I authored this $10,000 grant proposal to the Max and Victoria Dreyfus Foundation in support of Armstrong Community Music School’s early childhood music programs serving infants, young children, and caregivers across Central Texas. The proposal strategically aligns current research in early childhood development and trauma-informed practice with funder priorities, clearly articulating community need, organizational capacity, and measurable impact. I framed the narrative around equitable access, strong cross-sector partnerships, and long-term outcomes, while detailing program design, qualified teaching staff, evaluation methods, and a realistic implementation timeline. This work demonstrates my ability to translate mission-driven programming into a compelling, fundable case for support and to position arts education as a critical tool for community well-being.
Process: I found this grant through Instrumentl—a nonprofit grant finding tool—then further researched this foundation through Guidestar. The foundation had a grant portal onto which I uploaded the grant request, along with the school’s financial information.
Outcome: The school was not awarded the grant, but this writing experience helped me and the grant writing team fine tune the narrative around early childhood programs.
I led and completed a multi-section Texas State Employee Charitable Campaign (SECC) application, securing eligibility for statewide workplace giving. The submission demonstrates expertise in regulatory compliance, financial transparency, and impact articulation across trauma-informed, family-centered, and accessibility-focused music programs serving vulnerable populations in Central Texas.
Process: SECC was a legacy grant application that required renewal but our team had limited information on this organization. Periodically, the school would receive donation checks, but we didn’t know how or from where these checks were distributed. Through some research and investigating, I learned that the SECC is managed by the small team at EarthShare Texas, a hub for nonprofits. I had multiple conversations with the team at EarthShare to learn how to reapply for funding so that our information would be distributed for any Texas state employee.
Outcome: Initially, the application was denied, but after conversations about requirements with EarthShare, the school’s application did get approved. Funding depends on individual contributors who are state employees. In 2023, the school received over $5,000 in funding distributed periodically throughout the year.