All Episodes
Displaying 1 - 20 of 551 in total
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 ...
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 p...
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 div...
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...
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. Reec...
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,...
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...
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...
"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 ...
[Case Study] She Left Her $70K Job and Was Writing Grants for Free: Now She's Getting Paid
What if the biggest shift in your grant writing business isn’t learning how to write grants, but learning how to think like a business owner?In this inspiring Freelanc...
[Case Study] Karen Was a Burned-Out Nonprofit ED: Now She Has Time for Her Health, Her Mom, and Work That Inspires Her
What happens when nonprofit leadership burnout becomes the catalyst for building a more flexible, purpose-driven career?In this inspiring case study, guest host D Absh...
[Case Study] Cindy Was a Nonprofit Marketing Director with Little Grant Experience: She Started a Grant Writing Business on the Side, Made $87,400, and Quit Her Job.
What if you could leverage the skills you've built in nonprofit marketing and fundraising to create a thriving grant writing business—and replace your full-time salary...
FUNDED SERIES: The Future of Grant Writing: What We're Seeing in 2026
What does the future of grant writing look like in an increasingly uncertain funding landscape? In this episode of FUNDED, Holly Rustick analyzes the latest funding tr...
Today Is Yesterday: Your Freelance Grant Writing Business Is More Stable Than a J.O.B.
In this powerful solo episode, Holly Rustick shares an unplanned but deeply important message for aspiring and established grant writers alike: this is the era of the ...
What the NSF Board Firing Means for Grant Writers, Federal Funding & Freelancers
In this episode of the Grant Writing & Funding Podcast, Holly Rustick breaks down the shocking dismissal of all 22 members of the National Science Board and what it si...
Why Boutique Grant Writers Are Winning Right Now (And How to Land Higher-Paying Clients Without Burnout)
Discover how a boutique consulting firm can outperform large agencies by leaning into relationships, strategy, and high-touch service. In this episode, Dr. Eve McGee s...
Funded Series: How Our Students Broke $10 Million in Grant Writing Businesses
This month marked a major milestone inside the grant writing community: over $10 million generated in student grant writing businesses and a collective $278 million in...
2026 Federal Funding Changes: What Academic Researchers Must Know Now
In this episode, Holly Rustick shares a real-time update from Guam following a recent super typhoon, and then dives into what every grant writer needs to understand ab...
