In this shorter, experimental format episode of Grant Writing Simplified, Teresa shares insights on the importance of asking different questions to navigate challenges in the nonprofit sector. Drawing from her experiences leading workshops and serving as a sounding board for nonprofit leaders, Teresa encourages listeners to step back from their frustrations and conventional problem-solving approaches. She emphasizes the value of exploring problems more deeply and considering alternatives to the ...
Apr 09, 2024•4 min•Ep. 152
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 it here with you as well! We talk about grant writing, nonprofit strategies, and making a lasting impact in communities through grant opportunities. We also address how important it is to build solid relationships with gr...
Apr 02, 2024•29 min•Ep. 151
Book a 1:1 strategy call with Teresa Huff: www.teresahuff.com/mentor In this episode of the Grant Writing Simplified Podcast, I have a fascinating conversation with Chris Ekimoff, a forensic accountant specializing in litigation consulting and forensic accounting services. Chris discusses the importance of financial vigilance and proactiveness in nonprofits to prevent fraud and financial mismanagement. He emphasizes that it's not about fostering suspicion but about creating awareness and setting...
Mar 19, 2024•53 min•Ep. 150
Book a 1:1 strategy call with Teresa Huff: www.teresahuff.com/mentor The Crucial Role of Data in Non-profit Grant Funding In this episode, I'm diving deep into why data collection and tracking are absolute game-changers for non-profit organizations, especially when it comes to snagging those crucial grant funds. I'm all about getting the full picture, which means not just crunching numbers but also capturing those heartwarming stories that truly showcase our impact. I'll walk you through a handy...
Mar 05, 2024•15 min•Ep. 149
Join me on the Fast Track to Grant Writer: www.teresahuff.com/vip As we dive into the hustle of year-end activities, the race to finish strong is on for nonprofit leaders, grant writers, and consultants. In this busy season, we need to recognize that finishing well may mean finishing with rest and recovery. Let's take a cue from coaches and explore the strategic use of timeouts to navigate the challenges and finish the year on a high note. Acknowledge the Chaos: Embrace the Timeout The year-end ...
Dec 19, 2023•13 min•Ep. 148
Join me on the Fast Track to Grant Writer: www.teresahuff.com/vip Celebrating Three Years of Grant Writing Simplified It’s been three years since I launched the Grant Writing Simplified Podcast, and it’s been an amazing journey. The show has over 100,000 downloads from over 140 countries across six continents. I’ve made friends all over the world and we’ve come together as a community. I’m incredibly grateful for my team’s hard work and dedication in making the show possible. Shifting the Conver...
Dec 12, 2023•10 min•Ep. 147
Interested in hopping on a small group call with me? Sign up at www.teresahuff.com/help and I’ll keep you in the loop! Unlocking Grant Funding: Moving Beyond Ideas and Building Impactful Programs As summer winds down, I’m seeing renewed energy in the world of fundraising and grants. With this transition, a common question is echoing through conversations—both in my inbox and across online forums. It goes something like this, "I've got an amazing idea. Can I get a grant to fund it?” Or others ask...
Aug 22, 2023•14 min•Ep. 146
Interested in hopping on a small group call with me? Sign up at www.teresahuff.com/help and I’ll keep you in the loop! We Constantly Talk About Learning. But What About Unlearning? We all know lifelong learning matters. I'm constantly encouraging you to pick up new skills, strategies, and ways of thinking to stay sharp and relevant. But here's the thing—sometimes we need to let go of the old to make room for the new. As crucial as learning is, unlearning may be just as vital to our growth and ab...
Aug 15, 2023•9 min•Ep. 145
Join me on the Fast Track to Grant Writer: www.teresahuff.com/vip Revisiting the ROI Journey It's time for a heart-to-heart about a topic that's close to all our missions: authentic interactions in this tech-savvy world. So grab your favorite cup of inspiration, settle in, and let's dive into the final chapter of our ROI journey – the all-important art of Interacting. Remember when we kicked off this ROI conversation? In nonprofit work, grantmakers are looking for a Return on Impact. We broke do...
Aug 08, 2023•12 min•Ep. 144
Join me on the Fast Track to Grant Writer: www.teresahuff.com/vip The Truth About Grant Readiness If you’ve followed me for any amount of time, you know I’m a big advocate for grant readiness, because the more prepared you are before you start, the better chance you have of winning a grant. But I’m also a big believer in taking action. The truth is, grant readiness is a lot like parenting. You need a certain amount of stability, but you’re never really 100% ready. At some point, you have to just...
Aug 01, 2023•43 min•Ep. 143
Join me on the Fast Track to Grant Writer: www.teresahuff.com/vip Streamlining Systems for Nonprofit Success Can you believe we’re already nearing the end of summer? As we charge ahead into the second half of 2023, now is a great time to pause and evaluate whether your nonprofit's systems are working optimally for you. A while back, we talked about my favorite tech tools and the importance of systems for grant strategy. With the development of AI and emerging technology, it’s more important than...
