Fundraising HayDay

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, Cofounder and CEO of Grantable, about how we can best use this tool in a way that makes sense for our work.

Top Ten Favorite Moments of Fundraising HayDay!

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.

Celebrating 5 Years of Fundraising HayDay!

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.

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 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.

How to Have Uncomfortable Conversations About Race, Bias, and More

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, and today she is sharing insights on these topics with us.

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 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 better aligned with their work. When the guidelines are clear, it saves time and heartache for us all. Is that really too much to ask?

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 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 can you best explain that community’s needs and wants and desires to others?

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 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.

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 across the country. To get you acquainted with the funding we are talking Justice40, sharing resources, and more.

City on a Hill Milwaukee: On a Mission to Break the Cycle of Generational Poverty

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.