About

I have been involved in downtown economic development for over 10 years and worked in several rural communities in the state of Iowa – both Main Street, and non-Main Street communities. I have two Master’s degrees from Seton Hall University, the first in Corporate & Public Communications and another in Diplomacy & International Relations. I have also served as the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Enhance Iowa Board, a statewide board dedicated to grantmaking for quality of life and placemaking initiatives around the state.

Certifications

Main Street America Revitalization Professional (MSARP)

Historic Real Estate Development Finance Professional (HREDFP) from the National Development Council

Grant Services

You Deserve Funding

Are you missing dollars that could be serving your organization and your community? Once you find opportunities, how often are you able to get a return on your application? How much grant money were you awarded last year? Based on my two decades of grant-writing experience, I know there is money out there that you haven’t been able to capitalize on!

I have spent many years learning how to dig through the overwhelming number of resources to find the grants that best fit your specific monetary needs. I specialize in finding unique angles for each project to open up funding streams that may not seem appropriate at first glance. Through extended course work, peer review, and actively seeking feedback from grant committees, I have been able to develop a grant-writing style that provides all the necessary documentation in an easy, digestible format while still appealing to the review committee. Having also served on a state funding organization that awarded millions of dollars each year, I know what you need to submit and how to bring positive attention to your application. Would you like to turn more of your grant applications into funded line items on your budget? I can help with that!

Membership & Fundraising

Do you know why your membership is declining?

Are you meeting your fundraising goals? Sometimes we get into bad habits for fundraising and don’t know how to make a change. Raising money is a must to meet your organizational potential. A strong membership drive combined with solid fundraising strategies can provide the solid foundation your budget needs to support growth. I have found many Boards find fundraising to be uncomfortable and do not give it the attention it needs to provide financial security. I can assist with creating a comprehensive membership drive and fundraising campaign to consistent financial support.

Strategic Planning & Leadership Development

I have one basic rule here: you NEED a strong strategic plan!

Without a roadmap, how do you know where you are supposed to go? Without goals, you don’t have measurable success, and without that, you have a disengaged Board, frustrated staff, and you have set yourself up to fail. I strongly believe that every organization needs a Strategic Planning Retreat at least every three years. It is essential to develop your Mission, your Vision Statement, and how your team defines success.

What do you WANT to do?

What do you NEED to do?

WHO is going to do it?

A successful strategic plan is imperative, and you need someone to lead your planning session who can direct your Board towards positive, attainable, and quantifiable results.

Volunteer Recruitment Strategies

Do you have active interest AND active participation in your organization?

I get it! It is hard to find people who are willing to put in the time and effort to truly impact your organization. People are busy and on the go. How do you get their attention…and their time? I have tried and true methods for building a volunteer team that can support your organization and provides a legacy to provide a structural foundation for the future.

People are stretched in so many different directions: work, family, kid’s events, running errands, keeping up the house, the occasional hobby, and other organizations. What makes your organization worthy of a piece of their pie? Learn more effective ways to find and engage volunteers in your organization. You aren’t just a business, after all, but a community and a culture. I will help you find ways to get people to buy in with their time and effort by helping you find opportunities that fit into their schedules and needs. Volunteering is a two-way street! If you want people to invest in you, you need to also invest in them. I can help you identify where your volunteer recruitment and management strategies are struggling, and, together, we can build a plan to increase your volunteer longevity.

Crisis Management

When life is going well, it’s easy to forget that there are hard times. Even in hard times, you can usually put your head down and make something work until the clouds pass. However, are you prepared for a crisis event? How about more than one at a time? If recent events have taught us anything, it’s that we are never as prepared as we should be or would like to be. But how do you go about fixing it? How do you play defense against a crisis while also planning for future unknown interruptions in the future?

Contact

I want to work with communities and organizations around the country to be more comprehensive and strategic in their goals and processes – because everyone deserves to shine!