Episode 155: The State of Grant Seeking in 2026: Strategy, AI, and Surviving the Competition

Grant Writing in 2026 Is Harder Than Ever - Here’s How to Adapt Federal funding volatility.

Private foundations acting like contracts. Massive nonprofits competing for $5,000 grants. And now AI flooding the system with applications.

In this episode of A Modern Nonprofit Podcast, Tosha Anderson sits down with Dr. Krista Kurlinkus to unpack the state of grant seeking in 2026 and what nonprofit leaders must change to survive.

We cover:

-Why competition for grants is exploding

-How AI is increasing volume but lowering quality

-The dangers of “spray and pray” grant writing

-Administrative burden and hidden compliance costs

-Why nonprofits need a Grants Operating System

-How to align strategy before writing another proposal

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by funding shifts, this episode will give you clarity and actionable next steps.

#grantwriting #nonprofitleadership #fundraisingstrategy #nonprofitfinance #aiingrantwriting #thecharitycfo

Connect with Krista Kurlinkus

FREE Templates on Krista's website: https://www.grantwritingmadeeasy.com💼 LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/kristakurlinkus

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/GrantWritingMadeEasy

🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kristakurlinkus

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