In today’s episode, we dive deep into the importance of knowing your worth and setting professional boundaries in your grant writing business. We have the pleasure of speaking with Nija Rivera from Gritty Grants Consulting, who shares her inspiring journey of transforming her grant writing practice by adhering to essential business policies.

Nija discusses a pivotal moment where she realized the detrimental impact of offering discounts for her services. This important lesson in valuing her work led her to make significant changes, resulting in an impressive earning of $55,000 in just nine months. Nija’s experience underlines the critical balance between business sustainability and community contribution, a topic that resonates deeply within fields like social work and public health.

Throughout this episode, Holly and Nija explore practical strategies for maintaining professional detachment, setting appropriate service prices, and the indispensable role of coaching in running a successful grant writing business. Whether you are new to the field or an experienced professional, today’s discussion promises actionable insights that can elevate your practice and help you achieve financial stability.

So, get ready to be inspired and informed as we uncover the strategies that transformed Nija Rivera’s business and how you can apply these lessons to your own grant writing journey. Tune in, and let’s get started!

What you’ll learn in this episode:

1. Learning from Mistakes: 

Nija shares a specific instance where she had to let go of a client due to misaligned expectations and the mistake of offering a discount, which she realized undercut her ability to provide adequate service.

2. Valuing Her Work: 

Nija acknowledges learning a lesson about valuing her work and the importance of pricing her services to reflect her skills and efforts, avoiding discounts that devalue her professionalism.

3. Professional Boundaries: 

The discussion emphasizes the importance of setting and maintaining professional boundaries, adhering to business policies, and not getting overly involved emotionally with clients.

4. Sustainable Pricing: 

Both Holly and Nija highlight the need to ensure services are priced appropriately to sustain business operations and facilitate community contributions by maintaining proper service fees.

5. Business Growth: 

Holly acknowledges Nija’s progress, noting she has generated $55,000 in her business within nine months, showcasing the effectiveness of implementing sustainable pricing and business skills learned through the Freelance Grant Writer Academy.

About Nija Rivera

Born and bred in the vibrant city of Philadelphia, PA, Nija is a seasoned public health professional with over 10 years of expertise in nonprofit program management, grants management, and proposal development. She is the lead consultant at Gritty Grants. 

Nija earned her undergraduate degree in biobehavioral Health from Penn State University, laying the foundation for her multidisciplinary approach. She furthered her education by obtaining a master’s in public health from Temple University.

Nija’s passion lies in creating impactful grants proposals that address the well being of under resourced communities. Her wealth of experience encompasses the entire lifecycle of grant projects, from conception through successful implementation.

Beyond her professional endeavors, Nija is an avid traveler who delights in exploring different corners of the world. Her love for adventure extends to trying diverse cuisines from around the globe.

Connect with Nija:

• Email: nija@grittygrants.com 
• LinkedIn
• Website

Quotables:

“Just stay professional and focus on the facts. Don’t get caught up in the, well, last week you said this, and you’re trying to and it’s like, that stuff, it get it gets to you, but at the end of the day, it’s not gonna serve you to lead with that.” – Nija Rivera

 “I always say to people, like, oh, I’m a part of this, like, worldwide grant writing professionals group. And so, like, you know, I have my call on Tuesday nights, and, you know, I asked the group, and this is what they said. So it just feels really like it’s almost like being a kid and your parents, like, put you out there in a sport, and you just see them cheering in the stands.” – Nija Rivera

“You never know who is watching… Try different avenues for networking and for getting your business out there because people you might not realize, but people are kinda you know, they keep tabs.” – Nija Rivera

“Knowing Your Worth in Business, I cannot run a business with you paying me 40% of what I actually should be getting paid, and there’s no hard feelings.” – Nija Rivera

Resources Mentioned in this Episode:

• The Freelance Grant Writer Academy
• Free Webinar, “How to Create a Profitable Grant Writing Business with Little to No Experience” on Tuesday, Oct. 15th at 4 pm EST. 

Join my New and FREE webinar, “How to Create a Profitable Grant Writing Business with Little to No Experience” you will know how you can make a grant writing business work for you. 

The webinar will take place on Tuesday, October 15th at 4 pm EST. 

After the webinar, we’ll open the doors to my program, Freelance Grant Writer Academy, where we help you achieve Replace Your Income While Writing Grants Part-Time from Home. 

Sign up for the webinar now even if you have NO grant writing experience.

>> Click here to register for the free webinar.

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