The funders, applications, and eligible uses of funds differ widely between nonprofit, municipal, and for-profit funding opportunities, and my background encompasses them all. This means I’m equally comfortable writing to family foundations as I am to federal agencies, and I’ve carved a niche in writing grants for for-profit businesses.
With a deep understanding of what each funder needs to make a funding decision, I write compelling grant narratives that provide context for the funding need and incorporate the language and style of your organization to reflect your unique approach to solving problems. I love to incorporate data from the U.S. Census and Maine’s Center for Workforce Research & Information to offer quantitative support to your application. And perhaps most importantly, my penchant for concise writing ensures that character counts do not thwart the message you want to convey.
Since its launch in May 2021, Pen Name has secured over $4.1M in grant funding for its clients.
Economic & Community Development
Municipal infrastructure | Entrepreneurship ecosystem | Technology & innovation | Workforce development| Main Street America | Public art | Arts sector development
Aqua/Agriculture & Food Businesses
Farm processing infrastructure | Farm marketing & business planning | Non-farm food processing infrastructure| Food business operations | Food business marketing
Youth Development & Health
Public & private education| Arts education | After-school enrichment| Mental health and resilience | Youth-serving professional development in health care & education sectors
Funders of Applications Written by Pen Name (a selection)
Philanthropic Foundations
- Betterment Fund
- Broad Reach Foundation
- BUILD Maine
- Davis Conservation Foundation
- Davis Family Foundation
- Kennebec Savings Bank
- Maine Arts Commission
- Maine Community Foundation
- Maine Health Access Foundation
- Morton-Kelly Charitable Trust
- National Trust for Historic Preservation
- Onion Foundation
- T-Mobile Foundation
- UNUM
State Agencies
- Finance Authority of Maine (FAME)
- Maine Dept. Agriculture, Conservation, & Forestry
- Maine Dept. Economic & Community Development
- Maine Governor’s Office of Policy, Innovation, & the Future
- Maine Office of Tourism
- Maine Technology Institute
Federal Agencies
- U.S. Dept. Agriculture (USDA)
- U.S. Economic Development Administration
- U.S. Senate – Congressionally Directed Spending
Grant-Writing Services
- Prepare and update a grant calendar of available funding opportunities, customized to your funding needs
- Manage grant application preparation process
- Craft narrative portions of grant applications and edit those portions delegated to client staff
- Craft letters of interest
- Edit and proofread grant applications
- Craft annual appeal letters
- Advise on budget and additional uploads sections of grant application
Grant-Writing Services Rate
Hourly Rate: $75/hour (subject to change depending on the complexity and timing of the application)
Retainer Rate: A negotiated monthly retainer rate with no limit on hours spent (typically $1,000 – $1,500/month depending on grant complexity and the needs of the organization)
Featured Project:
Small Business Grant Resource Guide
Published in collaboration with the CEI Women’s Business Center, this guide is continually updated with grant funding opportunities for which Maine-based, for-profit businesses are eligible. The guide also includes pitch competitions and business incubator & accelerator opportunities with cash prizes. While not an emphasis of the guide, select national grant programs are included.