Professional feedback:
“Clair provided the vision, knowledge and skill as a grants professional that enabled us to attract the attention of new foundation partners. As the program leader for the agency, I found Clair to be a joy to work with because of her deep commitment to the families that we served and her ability to understand the core of our work and communicate it in a compelling way to funders. Clair’s unique approach and insights were incredibly educational for me as a professional and continue to inform how I approach my work.”
“Flexible, energetic, and always up for a challenge, Clair has the rare talent of writing effortlessly and effectively for diverse audiences. Whether it be a multi-million dollar government grant, a foundation new prospect, or an individual appeal letter, Clair’s writing is beautiful and inspirational yet straightforward and concise. I rely on her counsel regularly and our organization has greatly benefited from her expertise.”
Some of the organizations I’ve worked with:
PCC Community Wellness Center
Brighton Park Neighborhood Council
Kohl Children’s Museum
Gads Hill Center
AIDS Foundation of Chicago
BUILD, Inc.
Guatemala Solidarity Project
Institute for Therapy through the Arts
Huey’s Hideaway Children’s Museum
Easterseals of Metropolitan Chicago
YEMBA, Inc.
Haven Youth and Family Services
ASI Home Care
The Chicago Cuatro Orchestra Project
AMPT Chicago
Esperanza Community Services
I Am A Gentleman, Inc.
Individual Chicago artists
A brief sampling of sources I’ve sought and secured funding from:
Illinois State Board of Education
Illinois Violence Prevention Authority
U.S. Institute for Museum and Library Services
U.S. Department of Education
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Community Development Block Grant Program
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Illinois Arts Council Agency
Chicago Public Schools
Chicago Department of Family and Support Services
Chicago Department of Public Health
Illinois Housing Development Authority
Illinois Public Museum
Illinois Office of the Attorney General
Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women’s Health
Illinois Department of Human Services
Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority
Cook County Justice Advisory Council
Cook County Department of Public Health
Numerous foundations and corporations
Library
A collection of useful links and readings, written by myself and others
Sample Grant Proposal to The VNA Foundation
Featured by The VNA Foundation as a ‘model proposal’ (written for the AIDS Foundation of Chicago, 2020)
Beyond fundraising: What does it mean to build a culture of philanthropy?
“Peter Drucker famously wrote that ‘culture eats strategy for breakfast.’ He meant that the strategy a company employs will only be successful if supported by appropriate cultural attributes. Recognizing this, nonprofits with a culture of philanthropy see fundraising less as a transactional tactic and more as a way of operating—one that reflects the definition of philanthropy: A love of humankind and a voluntary joining of resources and action for the public good.” (by Cynthia Gibson for the Evelyn & Walter Haas Jr. Fund)
Continuum on becoming an anti-racist multicultural organization
A document that displays the steps and traits of moving from a monocultural organization to an anti-racist, multicultural organization (Crossroads Ministry, Chicago)
