Grant Writing & Funding

I Know How to Write Grants. Why Can't I Get Enough Clients?

You can be an excellent grant writer and still struggle to build a consistent freelance grant writing business. If you know how to write grants but aren't getting enough

The GRANTS Formula: The 6-Step System Behind Every Grant I've Ever Won

How do you actually write a grant proposal that wins funding? Grant writing is both technical writing and an art form. You need to understand the funder’s requirements,

The Funded Series: $4M in Grant + Client Wins (What Worked in July)

What if the biggest opportunity in grant funding right now isn’t federal money at all? In this episode of The Funded Series, Holly Rustick breaks down the real grant and

Why Your Nonprofit Sales Calls Ghost You (And the 30-Day Fix)

You had a great discovery call. They were excited. You sent the proposal right away. And then…nothing. If you’re replaying the call wondering what you said wrong, the p

Is AI Too Precious for Your Grant Writing?

AI is everywhere. New tools are launching almost every week, platforms are changing how they work, and it seems like everyone has an opinion about the "right" way to use

The Real Truth About Gen X Grant Professionals Taking Care of Aging Parents, College Kids, and Their Own Retirement

Gen X grant professionals are navigating a unique season of life: growing a business while supporting aging parents, helping college-age or young adult children, and tryi

Why Your Revenue isn't Predictable

One month, your grant writing business feels like you’ve finally figured it out. A few months later, you’re looking at your bank account wondering where the next client,

The 4 CEO Decisions That Double Revenue

What’s the difference between a grant writer and the CEO of a grant writing business? It’s not experience, more clients, a bigger team, or even writing better grants. Aft

June 2026 Funded Series: $7.5 Million in Impact, 41 Grant Wins, and Better Grant Writing Businesses

Every month on the Funded Series, Holly Rustick celebrates the incredible grant wins and business milestones happening inside the Freelance Grant Writer Academy and Grant

5 Myths That Keep Grant Professionals Stuck from Hiring a Part-Time Team

Hiring a team should make your business easier, not more stressful. Yet for many grant professionals, mindset barriers around leadership, delegation, and responsibility m

How to Scale Your Grant Writing Business Without Building an Agency

What does it really take to move from being a freelance grant writer to building a thriving business? In this episode, Holly explores the powerful identity shift that tr

Feeling Guilty About Leaving Your Nonprofit Job?

Many people are drawn to nonprofit work because they want to make a difference—but what happens when that passion is used against you? In this episode, Holly Rustick pul

The Identity Shift That Will Scale Your Grant Writing Business

Are you operating as a freelance grant writer or are you truly stepping into the role of a business owner? There’s a big difference. In this episode, Holly Rustick dive

State of the Grant Industry: May 2026 Market Report

Each month, we analyze real grant awards and client wins reported by members of the Freelance Grant Writer Academy and the Grant Professional Mentorship to uncover the tr

What Can Make or Break a Nonprofit's Success Before Grant Funding

In this episode, Holly talks with Reece Bester, Founder and CEO of Breakthrough Grants, about what nonprofits need to have in place before pursuing grant funding. Reece s

The 2026 Tax Change Every Grant Writer Should Know About

The 2026 tax change quietly handed nonprofits a fundraising gift, and most of them have no idea. In this episode, Holly breaks it down in plain English: what changed, who

The Fear Never Fully Goes Away, Even After Six Figures (What 12 Years in Business Taught Me)

What if the thing standing between you and a thriving freelance grant writing business isn't lack of experience, but fear? In this deeply personal bonus episode, Holly R

The 5 Reasons You Haven't Started a Grant Writing Business Yet (And Why None of Them Are Real)

If you've been telling yourself that now isn't the right time to start a freelance grant writing business, this episode is for you. Holly Rustick tackles the five most co

"Will AI Replace Grant Writers?” The 2026 AI-READY Framework (Embrace It or Reject It)

Is AI coming for grant writers, or is it creating more opportunity than ever before? Should you embrace it or reject it? In this episode, Holly Rustick cuts through the

The OMB Proposal: What Grant Writers Actually Need to Know Before July 13

The headlines about federal grants this week are a lot — and most of them are missing the most important detail: the OMB proposal is not a law. It is not final. It is a p