Get the Inspired Nonprofit Leadership Newsletter

Episode #302: Addressing Toxicity in Nonprofit Culture with Holly Rustick

Episode #302: Addressing Toxicity in Nonprofit Culture with Holly Rustick

link to YouTube

Join Sarah Olivieri in another insightful episode of Inspired Nonprofit Leadership where she speaks with Holly Rustick, a world-renowned grant writing and business coach. They dive into the challenges and opportunities faced by nonprofit leaders, including the importance of mindset, the complexities of grant writing, and the necessity of preparation and self-care. Holly shares her expertise on how nonprofits can pivot in response to changes in the funding landscape and offers practical tips for executive directors and board members. If you're involved in nonprofit leadership or considering a transition to consulting, this episode is packed with valuable insights to help you unleash your full potential.

Episode Highlights

  • 01:05 Meet Holly Rustick: Grant Writing Expert
  • 03:48 Navigating Change and Pivoting in Nonprofits
  • 11:33 Addressing Toxicity in Nonprofit Culture
  • 19:13 Creating a Better Work Environment in Nonprofits
  • 19:37 Steps to Transition Out of Your Nonprofit Job
  • 19:55 Maximizing Efficiency with Task Management
  • 20:11 The Importance of Data in Nonprofit Management
  • 21:59 Exploring Nonprofit to Consultant Transitions
  • 27:07 Pricing Strategies for Hiring Grant Writers
  • 34:43 Final Advice and Resources for Nonprofit Leaders

Meet the Guest

World-renowned grant writing and business coach Holly Rustick coaches new and seasoned grant writers to quit their toxic nonprofit jobs and replace their full-time income writing grants part-time from home through her signature programs: the Freelance Grant Writer Academy and the Grant Professional Mentorship. In 18 months alone, Holly’s program students in her two programs have collectively secured $137+ million in grant funding, and $2.7 million+ in their businesses.

Being a grant writer and trainer for 20 years, Holly has a mission to coach grant writers to help causes they care about while making an equitable income on flexible hours. Holly is the podcast host of the top grant writing podcast in the world, “Grant Writing & Funding” and author of the Bestselling book, “The Beginner’s Guide to Grant Writing.”

Holly has an MA in International Political Economy, is past-president of the Guam Women’s Chamber of Commerce, serves on numerous boards of directors, and is an unapologetic feminist. She lives on the island of Guam with her beautiful daughter, Isabella. Find out more at www.grantwritingandfunding.com


Connect with Holly:

Website: Grant Writing & Funding

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/holly-rustick-0765b817/

Instagram: https://instagram.com/hollyrustick/

Podcast: https://grantwritingandfunding.com/grant-writing-podcast/

Book: https://grantwritingandfunding.com/book

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GrantWritingandFunding

Freelance Grant Writer Academy:https://grantwritingandfunding.com/freelance-grant-writer-academy

Grant Professional Mentorship: https://grantwritingandfunding.com/grant-professional-mentorship

Sponsored Resource

Join the Inspired Nonprofit Leadership Newsletter for weekly tips and inspiration for leading your nonprofit!

Access it here >>

Be sure to subscribe to Inspired Nonprofit Leadership so that you don’t miss a single episode, and while you’re at it, won’t you take a moment to write a short review and rate our show? It would be greatly appreciated!


Let us know the topics or questions you would like to hear about in a future episode. You can do that and follow us on LinkedIn.