EXPRESSIONS

It pleases me to know that the training sessions I present really help people and agencies. Linda Bak, Development Manager at RedRover attended my December 5th “Nuts and Bolts” workshop and said, “That was a great workshop. Thanks so much.”

One of my repeat clients, Relationships Skills Center (formerly Sacramento Healthy Marriage Project), once again received a large award from a Federal agency – the Administration for Children and Families – of $798,500. Executive Director Carolyn Rich Curtis and I worked together for an intense two weeks preparing the proposal that resulted in this award, which carries with it an opportunity for two additional years of funding, for a total of $2.4 million.

In August 2011, I was nominated for the Outstanding Fundraising Professional Award presented each year by the Association of Fundraising Professionals. It was a highlight in my year to be recognized by those peers nominating me. Here’s just one of the nice things they said about me: “A good consultant blends in with the organization, becoming a virtual extension of the organization’s existing staff. Miriam is particularly adept at this … she becomes fluent in the “language” of that client so that the proposal truly reflects the organization’s voice and vision and articulates its passion.”

The agencies I work with are wonderful … their services change people’s lives, and it’s a privilege to be able to be part of each team.

Elaine Whitefeather, Domestic Violence Intervention Center (DVIC), Citrus Heights, California called to tell me the proposal I wrote for them was funded for $227,906. In addition to the critical funding for their agency, this approval certified DVIC to provide services and makes them more competitive for future funding. Only four awards were made in California, and it’s very rare to fund a second agency in one county to provide similar services in close proximity. The Project Narrative received a perfect score.

I’ve just finished updating and expanding “Master Proposals” for all of the programs at The Salvation Army, Lodi Corps – I created the original boilerplate for them four years ago. This will give them an enhanced ability to quickly adapt their funding argument for a wide variety of funders, so they can submit more grant requests easily.

I wrote two grant proposals for The Lodi Corps of The Salvation Army in February and March, both of which were funded. Kaiser Permanente funded $50,000 for healthcare services for homeless clients in the Lodi Shelter and The City of Lodi funded $40,000 for a wheelchair ramp at the Shelter.