A Personal Note on Why This Book Had to Be Written
By Lisa Erhart.
In 2016, I supported founders through grant writing services, reviewing applications, offering coaching, and helping people navigate a system that often felt stacked against them.
But something didn’t sit right.
I noticed that women just weren’t applying for grants at the same rate as men. And when they did apply, they were asking for less - a lot less.
The average grant amount applied for by women founders?
Around $30,000.
For men? More than $100,000.
And worse - only 1–2% of the women who applied were being funded.
That was a turning point for me.
It became crystal clear:
✔️ More women needed to apply
✔️ And they needed to submit stronger applications
But there was another problem I couldn’t ignore…
Too many founders never stopped to consider what it's actually like to be a grant assessor. They saw them as uninterested gatekeepers.
I’ve heard it all -
“They’re clueless.”
“They’re not even real businesspeople.”
“They don’t get startups.”
Let me set the record straight.
Assessors?
They’re informed. Connected. Experienced.
Many are running their own companies.
And yes - many are investors.
They’re not looking for words on a page. They want clarity, alignment, and a compelling reason to back you.
So, I wrote Advanced Grant Writing for Female Founders to bridge the gap.
To take everything I’d learned as both an applicant and an assessor - and put it into the hands of the women who need it most.
📘 The book is a practical, straight-talking guide designed to help you:
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Design funder-aligned projects
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Write with confidence and clarity
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Avoid the common mistakes that sink great ideas
It's not just about getting funded.
It's about reshaping how women founders show up in the funding arena - with power, precision, and a plan.
📥 Grab your copy here → on Amazon
Lisa Erhart founded Funding4Growth to ensure funding success is not determined by gender, background, or geography. Find out how.
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