How did you become a grant pro? 

I got started in grants in my first job out of college as a Development Coordinator at an opera company. While the job included all aspects of fundraising and development, I gravitated toward the grant aspect and received a Fundraising Certificate from the Support Center for Nonprofit Management in New York.

I then worked in Marketing & Publicity for the University Center for the Arts at Colorado State University, while also doing some alumni development work. After having my first kiddo I stopped working full time. I got back into part-time grant work about two years later and have been working as a freelance consultant for five years, primarily in performing arts and music-related organizations. After discovering the GPA, I knew I wanted to earn my GPC, which I did earlier this summer. 

During your career, what has been your most exciting grant?

I recently helped develop a project and proposal that allowed 12 organizations throughout the local community to have underwriting campaigns with a radio station that highlighted their work in the community through PSAs, social media posts, and on-air interviews. The campaigns were underwritten by the grant award (one of the largest in the organization’s history) and offered to organizations at no cost. We tracked metrics throughout the campaigns and were thrilled with the increased visibility these community organizations received – a very rewarding experience. The program received very positive feedback and leveraged more funding for the project. The project also became a model for other ways to grow the organization’s community impact. 

What do you like most about grant work?

I love telling a story. In many cases, the work accomplished by nonprofits is remarkable, and I continue to be in awe of their resilience and passion. It’s “heart work” – the mission, the vision comes from a place of deep caring for a cause and the community. That’s the story I love to tell.

What is one tip you share with new grant pros?

Write the budget first! It truly creates a great/practical outline for the rest of your proposal and opens up essential discussions at the beginning before you get too far into the application.

What is your favorite strategy for online applications with word/character limits? 

Obviously, dump all the questions into a word document. I also like to look back at other grant applications I’ve written and check their character/word counts so I can get an idea of how much storytelling space I have to work with in a new application.

If you could change one thing about the world of grants, what would it be?

Understanding the role of grants in an organization – they are not “free money” and cannot solve all financial problems within an organization. 

As a grant professional, how do you like to be appreciated?

I certainly enjoy the feeling of getting that award call or email. I really love the moments when I’m working with a staff member or director and ideas just click – we get to the same conclusion together. That moment when the project plan comes together, and we know we’ve got something really special – those are the most rewarding. I also love to make grant awards a team celebration… which usually involves donuts. I love helping the whole team understand their role in grant awards. 

Describe your approach to grants in five words or less. 

Think about the funder’s perspective.

How do you like to unwind?

I LOVE European soccer (football), and that’s what you can find me doing most Saturday mornings, with my tea and biscuits. My favorite time of the week is watching a 5:30 a.m. match on Saturday morning all by myself. I also love reading, particularly fiction and nonfiction about English history.

What brings you joy?

Being with my two young kiddos and my husband is my greatest joy. I also love to travel and have been to seven different countries so far, and ready for more!

If you could have dinner with anyone, alive or dead, who would it be and why?

Hands down, C.S. Lewis and/or Dorothy Sayers. Two of my favorite writers, they greatly influenced my worldview and increased my knowledge of philosophy and theology.

Tell us a fun fact about yourself.

Ich spreche ein bisschen Deutsch. (I speak a bit of German).

How did you become a grant pro? 

My story is similar to many here: I didn’t plan it. It just happened. I earned a resource conservation (environmental science) degree and found most of my early jobs in the nonprofit sector. Anytime I created a new program or project, I had to write grants to make them happen. I enjoyed the task and found success, so I started taking classes (etc.), and here I am. 

During your career, what has been your most exciting grant?

In my first “real” job, I wrote a grant that I thought was a slam dunk for a specific funder. I was incredibly disappointed to get a rejection letter from them, but a week later, we received a (personal) check from the foundation’s president. A letter accompanied the check explaining that the foundation’s interests were changing and that she disagreed with the change. She felt our project aligned perfectly with them and wanted to fund it herself. Although this foundation had some apparent internal issues to work through, I was elated! The experience made me realize that real people with passion, like mine, were on the other side of the grant process. 

What do you like most about grant work?

So many aspects. I like talking with my clients and hearing their infectious passion and drive; sometimes, it is buried under a good layer of exhaustion, but it is always there. I enjoy “the hunt” when searching for grants- that moment when you find a funder that seems tailor-made for your nonprofit. I enjoy sinking into the flow of writing with my fingers sailing on the keys. Finally, I love getting the news that a grant has been awarded- it is a euphoric moment. 

What is one tip you share with new grant pros?

Don’t tweak the project to fit the funder. “Oh, if we just add x to the program, we are a perfect fit.” Avoid the temptation. 

What is your favorite strategy for online applications with word/character limits? 

