logo
episode-header-image
Oct 9
9m 18s

Get Clients as a Grant Writer 5-Part Ser...

HOLLY RUSTICK
About this episode

You may be thinking about learning how to write grants and you think it will take too much time OR you may be a freelance grant writer and be stuck in client work.

What I have seen after working with more than 500 freelance grant writers in the last two years (and literally thousands over the last 10 years), is that many of you are overworking yourselves.

Why are you doing this? Well, let me know if this sounds familiar:

  • You are taking the ‘employee’ mentality into your freelance grant writing business AND ARE scope-creeping, i.e. doing work OUTSIDE of your deliverables.

Your client also has a tipping point of value from you. 

If you deliver the value you both agreed to delivering (i.e. X number of grants in X timeframe for $X) then they should be happy.

But…

  • You want your client to ‘like’ you, so you overwork
  • You feel bad a grant didn’t get awarded so you ‘work for free’ on one

You think this overworking makes them value you, but here’s what happens:

  • Your clients feel weird because they aren’t sure if they should pay you more
  • Or worse yet, they may expect you to overwork in the future. 

Then this results:

  • You feel bitter at the client because you set them up with an unsustainable expectation.

Stay within the bounds of your contract. Put together a scope of work that will get them results AND STAY WITHIN IT.


They agreed to the price and deliverables. You agreed to doing them.


This is GOLDEN and it’s why most people join the Academy who have existing freelance grant writing businesses. 

You can run a streamlined and neutral business that delivers value and makes your clients happy. 

You can feel and BE appreciated for your scope of work.

Find out more about the Freelance Grant Writer Academy: https://grantwritingandfunding.com/freelance-grant-writer-academy/


Up next
Nov 25
How to Stop Caving When Clients Ask for "Just One More Thing"
<p>Join host Holly Rustic on the Grant Writing and Funding Podcast as she delves into the essential topic of setting boundaries as a freelance grant writer. Learn how to professionally handle client requests that fall outside the scope of work while maintaining good relationships ... Show More
14m 25s
Nov 18
Reclaiming Your Worth — What Money Mindset Has to Do with Grant Writing
<p>Welcome to the <em>Grant Writing &amp; Funding Podcast</em> </p><p><br>In this episode, <strong>Holly Rustick</strong> explores the importance of money mindset in the nonprofit and freelance grant writing sectors. She shares her personal experiences growing up in poverty and h ... Show More
11m 47s
Nov 11
The Hidden Path to Invite-Only Grants: Relationship Strategies from a Nonprofit's $1M+ Funding Model
Want to land invite-only grants and corporate sponsorships? Hear how Surge for Water built trust-based relationships that unlocked over $1M in funding. Founder Shilpa Alva shares actionable strategies for grant writers and nonprofit leaders to move from cold outreach to long-term ... Show More
43m 16s
Recommended Episodes
Sep 2
251. From Idea to Income: How to FINALLY Start Your Business with Mal Rowan
Save your seat inside Business Bootcamp! Your COMPLETE roadmap to go from idea to income: ⁠herfirst100k.com/business-bootcamp If you’ve ever thought, “I want to be my own boss, but I don’t even know where to start,” this episode is for you. I’m sitting down with my friend, busine ... Show More
51m 24s
Mar 2025
288: Getting More Done With Less Stress Whether You Are Starting A Business Or Side Hustle, A Solopreneur, Entrepreneur, Mompreneur, Freelancer, Bookkeeper, Virtual Assistant, Owner, Or Self-Employed
<p>Have you ever had a stretch of time where you really felt productive?  Like you were on top of everything, crossing things off your list, and making real progress? And then there are the other times when it feels like no matter how much you work, you’re still spinning your whe ... Show More
6m 14s
Nov 2024
Passive Income Chat with Kate Toon
<p>Kate, author of "<a href="https://www.katetoon.com/writing/books/six-figures-while-you-sleep/" target="_blank">Six Figures While You Sleep</a>," chats with Fiona and breaks down the myths of passive income and shares what nobody else is talking about: the messy middle, the rea ... Show More
55m 33s
Aug 2023
The Road to Success: Kevin O'Leary's Lessons in Entrepreneurship
<p>#46: Kevin O'Leary is a businessman, investor, and Shark Tank star. In this episode, Kevin talks about his relationship with money, what it takes to be a good leader, and how he finds good talent for his companies. He also shares investing advice and what his current portfolio ... Show More
36m 57s
Oct 20
Episode 561: Stop waiting for everything in your business to be perfect and just start
<p>Get your 2026 sorted with 1:1 business coaching packages from <a href="https://www.mydailybusiness.com/shopnow/p/business-coaching-laser-session" target="_blank">a one-off session</a> to <a href="https://www.mydailybusiness.com/shopnow/p/business-coaching-6-month-package" targ ... Show More
14m 44s
Sep 2015
Ever wanted to write your own book? Check this out!
[[:encoded, &quot;Today you have the opportunity to listen to my interview with Hot Chicks Write Hot books. \n\nEver wanted to write your own book and be a best-selling author? Check this out… \n\nHot Chicks Write Hot Books is a company helping people who want to become an expert ... Show More
2m 9s
Apr 2025
How To Actually Make $1 Million With AI
Most AI tries to do everything for you, without your own ideas or experiences, and falls flat. Here's how to use AI in a way that makes sense and gets results.––– Tools & Resources –––Kortex signup (the prompt library will be added to your workspace): ⁠⁠https://kortex.co⁠⁠The "my ... Show More
28m 54s
Apr 2024
151: Empowering Nonprofits: The Fun Side of Grant Writing by Teresa Huff
In this episode, I'm doing something a little different. I was recently invited to be a podcast guest on the Marketer of the Day podcast by Robert Plank and I was happy to do that. It was such a fun conversation. He asked such really good questions that I thought, why not share i ... Show More
28m 46s
Aug 4
324: What Dread Can Teach You If You Are Willing To Listen Whether You Are Starting A Business Or Side Hustle, A Solopreneur, Entrepreneur, Mompreneur, Freelancer, Bookkeeper, Accountant, VA, Owner
<p>Today, I want to talk about a feeling we all know too well.  It’s not exactly a sexy topic, but we’ve all felt dread at some point in our lives.  You’re probably not scrolling social media and seeing posts like “I can’t wait to tackle that thing I’ve been dreading all week!” R ... Show More
5m 22s
Oct 15
Episode 560: Five lessons my younger business mentor has taught me about business
<p>Get your 2026 sorted with 1:1 business coaching packages from <a href="https://www.mydailybusiness.com/shopnow/p/business-coaching-laser-session" target="_blank">a one-off session</a> to <a href="https://www.mydailybusiness.com/shopnow/p/business-coaching-6-month-package" targ ... Show More
27m 13s