Join the FREE, LIVE Training, "How to Make $10K/Months Writing Grants from Home in 2026 (No degree, No Experience, No 40-Hour Work Weeks)" on Wednesday, Jan. 21st from 4:30 pm - 6 pm EST. Register here: https://grantwritingandfunding.com/academy-webinar
Did you know that you can tap into your state and city government agencies for grants or contracts for your nonprofit organization?
Yep, you can.
First you might be interested in where your state or territory comes up with grant funding (side note: this is geared toward U.S. state and territory grants).
Where do State Grant & Contract Money Come From?
Federal Pass-Through Money
Basically this means…The federal government will award states different types of money,, and then the state is able to then fund nonprofits or other agencies grants from that money.
Taxes and Allocations
And then of course there are taxes in your state, and money that’s generated in your state. Through these allocated funds (for specific purposes) your state then awards certain monies for nonprofits, organizations, businesses, individuals, and so forth.
Grant or Contract?
Grant funding
Grant funding is given out (usually via grant competition) and then the state will create an agreement on awarding the funds to you if you spend them how you outlined in your grant budget.
They will also most likely demand a whole bunch of receipts and reports to ensure you are spending the money the way you said you would spend the money.
Contract funding
Now a contract on the other side is actually legally binding. They can take you to court if you don’t spend the money the way you said you were gonna spend the money. But at the same time, there’s a little bit more flexibility in the funding.
For reports to draw down contract money, you may just need to show the monthly or quarterly deliverables in the scope of work (not all the receipts for every penny).
If you met under budget and you still met all of your goals, you will still be awarded the money under the contract, whereas with a grant you might only be reimbursed for what you actually spent.
So there could be a little bit more flexibility and less reporting with contracts. However, you will have a legally binding contract for due diligence.
If you can get a contract, go after the contract. If you can get a grant, go after the grant. If you can go after both. Go after both.
Where to Find State Grants & Contracts
Now, where do you find this state money?
State and City Agency Websites
You can definitely find it by looking at your state agency and city agency websites. The issue with websites is that each state and city government agency may not use the same language on their website to announce their grant and contract opportunities.
Some key words to look for include: “RFP,” “Announcement,” “News,” “Grants,” and so forth.
Newspapers
Another place you can find out about state and city agency grants and contracts is in the newspaper.
I know we haven’t heard about the newspaper in a long time, but believe you me, a lot of these agencies must publish their announcements and they still use the newspapers.
Social Media
Follow the state and city agencies that might have grant or contract opportunities for your nonprofit! Some of these different agencies are now active on social media and will also publish their announcements there.
You can also see what else is going on at these agencies and find some great statistics or reports that might resonate with your nonprofit.
Reach out to a Point of Contact at State or City Agency
You can even call a state or city agency program officer and ask if they can add you to their email list (if they have one), so you can stay up-to-date with announcements.
Importance of State Grants & Contracts
And why are these types of funding important?
Well, because if your nonprofit is serving in your certain geographic area of that city agency or that state government agency, then that is a win. State and city governments primarily give out funding in their geographic area to move forward their priorities!
So don’t fall into the trap of only looking for federal or foundation grants! There is a huge money pot available for you in your city and state. Try the above ways to tap into it and let me know what you find!
Links:
ABOUT HOLLY RUSTICK
Grant Writing & Funding (GWF) has a Global Movement to Secure $1 Billion in Grant Funding for Good and $30 Million in Grant Writing Businesses by 2030. Holly Rustick, CEO of GWF, is leading the movement; a world-renowned grant writer with 20+ years of experience, bestselling author, and business coach for new and seasoned grant writers to replace their full-time income writing grants part-time from home through her signature programs: the
Freelance Grant Writer Academy and the
Grant Professional Mentorship.
Rustick is the host of the top grant writing podcast “Grant Writing & Funding” and the author of the Bestselling book, The Beginner’s Guide to Grant Writing. With an MA in International Political Economy, past-president of the Guam Women’s Chamber of Commerce, serving on numerous boards of directors, Holly is also an unapologetic feminist. She lives on the island of Guam with her beautiful daughter, Isabella.
CONNECT WITH HOLLY RUSTICK
RESOURCES:
RATE, REVIEW, & FOLLOW THE PODCAST
Favor, please? If you love this podcast, would you please do me a favor and leave a review on iTunes or your podcast listener?
This helps others find the podcast and I read each and every review!
“Every time I listen to Holly’s show, I learn something” <– If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing my show!
Also, if you haven’t done so already, follow the Grant Writing & Funding podcast to get grant and freelance grant writing proven strategies and conversations in your podcast player every single week.
Thanks for listening!
Warmly,
Holly Rustick
Leading the $1 Billion for Good Movement: By 2030, aspiring and seasoned grant writers inside the Freelance Grant Writer Academy & Grant Professional Mentorship will 1) WIN $1 Billion in Grants, and 2) MAKE $30 Million in their Grant Writing Businesses. We are on our way already.
What is Grant Writing & Funding?
Quit your toxic nonprofit job and replace your full-time income while writing grants part-time, from home! Join our students in the Freelance Grant Writer Academy to create Financial Stability and Flexibility through writing grants for causes you are passionate about: https://grantwritingandfunding.com/freelance-grant-writer-academy
World-renowned grant writing expert and Amazon bestselling author Holly Rustick provides coaching that helps new and experienced grant writers replace their full-time income while writing grants part-time from home (or anywhere they want to live or travel in the world).
She coaches changemakers to master grant writing and start to grow 6-figure+ grant writing businesses on part-time hours via her signature group program, “Freelance Grant Writer Academy."
As an unapologetic feminist, Holly’s work in coaching female grant writers to master grant writing, find their cause-area niche, and navigate value-based pricing and nonprofit sales is breaking glass ceilings for women all over the world.
Every week, she coaches thousands of people through the top-ranking podcast, Grant Writing & Funding, books on grant writing, and inside the Freelance Grant Writer Academy.
Holly has 20 years of experience in grant writing, and began her freelance grant writing journey back in 2005. While teaching in Kuwait and Indonesia, and then earning a Master’s Degree in International Political Economy in Belgium, Holly saw the light of setting up a virtual-based business in grant writing back in the mid-2000s. Having secured more than $45 million of dollars for nonprofit organizations, and then setting up a multi 6-figure freelance business, Holly has a mission to help female grant writers break out of toxic nonprofit J-O-B-S and create high-level income while freelance grant writing.
Inside the Freelance Grant Writer Academy, students have secured more than $225+ million in grant funding and $4+ million in revenue in their grant writing businesses within two years.
To amplify this work, she is past-president of the Guam Women’s Chamber of Commerce and was appointed to the Guam Business Advisory Task Force as an advisor to the first female governor of Guam. Holly lives on the island of Guam with her beautiful daughter, Isabella.
If you are interested in replacing your full-time income while writing grants part-time from home (or from anywhere in the world!) join the Freelance Grant Writer Academy!
www.grantwritingandfunding.com.