Selected projects in grant strategy, program design, research translation, and public-facing communication.

Project type: Grant writing, nutrition incentive program development, farmers market strategy, community food access

Status: Funded; $10,000 awarded

The challenge: The Power of Produce across Cape Cod program needed funding to support a farmers market-based nutrition incentive model that would help children and families engage with local food, increase access to fresh produce, and strengthen the connection between community members and local farmers. The project needed to be framed as more than a market activity; it needed to show clear community benefit, practical implementation, and alignment with food access and family engagement goals.

My role: I helped develop the grant narrative and program framing, connecting the Power of Produce model to broader goals around food access, youth engagement, local agriculture, and community wellness. I also helped clarify how the program would operate at the market level, what outcomes it would support, and why it was a strong fit for funding.

What I developed:

• Grant narrative and project summary
• Need and community benefit framing
• Program activities and implementation description
• Participant and family engagement language
• Outcomes and impact language
• Budget-aligned project rationale
• Funder-aligned messaging

Outcome: The project received $10,000 in funding to support Power of Produce programming, helping expand access to fresh local produce and create a more engaging, family-centered farmers market experience.

Why it matters: This project shows how a relatively small grant can support meaningful community impact when the project is clearly framed, well-aligned, and easy for a funder to understand. It also demonstrates my ability to connect food access, youth engagement, and local economic development in a practical, fundable way.

Project type: Grant strategy, program design, food systems planning, community needs framing

Status: Submitted; funding decision pending

The challenge: The project began as a broad vision for expanding local food infrastructure in Mashpee: a shared commercial kitchen, cold storage, dry storage, aggregation space, and support for local farmers, food entrepreneurs, schools, and community partners. The opportunity was compelling, but the project needed to be shaped into a clear, fundable proposal with a strong case for need, partner alignment, implementation readiness, and long-term community benefit.

My role: I helped translate the larger food hub concept into a structured grant proposal rooted in local context, regional food systems needs, and practical implementation planning. This included clarifying the project model, identifying the populations and partners the hub would serve, framing the need for shared infrastructure, and developing language that connected the project to food access, local agriculture, economic opportunity, and community resilience.

What I developed:

• Project summary and proposal narrative
• Needs statement grounded in local food systems context
• Program model for shared kitchen, storage, and aggregation infrastructure
• Partner and community benefit language
• Implementation timeline
• Outputs and outcomes
• Sustainability framing
• Supporting attachment strategy, including readiness materials and letters of support

Outcome: The project was developed into a submitted grant proposal that clearly articulated the need for regional food infrastructure and positioned the food hub as a practical, community-rooted investment in food access, small business development, and local agriculture.

Why it matters: Food systems projects often involve many moving parts: farmers, schools, food access organizations, storage, transportation, kitchen space, funding, and long-term sustainability. This project demonstrates my ability to organize a complex systems-level idea into a clear, fundable, and implementation-ready plan.

Project type: Grant strategy, community event design, youth and family programming, partnership development

Status: Submitted; funding decision pending

The challenge: Kindness Fest was designed as a free, family-friendly community event centered on kindness, connection, music, youth engagement, and local partnership. The project had strong heart and community value, but it needed to be shaped into a clear proposal that explained the purpose of the event, the role of each partner, the public benefit, and how a relatively modest investment could create a meaningful community experience.

My role: I helped organize the event concept into a grant-ready project with a clear structure, partner alignment, accessible programming, and a strong case for community impact. This included refining the project narrative, clarifying the event goals, connecting activities to outcomes, and framing the festival as a practical investment in youth, families, belonging, and community well-being.

What I developed:

• Project summary and grant narrative
• Community need and public benefit framing
• Event goals and activities
• Partner role descriptions
• Budget-aligned project language
• Youth and family engagement framing
• Accessibility and community participation language
• Outcomes and success measures

Outcome: The project was developed into a submitted grant proposal that presented Kindness Fest as a thoughtful, accessible, partnership-driven event designed to bring families and community members together around a shared message of kindness and connection.

Why it matters: Community events are strongest when they are more than one-day gatherings. This project demonstrates my ability to turn a creative, values-driven idea into a structured program with clear goals, aligned partners, and a compelling case for support.