Profile: Karen Simpson
Current: Independent Grant Consultant serving non-profit organizations, Municipal/ County Government, School District
- Grant Program Administration and Management 27 Years, Municipal Government- HUD CDBG; Emergency Shelter Grant, Transitional Housing Grant Programs; Discretionary Funding Resources- City Los Angeles Mayor’s Office Special Projects
- Served in Community Development Department as Management Analyst, Acting Housing Administrator, Grants Coordinator, and Housing Analyst
- Adept in Grant Programmatic/Fiscal Compliance, Development of Policy & Procedures, and Project Monitoring/Reporting; Skilled in Communications, Writing, Research, Records Management, and Project Management
30 Years of grant writing experience: Children/Youth Enrichment; Planning/Capacity Building, Homeless Support Services/Transitional Housing, Transitional Aged Youth (TAY) Support, Charter School Education, Job Training, Economic Development and Healthy Housing Improvement Programs
Selected Grants
Department of Transportation Clean CA Local Grant Program- $9.2 mil
Affordable Housing Sustainable Communities Mixed-Use Development Support- $20.8 mil
Measure A- LA County Park & Open Space – $893,000
DOJ-Tobacco Enforcement & Education Program- $551,000
Measure H-San Gabriel Valley Homeless Prevention Tri-City Coalition- $198,000
Measure H- Home for Good Homeless Planning Gran- $50,000
San Gabriel, Lower LA Rivers Mountains & Conservancy- $1.6 mil
California Natural Resources Agency- Urban Greening Program- $2.8 mil
Prop 1 Stormwater Grant: Beach Cities Stormwater Infiltration Safer Beaches Support- $5 mil
California Department of Education, Charter Schools Planning- $10,000
HUD/LAHSA Continuum of Care Plan & Supportive Housing Program- $1.1 mil
HUD Office of Healthy Homes & Lead-Based Paint Hazard Control Round I- $2.9 mil
Department of Justice, Weed & Seed Strategy- $1,500,000
ARRA, Lead-Based Paint Hazard Control Reduction Round II- $2.9 mil
HUD Office of Healthy Homes & Lead-Based Paint Hazard Control Round III- $2.4 mil
The California Wellness Foundation- The Fatherhood Connection- $10,000
Presenter/Trainer: Grants Development & Planning 101; Grant Writing & Resources; Board Development Guidance, Capacity Enhancement, Fundraising Tips- 1st Jurisdiction COGIC-Professional Women’s Leadership Seminars
Community Outreach: Served as facilitator and coordinated various outreach/educational events with California State Polytechnic University, Western University of Health Sciences, non-profit, clergy, social and health organizations for programs: Community Development Block Grant, Emergency Shelter Grant, and Lead-Based Paint Education, Awareness & Control Abatement Program, and conducted annual technical assistance workshops for grant recipients.
Recent Trainings: Non-profit Fundraising; Fall Fundraising Results; Growing and Engaging Donors
Education: MPA– California State University Dominguez Hills; BA-California State University Long Beach
Pending Education: Site Development Review/Project Management Certification
Affiliations: Center for Non-Profit Management, Foundation Center; The Chronicle of Philanthropy News; Southern California Health & Housing Council- Alumni; California Healthy Housing Council Alumni; Association of Fundraising Professionals [AFP] Alumni; National Grant Writers Association Certification/Alumni; The Grantsmanship Center Certification/Alumni-Los Angeles Chapter; Toastmaster’s International Alumni.