Episode Details
Back to EpisodesGrowing a Grant Writing Business from $5k to $200k in 2 years with Isatou
Description
In this conversation, Isatou Bittaye-Jobe shares her journey from being an in-house grant writer to becoming a freelance grant writer specializing in grassroots social justice organizations.
She discusses the challenges and opportunities in the funding landscape, particularly the shift from federal to foundation grants. Isatou emphasizes the importance of mentorship and community support in her business growth, highlighting how delegation and team building have allowed her to achieve a better work-life balance.
Holly and Isatou also touch on the mindset shifts necessary for success in the nonprofit sector.
About Isatou
Isatou Bittaye-Jobe is a Grant Writer and strategist dedicated to mobilizing resources for nonprofits advancing women’s rights, gender and racial justice, human rights, democracy, and social change. As the Founder and Principal Consultant of AmiKha Consulting, she assists U.S.-based and Global South nonprofits with funding strategy, grant writing, grant research, and grant readiness services. With over 15 years of experience, Isatou has secured more than $10 million in grant awards from private foundations, multilateral donors, and government agencies. She specializes in foundation, state, and federal grants, including the U.S. Department of Justice’s OVW and OVC grants, to support social justice movements in the U.S. and Internationally. Before founding AmiKha Consulting, Isatou served as Director of Institutional Giving at UltraViolet, leading institutional funding strategy and raising the organization’s $5 million annual budget.
Isatou’s intersectional approach to grant writing draws from her expertise in fundraising, program management, community organizing, and advocacy within the social justice and international development sectors in Africa and the U.S. Beyond grant writing and fundraising, Isatou actively advocates for philanthropy to shift toward Community Centric Fundraising-aligned principles and trust-based philanthropy models, including presenting at prominent events on topics such as “Grant Writing as Activism and Advocacy” at the 2024 Grant Professionals Association GrantSummit.
Originally from The Gambia, Isatou began her career in human rights advocacy. She is a 2016 Women Deliver Young Leader Alumni, recognized globally for advancing gender equality. She holds dual M.A. degrees in Women’s and Gender Studies from the City University of New York Graduate Center and International Studies from National Chengchi University in Taiwan.
Connect with Isatou
Links Mentioned:
OTHER RESOURCES:
- Weekly Newsletter: “Write Grants. Get Paid” - Get thought leadership on grant and freelance grant writing strategies every week in your inbox. https://grantwritingandfunding.com/
- Freelance Grant Writer Academy: Replace your Full-Time Income Writing Grants Part-Time from Home. https://grantwritingandfunding.com/freelance-grant-writer-academy/
- Grant Professional Mentorship: Double your Monthly Revenue with an Income Stream Outside of Grant Writing. https://grantwritingandfunding.com/mentorship
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