My Portfolio

When a large national private manufacturer of fiberglass insulation decided to pursue its first
federal award under an EPA program, I was hired to lead the process:

• Set up Grants.gov and SAM.gov
• Provided NOFA analysis
• Co-drafted and edited narrative responses to technical word-limited questions
• Advised on the 3-year budget and timeline for deliverables
• Wrote content while navigating the extensive proprietary nature of the company’s technologies
• All mandatory attachments, and final submission.

I was further retained post-award to advise on funding agreement and reporting.

Community Development Finance Institutions (CDFIs) represent a commercial lending lifeline to individuals, nonprofits, and small businesses that cannot secure financing from mainstream institutions due to gender, race, perceived risk, or other subjective bias. After pursuing and securing $2M from a large bank for EQ2 capital (accessible lending) for a DC-based CDFI, I led efforts to secure an additional $500K in operating funding to help get the highly regulated loan funds dispersed across a wide variety of applicants. I successfully conveyed the fact that moving money takes money (applicant vetting, assessing credit worthiness options, market analysis, rate and term calculations, underwriting, repayment planning, etc.) These awards reinforced that in the world of CDFIs, the primary mission of the lender is the borrower’s success.

*Since 2020, I have led efforts to secure more than $3.5M for CDFIs across the country under the U.S. Treasury’s CDFI Fund program.

An $8M organization worked in Malawi for eight years advocating to end child marriage with anecdotal reports of positive impacts across the country. Under a Gates Grand Challenge program, I led the application process (from LOI to full proposal to Results Framework) to secure $2.5M in support of our first research undertaking to demonstrate (or not) the effectiveness of advocacy efforts. Over five months, this entailed working with the program team in California, PhD research partners in D.C., and frontline field partners in Malawi (young women and girls). Across global time zones, I met with all stakeholders and aggregated their inputs to deliver a cohesive narrative that respected the perspectives in a singular “voice.” Few things are harder to measure than advocacy efforts, and this award endorsed not only the programmatic work but the intent to demonstrate that advocacy can save the lives of girls destined to be sold into child marriage.

*This proposal was one of 24 projects funded from 1,700 submissions.

While working with a financial reform and economic equity organization, I resurrected a relationship with a long dormant foundation funder. Over several months, I stewarded the program officer with updates and alerts relating in particular to legal threats facing a federal agency charged with protecting consumers from abuse and exploitation across the financial services and products industry. When invited to submit a $100K proposal in support of this work, I included an indirect rate in the budget of 20% (knowing that the sector standard practice is 15%). Not long after submission, the program officer called to question this line item. We had a robust discussion about how outdated and inadequate 15% is for any organization. That “indirect cost” equates to needed infrastructure in order to deliver on programs. She also well understood, and offered to go to her board and request an increased indirect amount, or add $50K to the original award. Forthright conversations about much time and money it takes to achieve meaningful change and progress may feel risky but the reward is usually worth it.

*Over one year working with this organization, I led efforts to secure more than $1.5M in grant awards (c3 and c4).