About

I am passionate about fundraising for organizations and causes that advocate for human rights and improve access to essential services, on a local, national, or international basis. With over 10 years of experience and over $29 million in grants raised, I thrive at taking initial concepts and turning them into detailed programs and proposals that are competitive for funding and will directly impact communities in need. 

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Since launching AM Grants Consulting in 2021, clients have included New America Chicago, the ACLU, the World Bank, Sudanese American Physicians Association, and Access Philanthropy. Through AM Grants Consulting, I aspire to provide my clients comprehensive support based on their specific needs. This includes grant writing, program development, donor prospecting and mapping, as well as training in-house teams on grant writing and management. 

 

Prior to starting AM Grants Consulting, I worked directly for a number of nonprofits working in humanitarian aid, international development, health and human services, human rights and education. I began my career in grants working at the European Center for Minority Issues (ECMI) in Kosovo, drafting proposals and overseeing grants that protected and promoted the rights of minority communities and vulnerable groups. In this role, I came to understand the direct impact well-developed proposals can have on those most in need. I developed a passion for writing compelling proposals that bring together donor priorities and the most pressing needs of the community.

 

In Washington DC, I worked for the Syrian American Medical Society Foundation (SAMS), developing proposals for health service delivery inside Syria and for refugees in Turkey, Jordan and Lebanon. At MedGlobal, I spearheaded grants development and oversight for health-based projects in 7 countries. In these roles, I have become well-versed in working with program teams to expand data collection and grant oversight to develop long-term sustainable programming, which was reflected in the proposals I drafted by increasing grants revenue by 100% during my first year.

 

In Los Angeles, I supervised the Development Department as Associate Director of Development with 1736 Family Crisis Center (1736 FCC), where I developed proposals for foundations and local, state and federal government agencies, to assist those most vulnerable to obtain housing and employment.

 

I have a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Social Policy and Practice from Tulane University, as well as a Master of Arts in Human Rights from the University of Essex. You can find my LinkedIn profile here. When I’m not writing proposals and staying up to date on funding trends, I enjoy traveling, reading and improving my yoga practice.

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- Ann Madsen, Founder and Lead Consultant