Inside The Grant Podcast

Episoder

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  Beth Willey: How She Landed Her First Grant Writing Success 23.09.2026 4min

  Leaving your job is a major life transition. See how Beth navigated this career change and what happens when you choose a new path. This video documents the real experience of leaving your job and stepping into something new. Whether you are currently planning on quitting your job or simply considering a fresh start, these scenes offer a candid look at the emotions involved in making such a significant shift. We explore the quiet moments of reflection and the conversations that often accompany this kind of life transition. From the initial decision to the freedom found afterward, this footage captures the personal growth that comes from walking away from a role that no longer serves you. We focus on the importance of support systems and finding clarity during uncertain times. If you enjoyed this look at career change, subscribe for weekly personal development stories and let us know in the comments: what is the biggest lesson you have learned from leaving your job?
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  The #1 mistake people make applying for business grants 17.09.2026 3min

  Most small business owners chasing grant funding are making the same expensive mistake...and it has nothing to do with how well they write. 🛑 In this video, we break down why applying to every business grant you find is quietly costing you the one thing you can never get back, and what ONE strategy you can apply to change everything. 💡 If you're busy with a capital B and serious about getting funded, this is the video that changes how you play the game.
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  She Lost Her Biggest Client and Did This Instead 15.09.2026 14min

  Scaling a grant-writing business past six figures and headed to seven figures means building a dream team. Elaine Navarro, Founder & Principal Consultant for Just Look Left - Creative Grant Consulting spills it all in her updated spotlight. She shares the journey from $420K to $900K+ even after losing her biggest client this year (a $10,000 monthly retainer she had to replace). We talk about everything from hiring in the wrong order to why she wakes up every day to serve mid-sized nonprofits in Oregon. Stick around until the end!
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  The book on AI that's freaking me out 10.09.2026 6min

  How do we navigate this tension between 'not getting left behind' and 'not getting sucked into the myth of AI solving all our problems?' We're all trying to solve this in real time. Look, I was an early adopter of AI, leaning into it from a place of fear because I had to figure out if it was coming for the grant writing profession (spoiler: it's not). Now, collectively we're all on a train that feels like it's either 'get in' or 'get run over.' But recently I read a book that's completely shifted how I think about AI. Dive in for three actions I'm using in this new tech landscape.
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  I Became a Grant Writer Without a Degree Here's How 08.09.2026 6min

  You do not need an $80k degree to become a grant writer, and SPOILER: a degree in grant writing does not exist. 🤯 Meredith breaks down the exact method she used to land her first grant writing role inside an engineering firm with zero grant writing experience, and how that same approach has helped thousands of grant writers get paid without going back to school. If you have been wondering whether you are qualified enough to break into this field, this video is for you.
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  She Won $155,000 in Her First Year as a Grant Writer 03.09.2026 13min

  A year ago, Denise Shoulders had never written a grant. She's now won over $155,000 for her county, and she still won't call herself a grant writer. Denise shares her journey through imposter syndrome, her why for waking up every day, and how grant writing has allowed her to show up for her community. If you're a department of one at work carrying the weight of three jobs, this one's for you.
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  Why Does Anybody Enjoy Grant Writing? 01.09.2026 13min

  Most nonprofits think grant writing is just the writing. That's only just a fraction of the full grant life cycle. We sat down with Casey Bryan to chat about the grant lifecycle and her her journey after retiring from dance, taking an internship in East London, and circling back to build her own grant writing business years later. Stick around for her big win (spoiler, she helps two separate clients accomplish this ONE big goal).
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  Grant Writing as a Real Career? Erin Proves It Works 19.08.2026 15min

  After winning a $300,000 grant, Erin realized grant writing could be more than a skill! It could be a career.🦄 In this interview, she shares how she transitioned from the education field into freelance grant writing, building a business that supports nonprofits while creating a flexible, purpose-driven career. If you're curious about grant writing, nonprofit funding, and building a remote grant writing business, Erin’s story will inspire you.
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  Why This Grant Writer Struggles to Celebrate $500K in Wins 30.07.2026 13min

  Ashleigh was managing a $24M+ grant portfolio in her FIRST YEAR — so why did it take her months to actually believe it? We sit down with Ashleigh Salas, an in-house grant writer with zero mentor support who still managed to secure 4 awards totaling $500K and submit 11 applications totaling $4.8M — all in year one. But instead of celebrating, she found herself fighting imposter syndrome, "faking it till she made it," and struggling to believe the numbers were even real. Ashleigh opens up about: ✅ How she built confidence with no in-house mentor to guide her ✅ The "baker in a pie contest" metaphor that changed how she sees her role ✅ Her "Valley of Despair" as a recovering perfectionist breaking into a new field ✅ Why she left social work for grant writing — and how she knew it was right ✅ Landing a brand-new remote role by getting clear on the life she wants If you're a first-year grant writer wondering if your wins even count yet — this one's for you.
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  Why Good Grant Proposals Get Rejected in 10 Seconds 🛑 27.07.2026 4min

