Sinopsis
Holly Rustick, creator of WEGO Consulting, is known as the grant girl. Shes been on both sides of the grant writing coin writing them for over a decade as well as managing and reviewing them on behalf of numerous organizations. She also conducts grant training workshops, offers grant-related products, and hosts this podcast. Holding a Masters in International Political Economy and a Bachelors in Political Science, Holly is not only a successful technical writer for federal contract bids but also facilitates fundraisers, crowd funding campaigns and solicits in-kind donations from large corporations. "Grant Writing & Funding" offers you tidbits of tips, advice, and answers about grants and funding. Check out these nuggets!Check out www.grantwritingandfunding.com for FREE grant writing and funding templates!
Episodios
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Find out What Freelance Grant Writers Charged for their Services in 2024
24/06/2025 Duración: 54minGo behind the scenes with Global Development Solutions and their 2024 Freelance Grant Writer Pricing Survey!Rachel Waterman and her team have done a 3rd annual Pricing Report! We love everything about this!Find out what freelance grant writers are pricing their grant writing surveys.Connect with Rachel Waterman:Global Development Solutions WebsiteLinkedInGrant Easy Management SoftwareTune 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 writ
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Gabrielle Quit Her Job When Pregnant & Built a $12K Per Month Grant Writing Business
20/06/2025 Duración: 26minTHE DOORS ARE OPEN TO THE FREELANCE GRANT WRITER ACADEMY! The Academy is for new and aspiring grant writer so you can Replace Your Full-Time Income, on Part-Time Hours, Writing Grants & Funding Assets from Home. Join before Sunday, June 22nd at 11:59 pm EST. https://grantwritingandfunding.com/academyIn 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 w
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First $100K as a Freelance Grant Writer: What These 3 Academy Students Did
19/06/2025 Duración: 01h18minTHE DOORS ARE OPEN TO THE FREELANCE GRANT WRITER ACADEMY! The Academy is for new and aspiring grant writer so you can Replace Your Full-Time Income, on Part-Time Hours, Writing Grants & Funding Assets from Home. Join before Sunday, June 22nd at 11:59 pm EST. https://grantwritingandfunding.com/academyJoin 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 THE DOORS ARE OPEN TO THE FREELANCE GRANT WRITER ACADEMY! The Academy is for new and aspiring grant writer so you can Replace Your Full-Time Income, on Part-Time Hours, Writing Grants & Funding Assets from Home. Join before Sunday, June 22nd at 11:59 pm EST. https://grantwritingandfunding.com/academy
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First Grant & First Client: 3 Stories Inside the Academy
19/06/2025 Duración: 43minTHE DOORS ARE OPEN TO THE FREELANCE GRANT WRITER ACADEMY! The Academy is for new and aspiring grant writer so you can Replace Your Full-Time Income, on Part-Time Hours, Writing Grants & Funding Assets from Home. Join before Sunday, June 22nd at 11:59 pm EST. https://grantwritingandfunding.com/academyListen to how Gabrielle, Christina, and Eowyn all got their first grants or clients inside the Freelance Grant Writer Academy. THE DOORS ARE OPEN TO THE FREELANCE GRANT WRITER ACADEMY! The Academy is for new and aspiring grant writer so you can Replace Your Full-Time Income, on Part-Time Hours, Writing Grants & Funding Assets from Home. Join before Sunday, June 22nd at 11:59 pm EST. https://grantwritingandfunding.com/academy
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Transformations from the Academy: From Stay-at-Home Mom to Making More Than Her Husband and Relocating to Spain
17/06/2025 Duración: 55minTHE DOORS ARE OPEN TO THE FREELANCE GRANT WRITER ACADEMY! The Academy is for new and aspiring grant writer so you can Replace Your Full-Time Income, on Part-Time Hours, Writing Grants & Funding Assets from Home. Join before Sunday, June 22nd at 11:59 pm EST. https://grantwritingandfunding.com/academyThis 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
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5 Reasons to Join the Academy in This Round
12/06/2025 Duración: 18minTHE DOORS ARE OPEN TO THE FREELANCE GRANT WRITER ACADEMY! The Academy is for new and aspiring grant writer so you can Replace Your Full-Time Income, on Part-Time Hours, Writing Grants & Funding Assets from Home. Join before Sunday, June 22nd at 11:59 pm EST. https://grantwritingandfunding.com/academyHere 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 writ
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Will Create a Done-For-You Grant Writing Business Plan AND Find 25 Nonprofit Leads
