Do You Need a Grant Writing Certification? Here’s the Truth
LISTEN TO THE Grant Writing & Funding Podcast
June 3, 2025
You don’t need a degree, certification, or business loan to start your freelance grant writing business. All you need is a computer, internet access, and two learnable skills: how to write grants and how to run a business.
In this episode, we cover:
How to get started with or without grant writing experience
What business skills you actually need (like pricing and marketing)
Whether you need a certification—and what really matters to clients
Real success stories from beginners who landed clients and got funded
Whether you’re new to grants or just new to freelancing, this episode will help you take confident first steps toward building your own business.
“Every time I listen to Holly’s show, I learn something” <– If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing my show! This helps me support more people — just like you — move toward writing higher quality grants without overwhelm, and to start and grow successful grant writing businesses! Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know what you loved most about the episode!
Also, if you haven’t done so already, follow the Grant Writing & Funding podcast. I’m adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the feed and, if you’re not following, there’s a good chance you’ll miss out. Follow now!“
Holly Rustick is a world-renowned grant writing expert and Amazon bestselling author.
Holly has been coaching grant writers how to run successful 5-6 figure businesses since 2017.
With two decades of grant writing and nonprofit experience, Holly is a popular keynote speaker for events all over the world, podcast host of the Top-Ranked Grant Writing podcast, a former university instructor, and is past president of the Guam Women’s Chamber of Commerce. She is constantly booked out to run trainings to help grant writers grow capacity, increase funding, and advance mission.
Get the proven 7 steps to eliminate anxiety and get Holly’s 20 years of secrets to start writing winning grants.
You will get the grant writing system that has helped Holly secure more than $25 million in grant funding and students earn more than $100,000,000 in funding for nonprofits around the world!