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Beyond the Donation Ep. 28 with Jennifer Yarbrough on getting grant-ready

Ep. 28 | Getting Grant-Ready, an interview with Jennifer Yarbrough

In this episode of Beyond the Donation, host Matt Bitzegaio chats with Jennifer Yarbrough, a veteran in the nonprofit sector with more than 30 years of experience. Jennifer shares key strategies on getting grant-ready from her three decades of experience in grant writing, fundraising, coaching, and mentoring. She discusses the significance of aligning the nonprofit's mission with the grant funder's objectives, the importance of impact measurement and evaluation, as well as the struggles nonprofits face locating and applying for relevant grants. Jennifer also highlights the value of persistence, networking, clear communication of mission, and relationship building in the funding realm. Lastly, she provides resources for finding grants and measuring impact.

00:04 Introduction

00:26 Getting to Know Jennifer Yarbrough

02:19 Understanding the Basics of Grant Funding

03:21 The Importance of Being Grant Ready

04:24 Starting a Nonprofit and Seeking Grants

06:14 Challenges and Strategies in Securing Grants

07:44 Writing a Compelling Grant Application

10:58 The Role of Relationship Building in Grant Funding

12:50 Finding Relevant Grant Opportunities

15:34 Measuring and Reporting Impact

17:58 Final Advice and Connecting with Jennifer Yarbrough

21:39 Conclusion

Resources:

https://philanthropynewsdigest.org/

https://grants.gov/

https://grantstation.com/

To Connect with Jennifer Yarbrough

Website | TikTok | LinkedIn

To Connect with Beyond the Donation Podcast:

BTD Podcast | DonorDock LinkedIn | Matt LinkedIn

What is trust-based philanthropy and how does it affect grant strategy?

Trust-based philanthropy is a movement among funders to reduce reporting burden, offer more flexible (often general-operating) dollars, and treat grantee organizations as partners rather than vendors. Adoption is uneven — some institutions offer multi-year flexible support, others still want narrow project-restricted grants. Your strategy should ask for general-operating or multi-year support where the funder's norms allow, and have an outcome-specific Plan B ready otherwise.

Last updated
April 25, 2026
How do nonprofits keep funder relationships warm when budgets tighten?

Prioritize relationship continuity over net-new introductions. Send a quarterly one-screen "executive postcard" — one outcome, one short story, one milestone. Offer 20-minute standing check-ins with one-slide agendas. Right-size asks so a partner can fund something complete at a lower tier and add later. Match the funder's language exactly — if they say "workforce pathways," don't counter with "career readiness."

Last updated
April 25, 2026
Why is over-reliance on grants risky for nonprofits?

Over-reliance on grants creates four structural risks: unpredictability (most grants are time-limited and ending a cycle creates a budget cliff), restricted use (you might secure $50,000 but can't touch a penny for staff training or infrastructure), opportunity cost (writing grants pulls leadership away from direct mission work), and donor disconnect (you miss the chance to build authentic individual-donor relationships). A healthy fundraising mix builds individual-giving as a complementary leg of the stool — not as a replacement for grants, but as resilience.

Last updated
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How do you align staff and board on fundraising goals?

Build the annual fundraising plan together — not a staff-written plan the board reviews. Use a joint goal-setting session that shows program needs, donor capacity, and the revenue target each role is accountable for. When the board votes on a plan they helped build, they defend it instead of second-guessing it midyear.

Last updated
April 25, 2026
Author
Elisha Ford
Content Writer
Last updated:
April 29, 2026
Written by
Elisha Ford
Content Writer

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