Grant Writing and Securing Funding
To be blunt, I view the grants and fundraising process as a way of enacting justice and effecting reparations on a smaller scale, so that you can continue your larger scale work for justice and reparations in the more meaningful, global sense. In other words, my job is making sure you can access the resources, financial and otherwise, that you need in the short term. I'm very clear, however, that these resources were stolen from historically oppressed communities, and need to find their way back to these same communities. In the world we are fighting for, these resources are yours, without question.
I therefore see myself as a "by any means necessary" grant writer, and I bring my activist practicality to my grants and fundraising work. We live under late stage capitalism, which means we can rag on morally bankrupt corporations for days, but what I really mean is that I thrive on taking money from the shitty, amazon-type corporate overlords of the world, and returning it to activists and communities who will use it to do good work. Of course, this is not the long-term answer, and I'd be lying if I said I didn't spend hours talking to my dog about the world we need to build beyond capitalism, but in the meantime, I believe in small-scale redistribution of the resources oppression stole from us. And so if I can get you a grant from some scuzzy company's foundation, I'll do it. I love that. I'm cynical and practical and I can speak their language. For a little while at least...
I have a stellar track record of securing grants and other funding from a diversity of sources, including competitive federal grants, state, national and local governments, foundations, businesses, and other creative sources. Among others, I've successfully applied for funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the National Council on Disability and other highly selective federal agencies, and I'm familiar with federal forms and processes. I've also secured small and large grants from state, local and foundation sources. Weirdly, I find that I draw a lot on my very non-traditional background when writing foundation grants, as I'm able to quickly develop a sense of the foundation's needs, concerns and priorities using the bridge-building and relationship skills I developed as a midwife and reproductive justice activist.
This empathetic read helps me write tailored grant proposals that connect my client and the foundation, leading to a high acceptance rate. I'm adept at finding funding for a wide range of research project types, including center grants, educational conferences, exploratory and pilot projects, participatory action research/community-based participatory research, career development, qualitative and quantitative projects and traditional knowledge production, and I bring a lot of creativity to the process. I've received competitive grants for capacity building, operating expenses, special projects and community-researcher teams and non-profits, with or without the anarcho-feminist ranting.
Though I don't always talk about it at parties, I really enjoy grant writing, which I view as an opportunity to tell the story of your work in a way that generates interest -- and money! I am a compelling and concise writer, and I focus my grant narratives on the match between your important work and the funder's needs. I also leverage my skills as a knowledge translation specialist to communicate complex concepts in accessible, clear language.
I'm dedicated to helping you get the funding you need, as painlessly as possible. I'm highly experienced in all stages of the funding process. I can help identify appropriate grant opportunities, using databases such as Grant Forward, Foundations Directory Online, COS Pivot, Raiser's Edge (and its freeware siblings), and others, as well as careful attention to funders within your area of expertise. I can build and maintain relationships with program officers and development officials, and serve as a liaison to evaluate the fit between your work and the funder's priorities. I'm happy to help you develop a comprehensive funding plan, manage a single grant submission, or work on parts of your in-progress grant on an "a la carte" basis. In addition to crafting compelling grant narratives, I can manage any or all aspects of proposal development including budgets, letters of support, administrative components and everything else; or simply write you a winning letter of intent.
In addition to grants, I have expertise in creative, community-engaged fundraising strategies. I'm happy to work with you to develop a comprehensive fundraising plan, run a targeted campaign, write an ask letter for small businesses in your area, or brainstorm ideas for getting seed funds for that new program you've been dreaming about. Whether I'm running a book fair to raise money for an established literacy program or establishing a partnership with a well-known non-profit to share your new online donation page with their large networks, my goal is to build on your strengths and make them literally pay off. Let's talk.
I specialize in grant writing for public health and equity-focused activist work, and I offer a discount to social justice-oriented community groups and non-profits who are doing good work. Please contact me for details.