Episode 44: Grant Rejection, Resilience, and Summer Writing with Dr. Faye Z. Belgrave Part 2

In part two of Dr. Trenette’s conversation with her mentor and friend, Dr. Faye Z. Belgrave, they talk honestly about the part of grant writing that every scholar and nonprofit leader eventually encounters: rejection.Dr. Belgrave reminds listeners that not receiving a grant does not define your worth, your intelligence, or the value of your work. She encourages everyone to stay connected to the purpose behind the proposal: advancing knowledge, serving communities, improving outcomes, and using funding as a tool for meaningful impact.Dr. Belgrave and Dr. Trenette also discuss how to use summer well. They suggested their own ways of using summer to include as a time for restoration, family, joy, and focused writing. They talk about writing retreats, conceptualizing grant ideas, developing outlines, and creating enough structure to make progress without sacrificing your life.In This EpisodeYou will learn:Why grant rejection is normal, even for successful grant writersHow to avoid taking funding decisions personallyWhy your motivation matters when writing grant proposalsHow to reuse and strengthen ideas after a proposal is not fundedWhy you do not always have to be the principal investigator on grantsHow summer can support both rest and writing momentumWhy focused planning time can make later micro writing sessions easierKey TakeawayA grant rejection is not the end of the idea. Sometimes it is an invitation to revise and resubmit, realign, find a better funder, or return to the purpose of the work.June WorkshopIf you have ever spent too much time chasing grants that were not a strong fit or felt unsure about where to look next after a rejection, the Find Funding Faster Workshop can help. In this 90-minute live workshop on Wednesday, June 24, 2026, Dr. Trenette teaches a focused grant search process that can help you stop guessing, build a short list of aligned funders, and create a clearer path toward sustainable funding. The workshop is designed to help busy people use a process that takes 15 minutes per week, not 15 hours. Save your seat here: https://trenette-goings.mykajabi.com/fundingsearchworkshopGrab your free copy of Think Like a Winner at https://trenette-goings.mykajabi.com/thinklikeawinnerIf you’re thinking “I love Dr. Trenette and Grant Writing Made Clear” please rate, review, and subscribe!