12/06/2025 Duración: 11minTHE DOORS ARE OPEN TO THE FREELANCE GRANT WRITER ACADEMY! The Academy is for new and aspiring grant writer so you can Replace Your Full-Time Income, on Part-Time Hours, Writing Grants & Funding Assets from Home. Join before Sunday, June 22nd at 11:59 pm EST. https://grantwritingandfunding.com/academyBONUSES 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 sea
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Replay: Work From Home. Replace Your Paycheck, on Part-Time Hours, as a Grant & Funding Strategist in 2025
12/06/2025 Duración: 01h50minTHE DOORS ARE OPEN TO THE FREELANCE GRANT WRITER ACADEMY! The Academy is for new and aspiring grant writer so you can Replace Your Full-Time Income, on Part-Time Hours, Writing Grants & Funding Assets from Home. Join before Sunday, June 22nd at 11:59 pm EST. https://grantwritingandfunding.com/academyThe Freelance Grant Writer Academy is the #1 Grant Writing and Nonprofit Business Acumen Program in the Industry…and the doors are finally open! Each part of the Academy is a simple process, even if you work a full-time job.You get 12 months to do the curriculum, community, and coaching to learn grant writing and business acumen.Plus, there are 2 amazing bonuses available when you join the Freelance Grant Writer Academy by Friday, June 13th at 11:59 pm EST: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 Ge
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How to Start a Freelance Grant Writing Business: Tips & Logistics
10/06/2025 Duración: 16minTHE DOORS ARE OPEN TO THE FREELANCE GRANT WRITER ACADEMY! The Academy is for new and aspiring grant writer so you can Replace Your Full-Time Income, on Part-Time Hours, Writing Grants & Funding Assets from Home. Join before Sunday, June 22nd at 11:59 pm EST. https://grantwritingandfunding.com/academyLearn how to kickstart your freelance grant writing business, whether as a full-time income source or a part-time side hustle. We'll cover essential administrative logistics like incorporating your business, choosing a business name, and the benefits of going freelance. Discover the flexibility and earning potential of grant writing, ideal for various life situations. Get tips on setting your services and pricing, and stay tuned for more insights on going full-time or part-time in the next video!Links Mentioned:Grant Professional Mentorship: https://grantwritingandfunding.com/mentorshipFreelance Grant Writer Academy: https://grantwritingandfunding.com/freelance-grant-writer-academy/Tune in today to listen to t
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HOW EOWYN WENT FROM WORKING IN HIGHER ED TO GETTING HER FIRST GRANT WRITING CLIENT (AND OPERA NONPROFIT)
09/06/2025 Duración: 47minTHE DOORS ARE OPEN TO THE FREELANCE GRANT WRITER ACADEMY! The Academy is for new and aspiring grant writer so you can Replace Your Full-Time Income, on Part-Time Hours, Writing Grants & Funding Assets from Home. Join before Sunday, June 22nd at 11:59 pm EST. https://grantwritingandfunding.com/academyHolly Rustick interviews Éowyn Melaragno, who shares her journey from a career in higher education to becoming a successful grant writer. Éowyn discusses her motivations for transitioning into grant writing, the valuable support she received from the Freelance Grant Writer Academy, and the importance of community in building confidence and skills. She reflects on her first client experience, the challenges of navigating client relationships, and the mindset shifts that have helped her thrive in the nonprofit sector. 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,
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Ep: 404 Do You Need a Grant Writing Certification? Here’s the Truth
03/06/2025 Duración: 15minIn this episode, Holly Rustic, founder and CEO of the Freelance Grant Writer Academy, shares essential tips for starting a freelance grant writing business. Learn where to find clients, the key skills needed, and why you don't need certifications or extensive experience to get started. Holly also discusses the value of practical experience, business acumen, and how to grow your confidence and skills in grant writing. Tune in for expert insights and actionable advice to build a successful freelance grant writing career.Links Mentioned:Grant Professional Mentorship: https://grantwritingandfunding.com/mentorshipFreelance Grant Writer Academy: https://grantwritingandfunding.com/freelance-grant-writer-academy/Tune in today to listen to this podcast.Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts“Every time I listen to Holly’s show, I learn something” <– If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing my show! This helps me support more people — just like you — move toward writing higher quality grant
