Amanda Day

It’s Good to Have a Nerdy Best Friend

It’s Good to Have a Nerdy Best Friend

I have a friend who is always first in line for the newest iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and Mac Book. She refers to Apple Park (Apple’s headquarters) as the Mothership. She’s my go to when I have a question about these products. I jokingly refer to my son as HayDay...

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Productivity Tips From Your Nerdy Best Friend
Episode 2

Productivity Tips From Your Nerdy Best Friend

Tech tools abound to make the lives and work of grant professionals easier. But some of the tools, including Artificial Intelligence (AI), can be scary and overwhelming. If you are not an early adopter of technology, then have we got the nerd who jumps in and figures...

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AI and Its Place in the Grant World
Episode 1

AI and Its Place in the Grant World

The use of artificial Intelligence tools for writing is a hot topic of discussion in the grant and fundraising community these days. Questions abound about the efficacy, ethical boundaries, and inherent bias associated with AI. Join our discussion with Philip Deng,...

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Why I Was Scared of AI

Why I Was Scared of AI

Everywhere I looked in 2023, people were talking about the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and other large language models (LLM). The voices ran the gamut from telling us the sky was falling to these tools being the greatest thing since sliced bread. I have never...

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Infographics: The New Grant Proposal?

Infographics: The New Grant Proposal?

Last week my friend Cecilia Peredo told a few of us grant colleagues she submitted her first infographic grant application. Needless to say, we all had lots of questions. Turns out, a funder asked for a one-page infographic explaining your proposed project. This...

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Find Your Grant People

Find Your Grant People

My first job out of college was in local government, working as an administrative assistant for the city manager. Six months into the job I started helping one of the police officers who had a knack for grant writing. The officer took another job six months later, and...

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Reasons Your Application Gets Denied
Episode 22

Reasons Your Application Gets Denied

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...

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Websites: Every Funder Needs One
Episode 20

Websites: Every Funder Needs One

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...

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DEI, Black Philanthropy, and Building Bridges
Episode 19

DEI, Black Philanthropy, and Building Bridges

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...

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Know Your Worth
Episode 18

Know Your Worth

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...

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Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL)
Episode 17

Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL)

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...

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How to Read a Federal RFP
Episode 15

How to Read a Federal RFP

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...

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From Grant Funder to Grant Consultant
Episode 14

From Grant Funder to Grant Consultant

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...

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Grant Work: Hiring an Employee vs. a Consultant
Episode 13

Grant Work: Hiring an Employee vs. a Consultant

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...

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A Direct Approach to In-Direct Costs
Episode 12

A Direct Approach to In-Direct Costs

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,...

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How To: Video Marketing for Social Good
Episode 11

How To: Video Marketing for Social Good

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...

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