Episode 89 · January 31, 2023
Dana Drummond: Discusses Nonprofits, Grant Writing, Gangsters and Surprising Side Hustles
with Dana Drummond, President & Founder, Sharpshooter Communications
32 min
Dana Drummond: Discusses Nonprofits, Grant Writing, Gangsters and Surprising Side Hustles
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In this episode
In this episode I sit down with Dana Drummond, president and founder of Sharpshooter Communications, and honestly, this one has it all — grant writing, a rock band, a Bible podcast heard around the world, and yes, a real-life famous gangster in her family tree. Dana has a genuine heart for helping nonprofits, and she's helped organizations secure over $50 million in funding over her career. I love that she's so passionate about telling the stories of the people doing good work in our community.
We dig into what grant readiness really means (it's so much more than filling out an application), why she gently pushes back on the "the world needs another nonprofit" idea, and how her "grant zombie" observation might change the way you think about serving a cause you care about. And then Dana shares the story that gave me chills — how her grandmother, orphaned at 14 after her family was sent to prison, had her entire college education secretly paid for by the very man her parents had kidnapped. It's the most beautiful picture of grace and philanthropy I've heard.
If you've ever wondered whether you have to choose just one dream, let Dana be your reminder that you don't. She wanted to be a writer, a teacher, a singer, and a comedian — and she found a way to live all four. Keep going, friend. Your God-given gifts and talents might just fit together in ways you can't see yet.
Key takeaways
- Grants are about readiness, not just paperwork — your organization, programs, and finances all need to be in order before you ever hit 'submit.'
- Before starting a new nonprofit, go serve an existing one first. There are likely already organizations doing what you feel called to do, and they need your help — plus you'll learn where the real gaps are.
- Watch out for becoming a 'nonprofit zombie' — an organization limping along on bare minimum that pulls community resources away from those making real impact.
- Necessity really is the mother of invention: Dana's frustration with grant-tracking tools led her to sketch a wireframe on a napkin and build Grant Holster, software that organizes the whole grant-seeking process.
- You don't earn the money for your clients — you help them tell their story well. The nonprofits create the impact; a good grant writer makes it clear and compelling.
- You don't have to pick just one dream. Dana turned her childhood wishes — writer, teacher, singer, comedian — into one purposeful life.
- Philanthropy can change a family's entire trajectory for generations — Dana's own life is proof of the quiet, lasting power of one act of generosity.
“A lot of times I feel like I'm still teetering on the cliff, but it is kind of scary and you really do have to be passionate about it.”
“They become what I call nonprofit zombies because they are not really having the impact that they wanted to have, but they're taking resources out of the community.”
“I have the life I have now because of that... he just practiced this grace and philanthropy.”
“Literally all four of the things I grew up wanting to be, I'm able to be. And who gets to say that?”
About Dana
President & Founder, Sharpshooter Communications
Dana Drummond is the founder of Sharpshooter Communications, where she helps nonprofits seek, secure, and manage grants. Over her career she has helped organizations secure more than $50 million in funding, and she recently received the Outstanding Professional Fundraiser Award from the Northeast Oklahoma Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals. A former competitive rifle shooter with a national record, Dana also created Grant Holster software, sings in the rock band Beautiful Chaos, teaches grant writing and nonprofit management, and hosts the Bible Bedtime podcast.
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