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From State Senator to Grant Writer: Tina Maharath's Journey
03/06/2025 Duración: 36minIn this episode, Holly Rustick interviews Tina Maharath, a former state senator turned grant writer, who shares her journey from volunteering in grant writing to establishing her own business, Lobby Edge. Tina discusses her experiences in the Academy, overcoming imposter syndrome, and the importance of networking and marketing in the nonprofit sector. She emphasizes the need for nonprofits to understand the opportunities available through state contracts and the value of hiring lobbyists for funding. Tina also highlights the diverse services she offers, including grant writing and government contracts, and encourages aspiring grant writers to invest in their skills and businesses.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 f
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Ep: 403 Spilling the Tea on all Things AI and Grant Writing with Phil Deng
27/05/2025 Duración: 01h10minGrant pros, we’re spilling the tea! Holly Rustick and Philip Deng (Grantable CEO) dive into the wild world of AI + grant writing—from cheap-clothes tech to deep strategy. If you’re using (or side-eyeing) AI for grant writing, this one’s a must-listen.THIS episode! Grant writers, grab your headphones—because we’re spilling the tea on all things AI! Holly Rustick sits down with Philip Deng, CEO of Grantable, to talk about how AI is shaking up grant writing. From the risks of ‘fast fashion’ tech to the need for human strategy, this convo dives into what’s real, what’s hype, and how to stay curious in the AI age.If you are considering, or currently using, AI for grant writing - tune in today! Phil and Holly go deep into items like:How AI can be like ‘cheap clothes’ if not used correctlyWill grant writers be left behind if they aren’t using AI?How AI is impacting the environmentWhy and how thought needs to be a part of AI and grant writingHow to be curious with AI when navigating the rapidly changing landscapeLink
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Ep: 402 Unlocking Museum and Nonprofit Grant Opportunities with Shiloh Holley
20/05/2025 Duración: 34minIn this conversation, Holly Rustick interviews Shiloh Holley, founder of Aderworks Consulting, who shares her journey into grant writing and consulting for nonprofits, particularly museums. Shiloh discusses her transition from executive director to consultant, the development of grant writing products, and the challenges faced by museums in securing funding. She emphasizes the importance of diversifying funding sources and using data to inform fundraising strategies. The conversation highlights the collaborative nature of consulting and the need for nonprofits to adapt to changing funding landscapes.Links Mentioned:Grant Professional Mentorship: https://grantwritingandfunding.com/mentorshipFreelance Grant Writer Academy: https://grantwritingandfunding.com/freelance-grant-writer-academy/Tune in today to listen to this podcast.Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts“Every time I listen to Holly’s show, I learn something” <– If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing my show! This help
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Ep. 401 How Grant Writers Priced Their Services in the Past (Replay)
13/05/2025 Duración: 31minFind out how much grant writers charged in 2023 for their grant writing services.Join this Replay from Rachel Waterman from last year as we prepare for the upcoming NEW survey results of 2024.First, give a catch up to where freelance grant writers were in their pricing in 2023. And be sure to join us for the upcoming FREE Survey Results Webinar on May 14th! You will hear how much grant consultants are charging, how they feel about charging, and gaps in pricing.This is the 3rd year that Grant Writing & Funding has hosted GDS Grant Professional Survey Results!In the upcoming workshop on May 14th, from 4 pm - 5:30 pm EST, Rachel will unveil the 2024 Grant Professional Survey results AND we will have some time to talk about those results!LINK HERE: https://grantwritingandfunding.com/survey-pricingLinks Mentioned:Grant Professional Mentorship: https://grantwritingandfunding.com/mentorshipFreelance Grant Writer Academy: https://grantwritingandfunding.com/freelance-grant-writer-academy/Tune in today to listen to
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Celebrating 400 Episodes: Top Grant Writing Tips and Encouragement from 35 Industry Leaders AND a Free Master Grant Template
09/05/2025 Duración: 44minWe have exciting news to share: The Grant Writing & Funding Podcast just hit its 400th episode!