Jul 25, 2023•21 min•Ep. 142
Join me on the Fast Track to Grant Writer: www.teresahuff.com/vip Mid-Year Check-In It’s hard to believe the summer is half over already! Where did the year go? I don’t know about you, but I’m a goal-setter, so mid-year is a good time to check in on my progress. Like most years, I’ve had a lot of unexpected things come up. It’s a process of learning to roll with the changes and adjust as I go. As I evaluate how to move forward for the rest of this year, I thought it would be a good time to share...
Jul 18, 2023•13 min•Ep. 141
Join me on the Fast Track to Grant Writer: www.teresahuff.com/vip ROI for Foodies I enjoy watching some of the Food Network challenges because it’s fun to discover new baking ideas. While watching an episode last week, I noticed another reason the competitions are so much fun to watch. Grant writers and Food Network competitors go through a similar process in hopes of winning money. To win the prize, we all have to show the judges how they will get a Return on Investment - or in the case of nonp...
Jul 11, 2023•15 min•Ep. 140
Join me on the Fast Track to Grant Writer: www.teresahuff.com/vip The Link Between Competition and a Scarcity Mindset Competition is at the heart of every grant application, and a scarcity mindset can come from a position of competition. Many nonprofits work on a very limited budget, so the struggle with a scarcity mindset is common. After all, you wouldn’t be applying for grants if you already had the money, right? Nonprofits applying for the same grant are likely providing parallel services to...
Jul 04, 2023•54 min•Ep. 139
Join me on the Fast Track to Grant Writer: www.teresahuff.com/vip Ask Not What the Funder Can Do for You… In our last episode, we talked about how your nonprofit can stay relevant to funders, in the community, and as a grant writer. Today we’re going to talk about how to write stronger grant proposals and build relationships with funders by aligning the relevance of your program to their mission. I talked about relevance in my TEDx Talk, “ The Real ROI of Grant Writing .” Funders need to know th...
Jun 27, 2023•12 min•Ep. 138
Join me on the Fast Track to Grant Writer: www.teresahuff.com/vip Welcome, Up-and-Coming World Changers! Are you thinking about a career in grant writing, but don’t know where to start? I have a passion to train and equip grant writers with the skills they need to be successful because I had an amazing mentor who helped me get started. In today’s episode of Grant Writing Simplified, I had a blast talking shop with my friend and fellow grant writing mentor, Holly Rustic. After nearly twenty years...
Jun 13, 2023•55 min•Ep. 137
Join me on the Fast Track to Grant Writer: www.teresahuff.com/vip The ROI of Grant Writing In my recent TEDx Talk, I talked about the Real ROI of Grant Writing . In the business world, ROI means Return on Investment, but it’s a different mindset in the world of grants. We’re talking about a Return on Impact. In today’s podcast episode, I’ll tell you more about the R in the ROI of grant writing and how knowing this can save you frustration and time so you can write more proposals. What is the ROI...
Jun 07, 2023•11 min•Ep. 136
Join me on the Fast Track to Grant Writer: www.teresahuff.com/vip As a grant writer for about two decades and winning over $7M for my clients, I’ve learned that grant writing isn’t magic, but there is a formula to increase your chances of winning grant. Today I’m sharing my secret sauce with you in my TEDx Talk! You can read the abbreviated version below or watch the full presentation (complete with pictures!) on YouTube . Where NOT to Start with Grant Writing Imagine you're at work when your bo...
May 30, 2023•19 min•Ep. 135
Join me on the Fast Track to Grant Writer: www.teresahuff.com/vip The collective values and priorities of a society change with each generation. We express our values with our time and money, so those values then drive the economy through the demand for relevant products and services. With each economic shift, the value proposition and marketing methods adapt to the current priorities to provide the most perceived value. As a nonprofit, you want to be on the peak of the value curve. During our d...
May 23, 2023•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 134
Join me on the Fast Track to Grant Writer: www.teresahuff.com/vip How to Shake Up the Status Quo and Raise Funds for Your Nonprofit I talk with a lot of nonprofits each week, and of course they all have one thing in common they need: more funding! That’s why I like to bring in experts in other types of fundraising too. We need to understand the bigger picture of how the strategies fit together. Today I’m talking with another nonprofit expert who is fantastic at what she does. Sherry Quam Taylor ...
