Work
Experience
Grants Manager
Housing Authority of the City of Austin
July 2021 - Present
Austin Pathways (AP) is a 501(c) (3) nonprofit and subsidiary of the Housing Authority of the City of Austin (HACA). We seek to engage, listen to, and support more than 16,000 of Austin's most vulnerable individuals and families living in nearly 1,900 units of public housing or utilizing over 5,500 Housing Choice Vouchers in the Austin rental market. Our staff provides these low-income families with direct access to self-improvement through education incentives, access to technology, as well as job training, life skills, and health and wellness programs. Many housers' only mission is to provide safe, decent, affordable housing. HACA's vision is focused on housing as a platform for success.
Responsible for seeking and actively pursuing government and private funding or contractual opportunities, and managing the research, planning, coordinating, and development of grant or contract proposals. Perform proposal development, reporting, and monitoring activities throughout the life of the grant cycle. Monitor compliance of grant-funded programs and contractual obligations to meet and/or exceed proposed goals.
Conduct extensive community outreach and research to identify local, state, and national public and private funding and contracting opportunities, and appropriate partners to support funding needs for AP's four resident service pillars: Youth Educational Success, Workforce Development, Health & Wellness, and Digital Inclusion. Support award-winning, resident-led programs; define long-term needs for and secure a range of supportive services -- from basic needs to civic engagement opportunities; and ensure HACA residents benefit from collaborative funding with nonprofits, companies, and other agencies in the affordable housing ecosystem.
Collaborate with various AP and other departments to compile community needs assessment data, develop grant vision and goals, compose grant reports, create surveys, compile and submit grant proposals and metrics while adhering to deadlines.
Monitor and evaluate programs to identify best practices and areas of improvement and ensures completion of grant program start-ups, progress, and closeout of program elements. Visit program sites to ensure programming is in line with grant purpose or mission of HACA and that programming is meeting grant or contract goals.
Grants Manager
El Pasoans Fighting Hunger Food Bank
November 2020 - June 2021
Draft concise, compelling, accurate, and targeted grant proposals and progress reports, implement stewardship and follow-up activities, and take initiative at all stages of the identification, cultivation, and solicitation of prospects. Proofread and edit outgoing proposals, reports, letters, and other development-related documents as needed.
Manage multiple grant requests within all aspects of preparation at various stages of completion simultaneously to meet grant deadlines accordingly to benefit a food bank that distributed over 130 million pounds of food in 2020, amassed more than a $40 million budget in one year, and coordinate braided sources of income through tens of millions of dollars.
Conduct prospect research aimed to build new and strengthen existing relationships with corporate and foundation funders while updating research to identify opportunities for increased support from existing funders and donors. Revise and implement acknowledgment process for grantors.
Collaborate with colleagues across the organization, including finance, operations, program, and marketing/communications, to gather information necessary and fully capture the scope of services for grant proposals, reports, and other communication.
Represent EPFH at external functions and take a proactive approach to participate in cultivation activities including presentations, external and internal events, warehouse tours, prospect meetings, follow-up phone calls, letters, and emails. Provide timely responses to donor inquiries and acknowledgment of gifts while executing a highly effective donor engagement strategy.
Director of Development
Opportunity Center for the Homeless
May 2019 - November 2020
Grow assets over $1.6 million in one fiscal year by identifying, cultivating, and engaging funding prospects as well as managing, implementing, and improving donor retention strategies to foster donor relations, corporate sponsorships, grants, and individual as well as institutional giving.
Facilitated strategic planning for new programmatic service initiatives, such as establishing $1.4 million in federal funding as Program Coordinator for a short-to-medium term rapid rehousing program staffed by eight case managers.
Maintain administrative oversight of the collaborative rapid re-housing initiative to serve over 200 households as of January 2021.
Lead other donor stewardship programs, fundraising/donor cultivation events; provide administrative and operational support for individual and institutional fundraising strategies.
Marketing Coordinator
El Paso Children’s Hospital
January 2019 - March 2019
Evaluate and establish marketing plan and strategy by developing and implementing brand strategy.
Ensure all marketing efforts serve to achieve immediate and long-term benchmarks, identifying and executing improvements for processes, content, and lead generation for conversion.
Plan and manage meetings, events, conferences, and trade shows by identifying, assembling, and coordinating requirements, establishing contacts, developing schedules and work flows.
Originate content for digital, print, and press mediums; serve as a cross-functional photographer and videographer, and graphic designer.
Fund Development Associate
United Way of El Paso County
July 2018 - December 2018
Developed strategies to grow and enhance workplace and individual giving efforts; developed community partnerships.
Directly managed a portfolio of 35+ corporate accounts; created partnerships between accounts and United Way resulting in increased participation in organizational opportunities and corporate engagement.
Developed training curriculum for fundraising ambassadors in both the public and private sector.
Planned, promoted, and executed volunteer projects for workplace giving partners, nonprofits, and educational groups.
Social Media Specialist & Lead Graphic Designer
Electronic Caregiver
June 2017 - July 2018
Developed branding assets both digital and print for use in promo items, apparel, marketing materials, print and digital ad campaigns, and brand awareness; facilitated re-branding efforts for a major medical tech business, a standalone online service, and a breakthrough artificial intelligence/virtual reality platform for automated home health care.
Conceptualized monthly marketing plans for brand development through content, promotion, engagement, and conversion strategies.
Co-founder & Executive Director
The Giving Project
May 2016 - January 2019
Envisioned, developed, and formally incorporated a self-sustaining non-profit charitable organization that mobilizes direct help to people living through homelessness.
Maintained focus through community to generously meet the needs of people experiencing homelessness to restore well-being and influence choice of housing.
Lead officers who manage business development and operations, crisis intervention, public health components, volunteer coordination, fundraising, and marketing.
Maximized relationships, leveraged resources, and capitalized on publicity to exceed organizational benchmarks for direct service provision.