Hello, I am Colleen McNatt Engelbrecht, a strategic grant partner and freelance journalist. In addition to my grant writing and bylines through the years, comes decades of experience in the financial services industry. I am that grant professional who will ask for the budget first. If the budget isn’t ready, the writing isn’t either.
Creating proposals for smaller for profit and nonprofit organizations is my specialty, including interviewing vetted subjects to share impact. My grant focus is human services, including homelessness, workforce development and faith-based initiatives. I am trained in trauma-informed interviewing and have successfully worked with people with lived experience who courageously shared their past with me.
I live in San Diego with my husband, a teacher and educational researcher and our dog Rudy, a rambunctious Chiweenie who doesn’t like to swim. My four adult children boomerang to the nest, mainly for free laundry services. They think I love Rudy more than them, and this may be true. 🤣Away from my laptop, you can find me in the pool, at the pickleball court or thrifting near and far for treasures that I didn’t know I needed.
Writing and helping others is my calling. Blending these skills led me to a certificate program at UCSD Extension in Fundraising and Development. I am also an active member of the Grant Professionals Association and rely on my peers to keep me accountable and relevant as we navigate together in this rewarding profession. Just this year, I joined a prestigious group of just 600+ grant professionals by earning my Grant Professional Certification.
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