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 proposalIf you’re feeling overwhelmed by funding shifts, this episode will give you clarity and actionable next steps.#grantwriting #nonprofitleadership #fundraisingstrategy #nonprofitfinance #aiingrantwriting #thecharitycfoConnect with Krista KurlinkusFREE Templates on Krista's website: https://www.grantwritingmadeeasy.com💼 LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/kristakurlinkusYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/GrantWritingMadeEasy🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kristakurlinkusFollow Us Online 🌐 Website: ⁠⁠www.thecharitycfo.com⁠⁠ 📸 Instagram: @thecharitycfo 📘 Facebook:⁠⁠ /thecharitycfo⁠⁠ 💼 LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠ / the-charity-cfo⁠⁠ ⁠ 🎵 TikTok: @thecharitycfoJoin our newsletter: https://go.thecharitycfo.com/l/995872/2025-02-24/6ldn1Download The Charity CFO Financial Blueprint: https://go.thecharitycfo.com/financial-blueprint