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Ep: 399: State of Grants 2025: A Conversation with Mike Chamberlain of GPA - Part 2
29/04/2025 Duración: 31minExecutive Director of the Grant Professionals Association (GPA), Mike Chamberlain and Holly Rustick of Grant Writing & Funding to discuss the role of GPA in supporting grant professionals through advocacy, community building, and professionalism. Holly and Mike delve into the importance of job classification for grant professionals, the annual salary and benefits survey, and the future of grant writing in 2025 amidst changing federal policies and economic conditions. They also discuss the intricacies of the grant application process, the evolving landscape of funding, and the importance of adaptability for grant professionals. They explore the necessity of diversifying funding sources, overcoming assumptions in grant writing, and the value of repurposing materials for broader applications. The discussion also highlights the resilience required in the face of uncertainty and the upcoming Grant Summit as a vital community-building opportunity for grant professionals.Watch Video Podcast HERE: https://youtu.b
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State of Grants 2025: A Conversation with Mike Chamberlain of GPA - Part 1
23/04/2025 Duración: 32minExecutive Director of the Grant Professionals Association (GPA), Mike Chamberlain and Holly Rustick of Grant Writing & Funding to discuss the role of GPA in supporting grant professionals through advocacy, community building, and professionalism. Holly and Mike delve into the importance of job classification for grant professionals, the annual salary and benefits survey, and the future of grant writing in 2025 amidst changing federal policies and economic conditions.They also discuss the intricacies of the grant application process, the evolving landscape of funding, and the importance of adaptability for grant professionals. They explore the necessity of diversifying funding sources, overcoming assumptions in grant writing, and the value of repurposing materials for broader applications.The discussion also highlights the resilience required in the face of uncertainty and the upcoming Grant Summit as a vital community-building opportunity for grant professionals.Watch Video Podcast HERE: youtu.be/HC0KoDvY
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Ep: 397 How AI Is Changing Grant Writing and What You Need to Know
15/04/2025 Duración: 13minArtificial Intelligence (AI) is changing the grant writing world, but maybe not how you imagine. Sure you could go ChatGPT, put in a Request for Proposal and ask it to produce a grant proposal. But that grant would not get funded. Why? Before AI can produce a quality grant proposal, you need to provide it with your own original content. Today’s AI models need that original content to use, edit, and respond to. In other words, AI grant writing still requires work! In other words, the nonprofit sector still needs grant writers. However, AI tools can make grant writing easier and more efficient. Through my Freelance Grant Writer Academy, I’ve trained thousands of grant writers, helping them build thriving grant writing businesses. It also gives me a unique insight into how grant writers are really using tools like AI. Let’s take a look at what’s working with grant writing and AI (and what isn’t). Watch Video Podcast HERE: https://youtu.be/CbsNL22cM3U Related Links: -Why AI Won’t Take Your Grant Writing Job: http
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Ep: 396 Grant Writing Myths: What No One Will Tell You About this Career
07/04/2025 Duración: 21minSurprisingly, there are a lot of myths out there about grant writing. From the myth of working on commission to nonprofits not having money to hire grant writers, these myths might hold you back from even starting a career in grant writing. Why are there so many grant writing myths out there? Because a lot of folks aren’t familiar with grant writing or nonprofit organizations in general. Even many folks who start nonprofit organizations aren’t familiar with how they operate, they just have a passion for helping causes. Grant writing (to non-grant writers) also feels very mysterious and a bit untouchable. However, it’s not. Grant writing as a career is simply offering a service for organizations using your skills and experience. With a successful 20-year grant writing career that is still going strong, I decided it was time to break down some of these myths! Watch Video Podcast Here: https://youtu.be/Kzbv2Zm4lZo Links Mentioned: Grant Professional Mentorship: https://grantwritingandfunding.com/mentorshi