E4. $25 an Hour? How Pull and Pricing Help Build a Scalable Grant Writing Business with Victoria Lamar

2026-02-09

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Just two years ago, Victoria Lamar didn’t even consider herself a grant writer. Today, she leads a team of seven, supports 12 charter schools, and has recently secured a nearly $1 million federal grant for one of her clients.In this episode of Grant CEO, we dive deep into two of the most misunderstood pillars of scaling a grant writing business: Pull and Pricing.Victoria shares how she moved away from being advised to charge $25–$30 an hour, clarified her niche, and positioned herself so clients now come to her—ready to pay re...

Just two years ago, Victoria Lamar didn’t even consider herself a grant writer.

Today, she leads a team of seven, supports 12 charter schools, and has recently secured a nearly $1 million federal grant for one of her clients.

In this episode of Grant CEO, we dive deep into two of the most misunderstood pillars of scaling a grant writing business: Pull and Pricing.

Victoria shares how she moved away from being advised to charge $25–$30 an hour, clarified her niche, and positioned herself so clients now come to her—ready to pay retainers, respect her process, and trust her expertise.

This conversation is a must-listen for experienced grant writers who are tired of explaining their value, customizing pricing for every client, or wondering how much to charge for grant writing services.

In this episode:

00:00:00 Entering Grant Writing

00:02:53 Rejecting Low Hourly Rates

00:11:02 Retainer Cadence Systems

00:17:49 Pricing Through Niching

This podcast is produced by Ideablossoms.

Connect with Victoria Lamar:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/victorialamar/

Website: http://www.securingdegrees.org/

Take The Grant CEO Assessment!

Tired of operating like an overworked freelancer and ready to step into the CEO seat of your business?

Head to grantceo.com, answer the questions, get your report, and start building a profitable and sustainable grant writing business.

About DeaRonda Harrison:

DeaRonda Harrison is the founder of June First Firm and host of the Grant CEO podcast, a show for experienced grant writers ready to step into the role of strategic, confident CEO of their own scalable business. With over a decade of experience, she’s helped nonprofits secure more than $45 million in funding.

Today, DeaRonda coaches grant writing consultants on pricing their services, setting boundaries, and moving from freelance grant writer to CEO. Through her You Are the Prize™ Framework, she helps grant professionals build sustainable, profitable grant writing businesses.

Grant CEO Assessment: https://grantceo.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dearondaharrison/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dearondaharrison/

Website: https://junefirstfirm.com/

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