The grantwinners.net team
A focused and talented collection of professionals, the grantwinners.net team has the combined expertise to shepherd your program to success. Heather Denkmire, founder and owner, manages all projects, relying on a strong group of researchers, writers, editors, and instructors. Together they help you develop the most compelling data and stories that command grant-makers' attention and response. Grant winning is about more than successful programs, it is about sharing your passion for those programs. We help you develop and share the captivating stories of those you serve.
Heather Denkmire, principal
Heather Denkmire is an experienced writer (click here for a list of publishing credits)
and business owner with a passion for issues of social justice.
She graduated from Skidmore College in 1991 where she majored in sociology and minored in English.
She is a member of Alpha Kappa Delta, the International Sociology Honor Society.
In the early 1990s, Heather worked at the National Women's Political Caucus in Washington, DC to increase the number of women elected to political office. She went on to assist in the development activities for the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's department of Campus Ministry in St. Paul, Minnesota. Heather has provided grant-seeking services for non-profit organizations across the country with extraordinary success.
Since the inception of grantwinners.net, Heather's work has been helped grantwinners.net clients acquire over $1,000,000 in grant funds. In 2004, Heather became the grants coordinator for York County Community College. In addition to coordinating the grants proposal process in a 4 million dollar capital campaign, Heather's work included locating and securing funding for a new Associate Degree of Science in Nursing program, a new Entrepreneurial Center, and a variety of departmentally specific projects. After just one year, Heather's proposals were instrumental in raising over $200,000 for YCCC.
In September of 2005, Heather left YCCC to pursue work for grantwinners.net clients more effectively. Since 2000, Heather has worked with internationally renowned literacy consultant Margaret Doughty to build literacy coalitions in urban areas across the country. Together, Heather and Margaret have worked in New Orleans, Los Angeles, and Cleveland to create collaborative partnerships between city governments, literacy providers, and other community leaders. The results of these partnerships are citywide educational safety nets that fill gaps in educational services and ensure better access to strong and effective literacy programs through funding and training opportunities.
Heather's freelance writing assignments have ranged from regular columns for young adult magazines to corporate coverage for publications like the Houston Business Journal and Mainebiz. In 2004, she wrote a book entitled The Truth About Fear and Depression (Facts on File, 2004) that is part of a nationally recommended high school curriculum. In addition to talking with nonprofit organizations about their grant winning needs and managing projects for her team, she has continued her freelance writing work with a focus on online content for sites such as ehow.com and answerbag.com.
Heather lives in Portland, ME with her two young daughters.