Ginny Secured $3.5 Million in Grants 18 Months When She Left Her Fundraising Job

In this inspiring conversation, Holly Rustick sits down with Dr. Ginny Blankenship, founder of Lightmaker Grants and Strategy, to explore her unexpected path into grant writing and how she built a thriving business from the ground up. Ginny opens up about the challenges and opportunities in today’s grant landscape, the power of community and mentorship, and the lessons she’s learned about growing strategically while staying true to her mission.

Whether you’re just starting your grant writing journey or looking to scale your consulting business, this episode is packed with actionable advice, real-world strategies, and uplifting reminders that you don’t have to do it all alone.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• Why so many successful grant writers “fall into” the field — and how to embrace it.
• How claiming a clear niche can help you attract your ideal clients.
• Key differences between federal and private foundation grant strategies.
• The critical role of relationship-building in finding opportunities.
• Why time tracking is essential for running a sustainable business.
• How community and mentorship can break the isolation of remote work.
• The importance of setting boundaries and hiring help for growth.

Find out more about Dr. Ginny here: https://grantwritingandfunding.com/ginny

Join the Grant Professional Mentorship here: https://grantwritingandfunding.com/mentorship

Do you want a FREE Master Grant Template? Grab our FREE 5-Part Private Podcast, where you get
1) a private podcast episode for 5 days explaining how to write our Academy Master Grant
2) an editable Master Grant Template
3) a Master Grant Workbook

Just visit https://www.grantwritingandfunding.com/private-podcast