Grant Writing & Funding: Daily Summaries Delivered

Your Client Didn’t Hit Their Grant Goals. Here’s What to Put in the Grant Report

What happens when your nonprofit does meaningful work, but the results don’t look exactly like the projections you put in your grant proposal? Grant reports can be stressful when programs shift, goals change, or your nonprofit simply doesn’t have the budget for sophisticated evaluation. But that doesn’t mean your organization failed to make an impact.In this episode, Holly Rustick welcomes back Sean Kosofsky, The Nonprofit Fixer, to explore creative ways nonprofits and grant writers can demonstrate impact beyond traditional metrics.Sean shares several strategies from his “18 Ways to Measure Impact” framework, including mission achievement, goal achievement, reputation, technology, talent acquisition, resilience, social proof, people power, and even the problems your organization has prevented.The conversation also explores why momentum matters when communicating with funders, how grant writers can tell a stronger story when projected outcomes change, and how demonstrating organizational strength can help deepen funder relationships.If you write grant reports, manage grants, work with nonprofit clients, or raise money for a nonprofit, this episode will help you recognize—and communicate—the impact that traditional metrics may miss.In this episode, you’ll learn:Why momentum can be an important part of your nonprofit’s impact storyHow to communicate impact when projected grant outcomes changeWays to demonstrate mission and goal achievement beyond traditional metricsHow reputation and social proof can strengthen your case to fundersWhy technology, talent, infrastructure, and organizational resilience matterHow relationships, trust, and “people power” demonstrate organizational strengthWhy nonprofits should consider what their work has prevented—not only what they have producedHow grant writers can use these ideas when preparing grant reports and renewal requestsWhy broader organizational impact can help strengthen conversations about general operating supportABOUT OUR GUESTSean Kosofsky is The Nonprofit Fixer and a nonprofit strategist with experience leading nonprofit organizations and helping mission-driven organizations strengthen their fundraising, leadership, and organizational capacity.CONNECT WITH OUR GUESTWebsite: https://nonprofitfixer.com/18 Ways to Measure Impact: https://www.nonprofitfixer.com/18-creative-ways-infographic CONNECT WITH HOLLY RUSTICKWebsite: https://grantwritingandfunding.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/holly-rustick-0765b817/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hollyrustickYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GrantWritingandFundingOTHER RESOURCES:Weekly Newsletter: “Write Grants. Get Paid” - Get thought leadership on grant and freelance grant writing strategies every week in your inbox. https://grantwritingandfunding.com/Freelance Grant Writer Academy: Replace your Full-Time Income Writing Grants Part-Time from Home. https://grantwritingandfunding.com/freelance-grant-writer-academy/Grant Professional Mentorship: Double your Monthly Revenue with an Income Stream Outside of Grant Writing. https://grantwritingandfunding.com/mentorshipRATE, REVIEW, & FOLLOW THE PODCASTFavor, 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!Also, if you haven’t done so already, follow the Grant Writing & Funding podcast to get grant and freelance grant writing proven strategies and conversations in your podcast player every single week.Thanks for listening!Warmly,Holly RustickLeading the $1 Billion for Good Movement: By 2030, aspiring and seasoned grant writers inside the Freelance Grant Writer Academy & Grant Professional Mentorship will 1) WIN $1 Billion in Grants, and 2) MAKE $30 Milli

