This year’s Top Ten list is a retrospective of our past 5 years of the podcast. We are taking a walk down memory, reminiscing about favorite moments, interviews, and topics that put a smile on our face.

Season 1 of Fundraising HayDay was launched in November 2018. This month (November 2023) marks our 5-year anniversary. We are celebrating with memories and guests who love and support the show.

In grant trainings, we often talk about the many mistakes grant professionals make that cause grant applications to be denied – from missing deadlines to forgetting necessary attachments. Today we’re covering those reasons, but we are also reviewing the impact of funders, their processes, and their decisions that negatively impact our grant success. Join us as we review the top 5 reasons your grant proposals are denied. Lessons learned will help future applications.

It can be uncomfortable to talk about race. But you need to push past your own comfort level and bias and be part of the conversation. As grant and fundraising professionals, social justice and equity play a role in the work we all do, no matter our organization or mission. To best serve our communities, we must be prepared to have difficult conversations, talk about inequities, and recognize our own bias. Fleur Larsen works with organizations to shift workplace culture to produce results,...

One of the most frustrating aspects of grant prospect research is the lack of transparency and information provided by private funders. Sure, foundations and corporations are required to file an annual 990, but those are a year or two behind the curve and often provide very little information about their application process. Imagine if every funder had a website! It’s a win-win situation. Applicants can find funders who align with their work, and foundations will receive applications that are...

Building community, understanding culture, and recognizing prejudices is such a vital part of being a better human. This is an ongoing conversation, and today we are happy to continue that conversation with Kia Jarmon. We’re talking about conflict, different perspectives, and learned experiences and how we can best bring it all together in our own organizations and communities. If you’re a grant professional who does not understand the community for which you are writing grant proposals, how...

Whether you work as a grant professional employed by an organization or as a grant consultant, it is important to understand the skills, knowledge, and expertise you bring to the table. If you do not understand your own value, no one else will. We spoke with DeaRonda Harrison, Founder and President of June First Firm, about what we wish we had known starting out in this profession, career building, responding to those who say your prices are too high, and so much more.

In November 2021, President Joe Biden signed into law the Infrastructure Investment and Job Act, also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). It provides $1.2 Trillion in federal funding designed to transform, enhance, and augment all sorts of vital projects across the country. To get you acquainted with the funding we are talking Justice40, sharing resources, and more.

Human service organizations the world over work tirelessly to feed, clothe, house, and care for our communities. In Milwaukee, one nonprofit is bring the full resources of the city to bear in order to end generational poverty. Join our conversation with City on a Hill's CEO, Art Serna, as he shares their approach of holistic programming, collaboration, diversified funding, and community engagement. 

Federal funders always produce a set of guidelines with each grant application. They are known by a variety of names, depending on the funding agency, from Request for Proposal (RFP) to NOFO (Notice of Funding Opportunity) and many acronyms in between. Grant professionals must understand how to read each RFP to ensure eligiblity and competiveness of the organization applying, as well as the requirements for a quality proposal.

Today we are interviewing Shavonn Richardson, CEO of Think and Ink Grant Consulting. She has done all the things in the grant world: started her own nonprofit, worked for a foundation to award grants to nonprofits, and finally grant consultant. We talk entrepreneurship, leadership, and all things grant work.

Your organization is ready to tackle the realm of grants, but you need the assistance of a grant professional. Should you hire an employee or consultant? Hear the pros and cons of each, because the answer will vary based on your organization's needs and fundraising goals.

Most federal grant programs will allow in-direct cost rates. But what is it? How does your organization get one? What does it fund? The process is complicated and has many moving parts, which is why we brought in an expert. Join our discussion with Karen Norris, Principal of Kanoco, as we get our questions answers and navigate the complex world of federal in-direct cost rates.

Today we are joined by Erin Goodier, of Goodier Creative, who works with nonprofits on a mission to change the world for the better. She spends her time using videos to tell stories that connect your organization with your audience, whether the world at large or a specific funder. Join our conversation which includes a bit of video 101 training and understanding how to find the right videographer to fit your organization's budget.

What do you do when the person you report to has no idea how the grant world works? It happens more than you think, and it can be frustrating for both parties! Today we're covering all the things we wish our boss knew about grants and sharing some tips on how to educate them about the role grant professionals play in our organizations.

Are you an introvert or an extrovert? What about your colleagues? How you operate in the world, interact with your co-workers, find your strength, and recharge will vary, depending on which side of the coin you are. Our cohosts, an introvert and extrovert, share how they learned to work together and learned from one another through their differences. Could be the start of a beautiful discussion with your colleagues.

Nonprofit leadership is not for the faint of heart. Our work is messy, imperfect, inspiring, engaging, and everything in between. So how do we lead well, while acknowledging our faults and flaws? Join our conversation with Julie Boll, Certified Dare to Lead Facilitator, about courage-building work in the nonprofit sector.

It's our annual ripped from the headline's episode. We are sharing recent news articles that detail the improper care of grant funding by government agencies and nonprofits. This year, we're also showcasing an IRS mishap revolving around the creation of fake nonprofits. Join us for the stories, stay to learn what NOT to do in your nonprofit grant work. These are important lessons learned the hard way.

How do you tell your community's story, showing the need to funders and donors alike? You show them the data, of course! But how do you find the most current, relevant data? Look no further than the U.S. Census Bureau. We are joined by Data Dissemination Specialist Marilyn E. Stephens to learn where and how to start your quest for using data to put together a statistical profile to compliment your local knowledge.

Whether you work for a local government, nonprofit, university, or another organization seeking grant funds, do not overlook the assistance elected officials can offer. Support letters, grant research, and federal appropriations are just a few examples of the assistance they provide.

What nonprofit doesn't want to expand their fundraising opportunities? But to be successful, it must first create a healthy culture for its employees, donors, board members, and community served. Today we're talking to Andrew Olsen, Senior Vice President of Fundraising Solutions at DickersonBakker, about examining ourselves, having realistic conversations, and putting in the work.

Most funders want to know two things: did the organization do what they promised in the grant application and did they meet their listed goals and objectives. Evaluations are a key component of grant funded programs, and we're sharing tips on writing the evaluation section of a proposal and carrying through with your work during the management phase. In addition, we're celebrating Fundraising HayDay's 100th episode!

What do you do if the perfect grant application comes along, but you don't have the bandwidth to tackle it all on your own? Consider finding a partner or some extra sets of hands to help you get the job done. Even if you are a grant consultant of one, a fellow solo-preneur may be the perfect solution. Check out how cohost Kimberly tackled and won her largest grant award of her career ($25M) thanks to collaborating with a fellow grant professional who had the right client, right grant, but not...

While there are hundreds of thousands of grant opportunities in the United States, not every funder or application fits the mission and need of your organization. Rather than wasting time chasing after dollars you will never win, consider a targeted approach to your grant seeking. We'll tell you how.

We switched up this year's top ten favorite things list by asking each member of the Grant Pro Book Club (of which we're members) for their favorite productivity tool. We're sharing a wide variety of tech of other means used by grant pros, each with 10+ years of experience in the field. It's a great way to plan for success in 2023 and beyond.