The Journey Begins

This week marks the launch of my very own business, Great Waves Grant Writing. This step feels monumental, and I am proud to have made it this far, although I know it is only the beginning. I want to use this blog to chronicle my journey in becoming a freelance grant writer, in the hope that my experiences will help others who want to do the same. 

 A bit of background: I have always found fulfillment in helping others. Throughout high school, I volunteered at a camp supporting people with disabilities, and I eventually graduated with a bachelor's degree in gender studies, which examines various systems of oppression and the specific ways women combat them. This naturally led to my work in the nonprofit sector. I have a wide range of experience,  from frontline fundraising to outreach and training, and everything in between.

I decided to shift my focus to grant writing to maximize my positive impact on the world and eventually achieve a better work-life balance. This dream started 2 years ago when a dear family friend challenged me to move my career forward. Initially, she suggested that I pursue a master's degree in social work to transition into a career in the field of therapy. However, I did not want to take on more student loans, and  I had the opportunity to assist with a few grant applications at my current job — a process that I really enjoyed. 

From that moment, I decided I wanted to pursue a career in grant writing. I connected with people in the industry, read books, and eventually found a local certificate program called Spark the Fire. The 8-week class covered everything I needed to know about grant writing, including how to find grant applications, how to research and write compelling arguments, how to write a grant proposal with continuity and persuasion, and much more. I earned the certificate in November of 2024 and, after a break in December, I started working on launching my business in 2025. 

With the help of the SCORE small business mentor program, I have spent the last six months preparing for this week. I have built my website, created my branding, and set up systems to track my time and client research. It has not only been fulfilling to build this thing for me, but also to see myself spending an increasing amount of time on it. Although it has been a lot of work and it may still be a while before I get paying clients, it has been a fantastic experience to begin truly work for and invest in myself. 

Now that I have all the prep work behind me, it's time for the rubber to meet the road. My plan for now is to explore both volunteer and paid opportunities to establish a client base while continuing my education through online courses and local grant writing chapters. I also plan to attend the Grant Writers Summit in late October to further network and acquire new skills.

My goal is to update this blog at least twice a month to report on progress and share any new insights I’ve gained.

If you are in need of a grant writer, you can email me at rdowgert@greatwavesgrantwriting.com or fill out the intake form on the main page of my website here.