How 4 Freelance Grant Writers Got their First Clients

The Freelance Grant Writer Academy is OPEN for the last time in 2026!You’re ready to quit your toxic job, retire with meaningful, part-time work, or work from home so you can pick up the kids. But how do you replace your paycheck?Our 12-month group coaching program helps aspiring and seasoned grant writers replace your full-time income, on flexible hours, writing grants from home. You will build grant writing, marketing, and sales skills to find clients and create recurring income on flexible hours. Get weekly coaching, unlimited grant and business reviews, business and grant training, hundreds of templates,Grant Writer & Consultant Certification, a community, and listed on our Grant Hire for Hire Directory.Our students have earned over $12.6 million in freelance business revenue. You don’t have to figure this out alone.Join the Academy for $3,500 or 8 monthly payments of $475. Doors close October 23rd at 11:59 PM Eastern.In this podcast episode, you hear from four freelance grant writers and how they got their first grant writing clients. Some had no grant writing experience and others just had no business (marketing or sales) experience. In all cases, they got their clients and are building freelance grant writing businesses that are replacing full-time jobs. ABOUT HOLLY RUSTICKGrant Writing & Funding (GWF) has a Global Movement to Secure $1 Billion in Grant Funding for Good and $30 Million in Grant Writing Businesses by 2030. Holly Rustick, CEO of GWF, is leading the movement; a world-renowned grant writer with 20+ years of experience, bestselling author, and business coach for new and seasoned grant writers to replace their full-time income writing grants part-time from home through her signature programs: the Freelance Grant Writer Academy and the Grant Professional Mentorship.Rustick is the host of the top grant writing podcast “Grant Writing & Funding” and the author of the Bestselling book, The Beginner’s Guide to Grant Writing. With an MA in International Political Economy, past-president of the Guam Women’s Chamber of Commerce, serving on numerous boards of directors, Holly is also an unapologetic feminist. She lives on the island of Guam with her beautiful daughter, Isabella.CONNECT WITH HOLLY RUSTICKWebsite: https://grantwritingandfunding.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/holly-rustick-0765b817/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hollyrustickYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GrantWritingandFundingRESOURCES:Weekly Newsletter: “Write Grants. Get Paid” - Get thought leadership on grant and freelance grant writing strategies every week in your inbox. https://grantwritingandfunding.com/Freelance Grant Writer Academy: Replace your Full-Time Income Writing Grants Part-Time from Home. https://grantwritingandfunding.com/freelance-grant-writer-academy/Grant Professional Mentorship: Double your Monthly Revenue with an Income Stream Outside of Grant Writing. https://grantwritingandfunding.com/mentorshipRATE, REVIEW, & FOLLOW THE PODCASTFavor, 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!Also, if you haven’t done so already, follow the Grant Writing & Funding podcast to get grant and freelance grant writing proven strategies and conversations in your podcast player every single week.Thanks for listening!Warmly,Holly RustickLeading the $1 Billion for Good Movement: By 2030, aspiring and seasoned grant writers inside the Freelance Grant Writer Academy & Grant Professional Mentorship will 1) WIN $1 Billion in Grants, and 2) MAKE $30 Million in their Grant Writing Businesses. We are on our way already.

How These 3 Freelance Grant Writers Made their First $100K

The Freelance Grant Writer Academy is OPEN for the last time in 2026!You’re ready to quit your toxic job, retire with meaningful, part-time work, or work from home so you can pick up the kids. But how do you replace your paycheck?Our 12-month group coaching program helps aspiring and seasoned grant writers replace your full-time income, on flexible hours, writing grants from home. You will build grant writing, marketing, and sales skills to find clients and create recurring income on flexible hours. Get weekly coaching, unlimited grant and business reviews, business and grant training, hundreds of templates,Grant Writer & Consultant Certification, a community, and listed on our Grant Hire for Hire Directory.Our students have earned over $12.6 million in freelance business revenue. You don’t have to figure this out alone.Join the Academy for $3,500 or 8 monthly payments of $475. Doors close October 23rd at 11:59 PM Eastern.In this podcast episode, you hear from three freelance grant writers and how they made their first $100K in their grant writing business. All are using retainers, and two don't even have a website. You'll get takeaways at how Dr. Melvin got a client at his dentist, how Payton empowers her family members as ambassadors, and how Staci went from burned out executive director to now hiring freelance grant writers in her ever-growing business.ABOUT HOLLY RUSTICKGrant Writing & Funding (GWF) has a Global Movement to Secure $1 Billion in Grant Funding for Good and $30 Million in Grant Writing Businesses by 2030. Holly Rustick, CEO of GWF, is leading the movement; a world-renowned grant writer with 20+ years of experience, bestselling author, and business coach for new and seasoned grant writers to replace their full-time income writing grants part-time from home through her signature programs: the Freelance Grant Writer Academy and the Grant Professional Mentorship.Rustick is the host of the top grant writing podcast “Grant Writing & Funding” and the author of the Bestselling book, The Beginner’s Guide to Grant Writing. With an MA in International Political Economy, past-president of the Guam Women’s Chamber of Commerce, serving on numerous boards of directors, Holly is also an unapologetic feminist. She lives on the island of Guam with her beautiful daughter, Isabella.CONNECT WITH HOLLY RUSTICKWebsite: https://grantwritingandfunding.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/holly-rustick-0765b817/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hollyrustickYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GrantWritingandFundingRESOURCES:Weekly Newsletter: “Write Grants. Get Paid” - Get thought leadership on grant and freelance grant writing strategies every week in your inbox. https://grantwritingandfunding.com/Freelance Grant Writer Academy: Replace your Full-Time Income Writing Grants Part-Time from Home. https://grantwritingandfunding.com/freelance-grant-writer-academy/Grant Professional Mentorship: Double your Monthly Revenue with an Income Stream Outside of Grant Writing. https://grantwritingandfunding.com/mentorshipRATE, REVIEW, & FOLLOW THE PODCASTFavor, 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!Also, if you haven’t done so already, follow the Grant Writing & Funding podcast to get grant and freelance grant writing proven strategies and conversations in your podcast player every single week.Thanks for listening!Warmly,Holly RustickLeading the $1 Billion for Good Movement: By 2030, aspiring and seasoned grant writers inside the Freelance Grant Writer Academy & Grant Professional Mentorship will 1) WIN $1 Billion in Grants, and 2) MAKE $30 Million in their Grant Writing Businesses. We are on our way already.

