Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Publications
Professional Development
Volunteer Experience
Affiliations
Timeline
Generic
Kendra Hessel

Kendra Hessel

Wilmington,NC

Summary

Passionate and results-driven Grant Writer with a proven history of leveraging grants as tools for advancing social justice and equity initiatives. Skilled in strategic planning, persuasive proposal writing, and relationship building, I excel at fostering collaboration and overcoming challenges in the pre- and post-award processes. With a strong commitment to ethical stewardship, I ensure compliance and reporting standards consistently exceed funder expectations. Resourceful in navigating complex funding landscapes, I am dedicated to securing impactful resources to drive meaningful change.

Overview

9
9
years of professional experience

Work History

Grants Coordinator

Family Eldercare
04.2023 - Current
  • Oversees processes to track and manage grant prospecting, qualifications, submissions, stewardship, and reporting.
  • Cultivates relationships with funders, and other community partners.
  • Collaborates with program staff to collect success stories and performance metrics, as needed, for grant reporting and funder stewardship.
  • Supports the implementation and execution of the organization's development strategy to meet year-end goals.
  • Maintains agency-level boilerplate for grants reporting and compliance processes.
  • Draft, revise, and maintain a case for support and written agency content in alignment with the brand message, application requirements, and reporting metrics.
  • Liaise with program leadership and teams to develop narratives.
  • Compose and revise grant proposals, contract narratives, touchpoints to funders, blog posts, presentation remarks, and advocacy materials.

Financial & Housing Stability Case Manager

Family Eldercare
09.2019 - 04.2023
  • Assist older adults and adults with disabilities in achieving housing stability, free from abuse, neglect, and exploitation.
  • Create referrals for community resources, providing additional support for clients.
  • Supervise client/volunteer relationships through monthly check-ins, trainings, and consultations.
  • Conduct contract reporting within required parameters.
  • Develop and maintain a tracking system for client physical and electronic files.

Crisis Counselor

Foundation 2
05.2018 - 09.2019
  • Provided walk-in, telephone, chat, and text suicide intervention, grief/loss support, and counseling services.
  • Assisted in crisis de-escalation and suicide prevention through suicide risk assessment, and actively worked with law enforcement to ensure client safety.

Enrollment & Matching Specialist

Big Brothers Big Sisters
02.2018 - 04.2019
  • Conducted comprehensive interviews and matched support recommendations for participants based upon the assessments of each child and individual volunteer.
  • Created community partnerships with schools, companies, and youth-serving organizations in order to better serve the needs of children in the program.
  • Ensured a high level of proficiency and skill in applying child safety and risk management knowledge, policies, and procedures throughout all processes.

AmeriCorps Family Shelter Advocate

SAFE Alliance - Front Steps
01.2016 - 01.2018
  • Provided counseling, case management, and advocacy services to survivors of rape, sexual assault, domestic violence, child abuse, and human trafficking.
  • Assisted with systems advocacy (law enforcement, safety planning, protection orders, and housing).

Education

Master of Arts - Clinical Mental Health Counseling

Southern New Hampshire University
Hooksett, NH
01-2028

Bachelor of Arts - Sociology

California State University, Chico
Chico, CA

Skills

  • Ethical storytelling
  • Persistence
  • Detail-oriented
  • Leadership Experience
  • Strategic thinking
  • Relationship building
  • Project management
  • Attention to detail
  • Multitasking capacity

Publications

  • Opinion | America's Other Front Line, The New York Times, 01/24/2021
  • Juneteenth: A Reflection, Family Eldercare, 06/16/2023

Professional Development

  • Professional Certificate in Grantwriting, University of Georgia

Volunteer Experience

  • Urban Slum Development, Center for Social Action, Bangalore, India, 2014-2015
  • Child Development Project, Department of Defense, Manama, Bahrain, 2015-2016

Affiliations

  • Scuba Diving
  • Conservation
  • Travel
  • Poetry
  • Yoga
  • Indigenous Land Stewardship
  • Community Building

Timeline

Grants Coordinator

Family Eldercare
04.2023 - Current

Financial & Housing Stability Case Manager

Family Eldercare
09.2019 - 04.2023

Crisis Counselor

Foundation 2
05.2018 - 09.2019

Enrollment & Matching Specialist

Big Brothers Big Sisters
02.2018 - 04.2019

AmeriCorps Family Shelter Advocate

SAFE Alliance - Front Steps
01.2016 - 01.2018

Master of Arts - Clinical Mental Health Counseling

Southern New Hampshire University

Bachelor of Arts - Sociology

California State University, Chico
Kendra Hessel