Demystifying Grants
Two Bay Area consultants (Melody Hernandez and Tova Lobatz) are working together to help organizations and individuals navigate the ever-changing funding landscape including: finding funding opportunities, writing grant proposals, creating and building relationships with funders, and other fundraising challenges.
Melody, sole proprietor of Melody B. Hernandez Consulting, has over 10 years of experience working with nonprofits to help find and secure grant funding. Throughout the course of this experience, Melody has gained extensive knowledge in how to craft clear and concise grant proposals and connect with funders. She teaches others to do the same: from individuals new to grants looking to learn the basics to helping established organizations reach new goals. Ms. Hernandez’s expertise is in meeting individuals where they are at and providing the necessary assistance and tailored support to meet their unique needs. She is committed to building caring, equitable, and thriving communities by helping artists and nonprofit organizations create stable, diverse bases of financial support. Her background as an educator gives her a unique perspective that she brings to her current role as a Nonprofit Grant Consultant: Disseminating valuable information about the grant process and providing folks with the tools they need to propel their work to the next level.
As a nonprofit consultant, Tova's goal is to provide economic sustainability for nonprofits and artists. She helps with fundraising strategies, prospect research, and formulating thoughtful and precise proposals. Tova's areas of interest are in arts and culture, environment and conservation, economic development, and healthcare. During her ten years in arts administration, Tova has produced over 100 art installations nationwide and successfully launched two public art projects. As a curator, Tova emphasizes programming that reflects the community, are inclusive, and responsive to the needs of the diverse, emerging Bay Area art scene. Her shows regularly feature women of color wrestling with themes of self-determination, identity and place, environmentalism, consumerism, and healing.
Combined, Melody and Tova have raised over $4.6 million dollars in grant funding on behalf of nonprofit organizations and individuals.