[Case Study] How One Grant Writer Built His Client Base While Raising Four Kids and Working Full-Time

[Case Study] She'd Already Won $1M+ in Grants. Here's What She Didn't Know About Freelancing

[Case Study] She added grants to her fundraising business and made $115K

[Case Study] She Went From Grant-Curious to Getting her First Grant Writing Client

[Marketing Series] How to get fully booked in Q4

The Freelance Grant Writer Academy is OPEN for the last time in 2026!You’re ready to quit your toxic job, retire with meaningful, part-time work, or work from home so you can pick up the kids. But how do you replace your paycheck?Our 12-month group coaching program helps aspiring and seasoned grant writers replace your full-time income, on flexible hours, writing grants from home. You will build grant writing, marketing, and sales skills to find clients and create recurring income on flexible hours. Get weekly coaching, unlimited grant and business reviews, business and grant training, hundreds of templates,Grant Writer & Consultant Certification, a community, and listed on our Grant Hire for Hire Directory.Our students have earned over $12.6 million in freelance business revenue. You don’t have to figure this out alone.Join the Academy for $3,500 or 8 monthly payments of $475. Doors close October 23rd at 11:59 PM Eastern.In the final episode of the Marketing Series for Freelance Grant Writers, your host Holly Rustick talk about how to get fully booked out in Q4 with your grant writing services by following 5 simple steps.ABOUT HOLLY RUSTICKGrant Writing & Funding (GWF) has a Global Movement to Secure $1 Billion in Grant Funding for Good and $30 Million in Grant Writing Businesses by 2030. Holly Rustick, CEO of GWF, is leading the movement; a world-renowned grant writer with 20+ years of experience, bestselling author, and business coach for new and seasoned grant writers to replace their full-time income writing grants part-time from home through her signature programs: the Freelance Grant Writer Academy and the Grant Professional Mentorship.Rustick is the host of the top grant writing podcast “Grant Writing & Funding” and the author of the Bestselling book, The Beginner’s Guide to Grant Writing. With an MA in International Political Economy, past-president of the Guam Women’s Chamber of Commerce, serving on numerous boards of directors, Holly is also an unapologetic feminist. She lives on the island of Guam with her beautiful daughter, Isabella.CONNECT WITH HOLLY RUSTICKWebsite: https://grantwritingandfunding.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/holly-rustick-0765b817/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hollyrustickYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GrantWritingandFundingRESOURCES:Weekly Newsletter: “Write Grants. Get Paid” - Get thought leadership on grant and freelance grant writing strategies every week in your inbox. https://grantwritingandfunding.com/Freelance Grant Writer Academy: Replace your Full-Time Income Writing Grants Part-Time from Home. https://grantwritingandfunding.com/freelance-grant-writer-academy/Grant Professional Mentorship: Double your Monthly Revenue with an Income Stream Outside of Grant Writing. https://grantwritingandfunding.com/mentorshipRATE, REVIEW, & FOLLOW THE PODCASTFavor, 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!Also, if you haven’t done so already, follow the Grant Writing & Funding podcast to get grant and freelance grant writing proven strategies and conversations in your podcast player every single week.Thanks for listening!Warmly,Holly RustickLeading the $1 Billion for Good Movement: By 2030, aspiring and seasoned grant writers inside the Freelance Grant Writer Academy & Grant Professional Mentorship will 1) WIN $1 Billion in Grants, and 2) MAKE $30 Million in their Grant Writing Businesses. We are on our way already.