Grant Writing Experts Podcast

Latest episode

17 Sep 2025 · 31 min

Finding Your Unicorn Funders | Elaine Navarro

What if your grant strategy focused less on chasing every opportunity and more on finding the right funders who truly align with your mission? In this episode, we sit down with Elaine Navarro , founder and Chief Awesome Officer of Just Look Left Creative Grant Consulting , to learn how she identifies what she calls her “unicorn funders.” Elaine shares her proven process for evaluating grantmakers, spotting red flags, and building genuine, trust-based relationships that lead to long-term support. You’ll hear why general operating support and multi-year funding are signs of strong partners,…

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Earlier episodes 5 most recent

1. 

   S1 · E5 · 10 Sep 2025 · 31 min

   Building a Grant Shortlist with Peer Prospecting | Kelsey Barrera

   In this episode of the Grant Writing Experts Podcast , we sit down with Kelsey Barrera , nonprofit strategist and founder of Canopy Nonprofit Consulting. Kelsey introduces her Peer Prospecting method — a practical, step-by-step approach to identifying funders by studying who supports your peer organizations. She shares how this strategy blends with tools like Instrumentl to create a focused, high-quality prospect pipeline. We also explore two common challenges Kelsey sees in her work: how unclear strategic planning and theory of change can sink grant proposals, and why board members should…

2. 

   S1 · E4 · 3 Sep 2025 · 29 min

   The Grant Budget as a Living Document | Deahna Moore

   In this episode of The Grant Writing Experts Podcast , we sit down with Deahna Moore , a freelance financial expert specializing in nonprofit finance and grant writing. Deahna shares her journey into the grants world and unpacks why financial literacy is essential for nonprofit success. She explores the role of storytelling in budgets, the challenges organizations face in securing capacity-building funding, and why collaboration between finance and program teams can make or break a proposal. Listeners will gain practical advice on approaching budgets as living documents, common…

3. 

   S1 · E3 · 27 Aug 2025 · 37 min

   Designing Grant Teams That Work | Courtney Oliphant

   In this episode of The Grant Writing Expert Podcast , we talk with Courtney Oliphant , founder and CEO of Coastal Nonprofit Consulting. Courtney draws on more than a decade of experience to show why grant success depends on more than just writing proposals. She explains how nonprofits can assess their grant readiness, right-size their grant teams, and train grant professionals to act as translators between programs, finance, and leadership. Courtney also shares a practical grant tracker template her team uses to help organizations move from reactive grant chasing to proactive,…

4. 

   S1 · E2 · 20 Aug 2025 · 35 min

   Rethinking Grants in Higher Ed: Getting a Seat at the Table | Maya Evans

   Higher ed grants offices are under pressure like never before: shrinking budgets, changing federal priorities, and rising expectations. In this episode, Maya Evans, founder of Leverage Education and certified grant writer, shares how colleges and universities can adapt their grant strategies for a turbulent future. She covers: Why grant offices must treat funding as seed money for bigger initiatives How federal cuts are reshaping R1 institutions vs. community colleges Why grant leaders need a seat at the strategic table The business model canvas as a survival tool for grants offices What…

5. 

   S1 · E1 · 15 Aug 2025 · 28 min

   How to Rethink Your Grant Strategy When Federal Funding Disappears | Persis Loomis

   Welcome to The Grant Writing Expert Podcast . Today’s guest is Persis Loomis, a grant consultant with a unique perspective shaped by her early work at the National Park Service and her current focus supporting museums, libraries, and arts organizations across California. In this episode, Persis shares her insights on how the federal funding landscape has shifted, why many nonprofits are rethinking their reliance on federal grants, and how to design programs that remain fundable and mission-aligned, even in uncertain times. If your organization is navigating funding instability or planning…

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