About Me
My travel history
Writing has always been one of my passions (along with photography, hiking, horseback riding, my animals and family—and going places), but I more or less stumbled across my ability to write powerful grants. As a program manager, needing to find funds to keep services alive, I sat down and wrote my first proposal.
I knew nothing at the time about goals and objectives, project plans, timelines, benchmarks, or the rest of what goes into convincing a funder to invest in a project. But I had passion for the work I was doing—and I didn’t want to let clients down. And I had an innate talent to tell a compelling story.
My proposal was successful, and we received the funds we needed to keep the project afloat for two more years. This allowed me to serve a lot of people, learn a lot, and lobby local government to provide ongoing funds for much-needed services.
But in time, the pressure of wearing two hats at once—being both program manager and grant writer—became too much for me, and I moved on. After completing a graduate degree in educational policy studies and a second masters in creative writing, I became a full-time grant writer.
As a grant writer, I have written many successful proposals that have helped a broad range of organizations find and win funds in the areas of education, services to the elderly and those with disabilities, domestic violence intervention, specialized transportation, fire safety, community organizing, and environmental preservation. I have helped organizations embark on their very first grant-writing journey, and others, with more experience, apply for multi-million dollar grants.
Among my clients have been tribes whose commitment to self-determination and to revitalizing community and traditions strikes a deep and resonant chord in me. I consider myself honored to be a part of this nation-building and life-enhancing work.
I currently write proposals for clients across the U.S. and teach grant writing in my home community of Portland, Oregon. I created Grant Central Station as a virtual gathering place for nonprofit and tribal professionals who care deeply about fulfilling their special role in their community. It is my intention that you leave this terminal with the help you need to write proposals that convince funders to hop on board.
I plan to offer workshops in other communities as well as electronically in time.
I’d love to hear from other grant writers and nonprofit and tribal managers who share an interest in helping tribes and organizations realize their dream of serving others and bettering community. Click here to drop me a line.