing management for your financial reports Cashflow planning The role of a CPA How to set up your financial books The importance of 990s And more... Find out more about Ansley at https://grantwritingandfunding.com/206-financial-management-cashflow-planning-and-quickbooks-for-nonprofits/

Asking donors to give money to your nonprofit may cause some people stress. Many nonprofit leaders, volunteers, or board directors may not know: 💰 how to approach the subject of giving, 💰 what specifically to ask for, or 💰 who to approach. The thing is, nonprofit organizations should ask for donations! But the how, who, and what is not something that comes natural to all. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ✨💌 Visit www.grantwritingandfunding.com for the Hub Haven Grant Writing Resources 💌✨ 🍾🍾Join Omotola's 100 Perfect Donors Challenge by visiting: https://bit.ly/34tkdtp 👉💰🖥️ Grant Writing Master Course: Get sample grants, logic models, videos, and more. Start to write winning grants! https://grantwritingandfunding.com/grant-writing-master-course/ 👉 🖥️🔥 Want to get paid to write grants? Join the Freelance Grant Writer Master Course to launch and grow a freelance grant writing business: https://grantwritingandfunding.com/freelance-grant-writer-course/ 👉💡 🖥️ Want to increase your nonprofit’s sustainability? Join the Nonprofit Strategic Planning Master Course: https://grantwritingandfunding.com/nonprofit-strategic-planning/ ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dr. Omotola Akinsola of The Funding Magnet shares with you her ASK Formula! In this ASK Formula she shares how to get donors to give! A: Ask family and friends S: Seek those family and friends to round up more donors K: Knock on doors with your extended network She also shares with you an overview on how to develop and implement a funding plan for your nonprofit. This is also a great takeaway for grant writers, funding developers, and board directors! 🍾🍾Join Omotola's 100 Perfect Donors Challenge by visiting: https://bit.ly/34tkdtp Visit www.grantwritingandfunding.com/205 for all of today's show notes! 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 for the Hub Haven Grant Writing Resources 💌✨

To Move Mountains is an U.S. IRS tax-exempt nonprofit organization developed to facilitate education development in the conflict area of Nuba in Sudan. I had the pleasure of speaking to the founder of To Move Mountains, Ryan Boyette in this episode. He shares with you how this nonprofit has been able leverage resources and international funding. But first, they started (and remain) at the community level. They asked the pivotal question to the community, "What do you want?" A resounding voice was Education. _____________________________________________________________________ Want Resources on grant writing and funding? ✔️ ✨💌 Visit www.grantwritingandfunding.com for the Hub Haven Grant Writing Resources 💌✨ 👉💰🖥️ Grant Writing Master Course: Get sample grants, logic models, videos, and more. Start to write winning grants! https://grantwritingandfunding.com/grant-writing-master-course/ 👉 🖥️🔥 Want to get paid to write grants? Join the Freelance Grant Writer Master Course to launch and grow a freelance grant writing business: https://grantwritingandfunding.com/freelance-grant-writer-course/ 👉💡 🖥️ Want to increase your nonprofit’s sustainability? Join the Nonprofit Strategic Planning Master Course: https://grantwritingandfunding.com/nonprofit-strategic-planning/ ________________________________________________________________________________ What Ryan and I discuss on the Show ✔️ Why grassroots program development works better than top-down approaches ✔️ What the conflict has been in the Nuba Mountains ✔️ Why grassroots education is so important to Nuba people ✔️ How to get grants for organizations in other countries ✔️ Why large state grants might not be the best fit ✔️ How to get donors to engage in long-term projects Find out more about To Move Mountains: https://www.tomovemountains.org/ Find out more about this episode on https://www.grantwritingandfunding.com/204

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted every particle of our lives. From our mental health to our physical health, we have been impacted. Nonprofit organizations and freelance grant writers are no exception to this impact. As we navigate through the ongoing pandemic, there has been many changes when it comes to employment. However, since 2020 the funding and human resource landscape has continued to evolve for nonprofit organizations and freelance grant writers. Which leads us to the conversation about how nonprofit leaders and freelance grant writers can leverage opportunities in the Great Resignation. ------------------------------------------FREE ✨💌 Visit www.grantwritingandfunding.com for the Hub Haven Grant Writing Resources 💌✨ -----------------------------------------Nonprofit Strategic Planning Course 🤗☕👉 Want to increase funding strategies for your Nonprofit? Join the Nonprofit Strategic Planning Master Course to schedule out your year and to increase diverse funding strategies: https://grantwritingandfunding.com/no... _---------------------------------------Other Grant Writing & Funding Courses 👉💰🖥️ Grant Writing Master Course: Get sample grants, logic models, videos, and more. Start to write winning grants! https://grantwritingandfunding.com/gr... 🖥️🔥 👉 Want to get paid to write grants? Join the Freelance Grant Writer Master Course to launch and grow a freelance grant writing business: https://grantwritingandfunding.com/fr... ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- How Nonprofits Can Leverage the Great Resignation If your nonprofit is looking to fill positions, you have opportunities! ✔️ Consider Freelancers or Consultants vs. Employees ✔️ Don't Require Previous Nonprofit Experience ✔️ Conduct Strategic Planning to Revisit Your Mission and Hiring Needs If you are freelance grant writer looking to leverage the Great Resignation: ✔️ Leverage the fact that working remotely is now mainstream ✔️ Leverage your needed skill in grant writing! For your nonprofit to really gain speed, it is time to re-evaluate what you do and why you do it. Getting clear on your mission and vision statements and really embracing them can be the thing that keeps your nonprofit afloat. Conducting strategic planning will boost team morale, give needed guidance, and attract those from the Great Resignation who are longing to work with meaning. Breaking out your strategic planning can be as simple as conducting a SWOT analysis, evaluating your mission and vision statements, aligning your funding matrix, and mapping out your year. By doing this, your nonprofit will also be able to evaluate what types of skills are needed to advance your nonprofit. Furthermore, you will know what your budget is to either hire an employee or freelancer. These are critical decisions, but without doing the planning you will continue to operate in confusion and overwhelm. Want help for your strategic planning? Join the Nonprofit Strategic Planning Master Course to schedule out your year and to increase diverse funding strategies: https://grantwritingandfunding.com/no... Thanks for watching! Let me know what you think about the Great Resignation (Redistribution) for nonprofit organizations and freelance grant writers in the comments below! Please subscribe to get more on grant writing and funding! ✨💌 Visit www.grantwritingandfunding.com for the Hub Haven Grant Writing Resources 💌✨ Warmly, Holly