In this conversation, Isatou Bittaye-Jobe shares her journey from being an in-house grant writer to becoming a freelance grant writer specializing in grassroots social justice organizations. 

She discusses the challenges and opportunities in the funding landscape, particularly the shift from federal to foundation grants. Isatou emphasizes the importance of mentorship and community support in her business growth, highlighting how delegation and team building have allowed her to achieve a better work-life balance. 

Holly and Isatou also touch on the mindset shifts necessary for success in the nonprofit sector.

About Isatou

Isatou Bittaye-Jobe is a Grant Writer and strategist dedicated to mobilizing

resources for nonprofits advancing women’s rights, gender and racial justice, human

rights, democracy, and social change. As the Founder and Principal Consultant of

AmiKha Consulting, she assists U.S.-based and Global South nonprofits with funding

strategy, grant writing, grant research, and grant readiness services.

With over 15 years of experience, Isatou has secured more than $10 million in grant

awards from private foundations, multilateral donors, and government agencies. She

specializes in foundation, state, and federal grants, including the U.S. Department of

Justice’s OVW and OVC grants, to support social justice movements in the U.S. and

Internationally.

Before founding AmiKha Consulting, Isatou served as Director of Institutional Giving

at UltraViolet, leading institutional funding strategy and raising the organization’s $5

million annual budget.

Isatou’s intersectional approach to grant writing draws from her expertise in

fundraising, program management, community organizing, and advocacy within

the social justice and international development sectors in Africa and the U.S.

Beyond grant writing and fundraising, Isatou actively advocates for philanthropy to

shift toward Community Centric Fundraising-aligned principles and trust-based

philanthropy models, including presenting at prominent events on topics such as

“Grant Writing as Activism and Advocacy” at the 2024 Grant Professionals Association GrantSummit.

Originally from The Gambia, Isatou began her career in human rights advocacy. She

is a 2016 Women Deliver Young Leader Alumni, recognized globally for advancing

gender equality. She holds dual M.A. degrees in Women’s and Gender Studies from

the City University of New York Graduate Center and International Studies from

National Chengchi University in Taiwan.

Connect with Isatou

• AmiKha Consulting website
• Isatou Bittaye-Jobe’s LinkedIn

Links Mentioned

Freelance Grant Writer Academy 

Free Webinar on March 25th, 2025 at 4 pm EST “Double Your Grant Writing Business, Writing Fewer Grants, During any Administration”

Grant Professional Mentorship

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