About
Driven by a Deep Desire to Make a Difference
GrantWorthy was founded on a deep commitment to making a meaningful difference through mission-driven work. Backed by more than 20 years of marketing communications experience and a trusted network of seasoned grant professionals, the firm partners with nonprofits advancing equity, education, health and well-being, cultural access, and community stability. Each engagement begins with careful listening—understanding goals, challenges, and the communities served—followed by funding strategies grounded in authenticity, clarity, and purpose rather than generic templates. The work is built on transparency, trust, and long-term relationships that extend beyond individual grants, with clear communication at every stage so nonprofit leaders can make confident decisions and stay focused on what matters most: meaningful, mission-centered impact.
Monica Waugh-Benton
Founder, GrantWorthy
Meet Monica
For years, I kept noticing the same pattern: the communities and causes that needed resources most—education, the arts, prevention-focused health programs—were the most underfunded. Nonprofit leaders were doing incredible work, but were so stretched thin they were missing funding opportunities simply because they didn't have time to chase grants.
I'd been helping with grants on the side for years—supporting classroom programs in Metro Atlanta schools, youth health initiatives through the NFL Play:60 and Morehouse School of Medicine, and working with faculty to secure research funding during my time as a PhD candidate at Georgia State and later as a faculty member at Duquesne University. Friends and colleagues knew I was the person to call when they needed help with an application. But it was always volunteer work, something I did between everything else.
I've been self-employed for over a decade, offering marketing, consulting, and ghostwriting services for agencies and thought leaders who have appeared in media outlets such as Forbes, The Today Show, CNN, Oprah's Super Soul Sunday, and the New York Times Best Seller List. I loved the work, but I reached a point where I wanted to use my skills to make a different kind of impact.
So I did what I do best—jumped right in and learned everything I could about professional grant writing, partnered with seasoned grant professionals, and launched GrantWorthy to help nonprofit leaders secure the funding their missions deserve.
When I'm not working, you'll find me spending time with my husband and loved ones, cheering on my nephew at his basketball games, decorating my house with thrifted finds, and traveling every chance I get (especially to visit family in Hawaiʻi).