This strategy isn’t mine- I got it from GrantZone a few months ago. Someone posted their “Lorem ipsum character count” cheat sheet (thank you!), and I love it! I open up that document, copy the number of allowed characters, and then paste it into my working document for the grant. I can reference it with a glance, preventing me from constantly using the word count feature, which messes up my flow. I wait to use the counter until I am done writing. 

If you could change one thing about the world of grants, what would it be?

Simplify! I get frustrated with overly long applications.

As a grant professional, how do you like to be appreciated?

I am happy with a sincere thank you from their staff and board (especially if I get to see/hear their genuine elation/celebration). Sharing my name is a nice touch. 

Describe your approach to grants in five words or less. 

Keep it brief, focused, passionate

How do you like to unwind?

Gardening, reading, or hanging out with friends/family (preferably with a glass of wine in hand).  

What brings you joy?

Trail running, skiing, rafting, paddleboarding, hiking/backpacking, belly laughs, and seeing my two kids accomplish a hard-earned goal. 

If you could have dinner with anyone, alive or dead, who would it be and why?

I would love to meet Tina Fey or Amy Poehler. They’re strong women, working moms, intelligent, and hilarious. Neither of them pulls any punches, and I appreciate that (because I always worry about offending someone). 

Tell us a fun fact about yourself.

I’m a published photographer! But there is a funny story about how that happened. Years ago, the nonprofit I worked at (a river org) had an event where a professional photographer/author, Tim Palmer, came to share his river stories. He writes beautiful coffee table books and river guides. I got to know him a bit through that event. Fast forward to the summer of 2020, when there were still travel restrictions due to COVID- Tim was trying to finish his latest book: Field Guide to Rivers of the Rocky Mountains. He reached out and asked if I had a good picture of the Eagle River that could go in the book since he couldn’t make it here. At the time, we had a hobby photographer on staff and a former employee was a part-time professional photographer. I couldn’t reach either of them. Then I remembered that just a few months prior I had walked past my window to see an incredible sunrise over the Eagle River- I had run across the street with my cell phone and snapped a quick photo. I decided to send it to him- he loved it. It appears on page 75. 

How did you become a grant pro? 

Like many in this career, I fell into it. Twenty-odd years ago I was working at the Pikes Peak Center on Deafness (PPCOD) when my friend Kate introduced me to the work that EPYCS (El Pomar Youth in Community Service) was doing in Colorado Springs (take a look here – although this program is no longer around, it’s a great concept). Kate was a high school teacher whose students were involved in learning about philanthropy, reviewing proposals, and selecting nonprofits for funding, and she encouraged me to write some requests for PPCOD. I think we were awarded $3500 that year. Great incentive to keep writing grant proposals!

During your career, what has been your most exciting grant?

I was on a team that submitted (and was awarded) a $2M grant for advanced manufacturing in the Pikes Peak region from the US Dept of Labor. Although I only worked on a specific part of the narrative, it was nice to receive accolades as a team member.  

What do you like most about grant work?

Grants are like puzzles to me. That’s the fun part. The stress of deadlines, not so much. Figuring out how funding can fit the organization’s mission or programs—what’s in place, what’s needed, who are our partners (as long as we’re not chasing the money)—is the strategic thinking that intrigues me. The wordsmithing, too. I like the creative process of writing and looking for ways to tweak a narrative to make a compelling “sales pitch”.

What is one tip you share with new grant pros?

Many people think that writing grant proposals is like having an open checkbook. Just ask for whatever you want (and whenever), and the money’s there. Not so, sadly. Most often it will require some education from the grant pro to help others understand at least an overview of how the world of grants functions (applications, timelines, reporting, accountability, who needs to be involved, etc.). When they understand the parameters of grants, then the work for the grant pro tends to become easier.

What is your favorite strategy for online applications with word/character limits? 

Create/re-create the application in Word and use the word count feature. Then cut/paste into the online app. I’m a Word junkie.. 

If you could change one thing about the world of grants, what would it be?

Grant proposals would be an open checkbook. 

As a grant professional, how do you like to be appreciated?

I appreciate recognition of my work as a grant writer, but I usually think of my work as part of a team (program, department, organization, etc.) so I prefer to share any applause with colleagues.

Describe your approach to grants in five words or less. 

Don’t chase the money. Don’t.

How do you like to unwind?

Spending time on the Sunday New York Times crossword. 

What brings you joy?

Time with family.

If you could have dinner with anyone, alive or dead, who would it be and why?

Henry Louis Gates, Jr. Not just because of his PBS series “Finding Your Roots” (although that can be a fascinating journey into history), but for his incredibly thoughtful intelligence. I imagine that a conversation with him on any topic would be a deep and insightful discussion.

Tell us a fun fact about yourself.

I memorized the Greek alphabet in school. Just rote, verbally, alpha to omega. Don’t ask me to start in the middle, or to write the letters, ha.