Amanda Day

Want to Up Your Game? Volunteer!

Want to Up Your Game? Volunteer!

For many grant professionals, we are the only one with “grant” in our title at our organization. That means there are often few (or maybe zero) positions for advancement, unless we want to move into a different line of work. I know grant professionals who have been...

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Volunteering Your Way to Professional Development
Episode 3

Volunteering Your Way to Professional Development

A great way to spread your wings, learn new skills, and gain leadership experience is to get involved with a professional organization. For grant and fundraising professionals, groups like the Grant Professionals Association (GPA), Association of Fundraising...

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High Stress Clients and Federal Appropriations

High Stress Clients and Federal Appropriations

Years ago, when I was trying to grow my consulting business with clients looking to hire someone to help with grant prospect research and proposal development, I was worried about bringing in enough money each month. In response to those fears, I said yes to just...

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Communication is Key
Episode 1

Communication is Key

As grant professionals, communication is the root of our work. Not only are we responsible for conveying information through the written word, but we must communicate with a variety of colleagues, subject matter experts, program directors, finance personnel, leaders,...

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The Critical Role of Effective Grant Management

The Critical Role of Effective Grant Management

HayDay Services is bringing you a series of “how-to” articles related to successful grant management. Part 1: Importance of Grant Management In the complex landscape of nonprofit organizations, academic institutions, and government agencies, grant management stands as...

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What’s Your Passion?

What’s Your Passion?

If you haven’t heard the origin story of the Fundraising HayDay Podcast, the long story short is this: Kimberly and I were meeting regularly for lunch to discuss the grant world and life in general, we were both feeling stuck in a bit of a rut, and I had recently...

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Things I Wish My Younger Grant Pro Self Knew

Things I Wish My Younger Grant Pro Self Knew

Have you ever noticed a theme or idea that keeps slapping you in the face? It’s almost as if the universe is telling you to sit up and pay attention. No? Just me? Well, it seems like I’m meant to contemplate my last (nearly) 25 years in the grants profession with the...

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Be Brave, Be Bold, Be Unabashedly You!

Be Brave, Be Bold, Be Unabashedly You!

During the 2024 GrantSummit, hosted by the Grant Professionals Association, I had the distinct pleasure of being officially inducted into the Grant Professionals 2024 Class of Distinguished Fellows. I knew I would be recognized during the opening session, along with...

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990s Aren’t Nearly as Fun as the ‘90s

990s Aren’t Nearly as Fun as the ‘90s

I love the ‘90s. It was the decade of all my high school and college years (class of ’96 and ’00). Music was popping, fashion was questionable (though I did love a good pleather pant and wide-legged jeans), Friends and ER ruled Thursday nights, and I knew the exact...

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IRS 990s
Episode 22

IRS 990s

Foundation and corporate grants are a funding source for many nonprofit organizations, but since these funders are not required to have a website, your best source of information is their annual Form 990. On that document they are required to share information about...

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Pro Tips for When You Wear All the Hats
Episode 21

Pro Tips for When You Wear All the Hats

Have you ever worked at an organization where you were expected to bring in all the funding plus a million other things? Your title might be Development Director, Grants Administrator, Director of Fundraising, or anything along those lines. But that title alone...

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Mentoring, Faith-Based Funding, and More
Episode 20

Mentoring, Faith-Based Funding, and More

People come to the grant field from a variety of backgrounds and their work varies depending on their clients, focus, and experience. Dr. Janelle Harvey’s passion is nonprofits and ensuring they have the resources needed to thrive. She shares her insights on being...

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Letter Writing – Not Such a Lost Art After All

Letter Writing – Not Such a Lost Art After All

From my birth in 1978 until I graduated from college in 2000, I moved (on average) every three years. And I’m not talking down the street. It was always a different state and sometimes a different country. That’s the life of an army brat. Check those dates, and you’ll...

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How To: Letters of Support
Episode 19

How To: Letters of Support

Many grant proposals allow, and sometimes require, letters of support. Whether you call them support letters, letters of endorsement, or commitment letters, this is a means for funders to see the wide range of “support” for your project or program. They can be...

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Right Sizing Your Agency for Grant Funding
Episode 18

Right Sizing Your Agency for Grant Funding

The fastest road to burnout is overloading your staff. Boards, elected officials, executive directors, and other leaders must understand the capacity of time and resources necessary to develop and manage grant proposals. It is not a solo sport. So before chasing the...

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Unlocking Courageous Leadership with Julie Boll
Episode Bonus

Unlocking Courageous Leadership with Julie Boll

It’s a bonus episode! In January 2024, Kimberly and Amanda (your Fundraising HayDay cohosts) attended Courageous Leadership training led by Julie Boll. Over 8 weeks we each built and refined our calls to courage, affirmed our skills, and learned what courageous...

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