May 09, 2023•54 min•Ep. 133
Join me on the Fast Track to Grant Writer: www.teresahuff.com/vip How Human Resources Systems and Accounting Enable Nonprofit Growth Today we’re continuing the conversation from my TEDx Talk by discussing strategies for grant writing and nonprofits. You might recognize Sean Hale from the Nonprofit Mythbusters Roundtable . Sean is a nonprofit accounting and HR expert. As part of these nonprofit strategy conversations, we need to include nonprofit accounting and HR systems. However, I didn’t want ...
Apr 11, 2023•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 130
Join me on the Fast Track to Grant Writer: www.teresahuff.com/vip Nonprofit Spotlight: Catching Human Traffickers I enjoy hosting a variety of topics relating to nonprofits and the issues surrounding them. Occasionally, we’ll have a nonprofit spotlight episode. The issue of this episode is one I have wanted to highlight for a while, but the topic is a challenging one. Today's nonprofit spotlight is DeliverFund and their efforts to stop human trafficking. Due to the subject matter, you may want t...
Mar 28, 2023•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 128
Join me on the Fast Track to Grant Writer: www.teresahuff.com/vip Successful Strategy: Next Steps For Grant Writers & NonProfits Today I’m excited to talk about grant writing strategy with you. I love helping grant writers and nonprofits think through their first steps and simplify the process. If you haven’t watched my TEDx talk , I recommend it as additional context for the conversation in this episode. Today's guest Silvia reached out with interest in grant writing. She has international ...
Mar 14, 2023•56 min•Ep. 126
Join me on the Fast Track to Grant Writer: www.teresahuff.com/vip A lot of people ask me how they should start the grant writing process. In this episode I talk with my friend Kent Sanders, a ghostwriter, about the connections between ghostwriting and grant writing. He reminds us of some foundational things we should prioritize in our journeys. First Lesson: Be okay with imperfection. Nothing is going to be perfect. Give grace to yourself and to your writing. Care about and be proud of what you ...
Mar 07, 2023•55 min•Ep. 125
Join me on the Fast Track to Grant Writer: www.teresahuff.com/vip Almost all of us know at least one person who has been affected by cancer. Our guest on today’s podcast episode, Eric Newman, was just a child when he was diagnosed with cancer. When he later asked his mother what she remembered about that day, she said that she remembered his dad having to leave her to go pack an overnight bag. She felt alone and afraid at the hospital trying to navigate the devastating news. From this, a mission...
Feb 28, 2023•39 min•Ep. 124
Join me on the Fast Track to Grant Writer: www.teresahuff.com/vip How Can We Fund Our Nonprofit? Nonprofits are always on the lookout for more money, especially unrestricted funding. And as a nonprofit strategist, I’m always on the lookout for ways to help them find it. That’s where today’s guest comes in. When I heard about Will Black and his team at Sharing the Credit last year, I knew I had to find out more about this and see if it’s a good resource to share with you. Turns out, it’s not simp...
Feb 14, 2023•50 min•Ep. 122
Join me on the Fast Track to Grant Writer: www.teresahuff.com/vip Today I’m talking with longtime nonprofit expert Laverne Toombs about the art of grant writing. Before even writing a first draft of a grant, we need to do a few things to start off on the right foot. We dive into how doing this background work can really set us up for success. Lay the Groundwork for the Grantmaker If you’re interested in writing a grant, you don’t have to have it all figured out. No one starts something as an exp...
Feb 07, 2023•54 min•Ep. 121
Join me on the Fast Track to Grant Writer: www.teresahuff.com/vip Tackling Important Issues with Excellence Today I’m excited to introduce you to my good friend and brilliant colleague, Dr. Dan Young. He has years of experience in entrepreneurship, marketing, and nonprofit leadership. He drops so many nuggets of wisdom in this episode! I know you’ll find it inspiring. Dr. Dan and I chat about: Integrating giving into our everyday life and setting an example for others. Creating an attitude of gi...
Jan 31, 2023•54 min•Ep. 120
Join me on the Fast Track to Grant Writer: www.teresahuff.com/vip Several months ago I was at a large nonprofit conference in Nashville. While wandering up and down the booths, one caught my eye. They were giving away macaroons…delicious, colorful, many-flavored, handmade macaroons. *Sigh.* The macaroons worked their magic and I quickly became friends with the two coworkers running the booth. Turns out one of them, Dave Raley, was at another conference just the month before in Milwaukee - and so...
Jan 24, 2023•48 min•Ep. 119
Join me on the Fast Track to Grant Writer: www.teresahuff.com/vip Whether you think of yourself as a leader or not, you are. You impact and influence others whether you realize it or not. We all feel the heat sometimes in this hectic world. Let’s glean some wisdom from someone who’s been in the trenches - literally. Today’s interview is with a former Green Beret, Otis McGregor, and it’s an honor to have him share his leadership and life lessons with us. Otis shares about learning how to grow as ...
Dec 27, 2022•43 min•Ep. 117