  Most grant proposals don't get rejected because of bad writing — 😱 they get rejected because the funder doesn't know who you are. In this video, Meredith breaks down the two real reasons proposals get passed over and what grant writers can do about it. ✍️ If you've been rewriting the same proposal and still not winning, this one is for you.
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  How much do grant writers actually make? (The 4 income levels) 24.07.2026 4min

  There are four income levels for grant writers and the reason most people stay stuck at level two has nothing to do with experience or grant writing skill. 💰 In this video, Meredith digs into the real reason so many grant writing businesses stall out before they reach their potential, walking you through the money mindset behind each income level from $0 to $250K+ so you can finally see exactly where you are on the map, understand what has been keeping you there, and know what it actually takes to break through to the next level.
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  Alarming trends in grant writing in 2026 21.07.2026 4min

  The grant writing landscape shifted — and if you're still approaching funding the same way you were two years ago, this video is your wake-up call. ⚡ Meredith breaks down four alarming trends reshaping how grant writers win funding in 2026: portals closing early, a tripled applicant pool, AI slop fatiguing reviewers, and one twist that will genuinely surprise you. 🤯 The grant writers who are still winning aren't working harder — they're working informed, and the Grant Writers Collective is where that starts. 💡
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  Which Grant Writing Program Is Right for You (And Why We Rebuilt Ours) 20.07.2026 8min

  The Grant Writers Collective is no longer one program ✨ it's five — and Meredith is breaking down every level so you know exactly where you fit. 🧡 Whether you're brand new to grant writing, building a side hustle, scaling a consulting firm, or an in-house grant writer trying to win more and write less, there's a level built for exactly where you are right now. 💡 Watch to find your level, then take the one-minute quiz linked below to get your next step.
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  From Unemployed to 6 Employees: Christy's Grant Writing Journey 17.07.2026 4min

  This video shares a Christy's journey from unemployment to successfully growing a business through strategic grant writing. Discover how a solid business model, can lead to significant business growth. This story provides valuable insights on how Christy grown her business, even when starting from scratch. 🦄
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  Grant Reviewers Skip These Applications—Here's Why 16.07.2026 3min

  Most grant writers are accidentally making their applications harder to read ✍️ Meredith breaks down the #1 tip to write better grant narratives so your reviewer can follow along without hunting for answers. She walks you through how short sentences, smart formatting, and breaking down multi-part questions can completely change how your proposal lands. ✨ Watch to the end for a real example that shows exactly what this looks like in practice ➡️
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  Why Writing Skills Are Your Secret Career Weapon! 15.07.2026 2min

  Kathryn is a career changer sharing her inspiring journey from journalism to grant writing. She explains how her extensive journalism guide and nonprofit experience provided a solid foundation for her current role, aligning perfectly with her skills and passion. This career development path highlights the fulfilling nature of grant writing and the flexibility of work from home jobs. 🦄
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  Corporate Burnout? Why Grant Writing is the Perfect Pivot 14.07.2026 7min

  Ashley couldn't wake up on a Wednesday and say “let's get the motorcycles out”. Her husband had retired early. She was still trapped in a corporate job. Something had to change. So she started looking. Took a travel writing course at community college. Then stumbled into a grant writing class. Found a book with a unicorn on it. Read it and thought “I can do this”. What happened next is a story about career change, transferable skills, and the kind of patience nobody warns you about. Ashley came into grant writing with zero nonprofit experience, a corporate project manager who had never written a single grant. She googled terms during meetings. She asked every question she was afraid to ask. And she made one strategic move that changed everything. Two small grants later she had a full time grant writing job. But the part of this story that stays with you has nothing to do with grants. It has everything to do with her dad's motorcycle, a rally called Sturgis, and a promise she made when she inherited his bike.
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  You Are Enough: How I Built a Grant Writing Business From Zero 13.07.2026 4min

  Have you ever found yourself collecting degrees or certifications, secretly hoping the next piece of paper will finally give you the confidence to run your business? When Ashley set out to become a grant writer, she started from absolute scratch, no background, no experience, and zero knowledge that people actually got paid for this work. Even after launching her business and finishing a master's degree, she still found herself trapped in a loop of feeling like she just wasn't "enough."
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  I Had to Remake Myself Completely. Here's What I Found. 10.07.2026 2min

  Have you ever been forced to start over completely, not because you wanted to, but because you had no choice? That's exactly what happened to Maija. After spending decades building a career around her body, she developed a physical condition that made it impossible to continue. So she did the only thing she could. She started over. From scratch. Using her brain instead of her body. In this video, Maija shares how an accidental introduction to grant writing, through her husband's nonprofit, turned into something she never expected: purpose, passion, and a community of people who finally made sense to her.
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  Grant Writing Burnout? Your Strategy Is the Problem 08.07.2026 5min

  If your grants calendar feels like a never-ending emergency and the wins still aren't coming in at the rate they should, here's what Meredith wants you to know — the funding landscape has shifted, and doing more of what you've been doing is going to cost you more than it gives you back. ⚡ In this video, we're breaking down the difference between the "right-now" grant and the "right" grant, and why the in-house grant writers who are winning right now aren't writing more they're thinking like a Funding Strategist. 💡