123. Grant Writing in Small Towns with Realizing Rural

We love when we find people who support small towns doing big things in ways we've never seen before, and this episode features two people and a business that is doing just that. Jasmin and Cassidy are two sisters behind an organization called Realizing Rural that offers important services like grant-writing, project management, graphic design, and marketing to small towns and the organizations in them who may not have the staff to support those tasks but who need them to grow. About Jasmin and Cassidy: Jasmin Fosheim and Cassidy Blade are sisters living in rural South Dakota. Both balancing new families and serving their community in various capacities, Jasmin and Cassidy are passionate about the advantages of rural life. This passion and belief that rural is an asset, not a detriment, led them to create Realizing Rural. Since 2020, Realizing Rural has provided grant writing, project management, marketing, and consulting services for rural businesses, organizations, and communities in North Dakota, South Dakota, and beyond with the mission of shifting the rural narrative from surviving to thriving. "We grew up running barefoot along the gravel roads of the Black Hills, chasing butterflies with nets and gathering wildflower bouquets. Our most formative childhood memories were built around fishing poles and fire pits, curled up in camping chairs and tucked into hammocks, making s'mores and reading books, all surrounded by those we loved most. It was in those moments that our love for rural was sparked. And it was in those fields and streams and tents and trails that we gained the curiosity that carries us, the compassion that comprises us, and the love that leads us. It was in those moments, years before the creation of our business, that we began realizing rural." In this episode, we cover:

• What Realizing Rural does and how they help
• Why grant money isn't really "free money" and why alignment with the funding or the project is so important
• Why communities shouldn't hesitate or beat themselves up if they need help with grant writing or project management
• Their journey with imposter syndrome
• The difference between doing things you're good at vs. things you love

Links and Resources Mentioned: Realizing Rural website: www.realizingrural.com Realizing Rural Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/realizingrural Article on Time Management Quadrant: https://lindsay-jopson.medium.com/a-powerful-tool-to-show-us-where-to-spend-our-time-a8e564656bdf