www.greater-grants.com
Glendale, AZ United States
Laine Seaton
www.greater-grants.comAbout me
Hi! I've been in the nonprofit field for 21 years, primarily in fundraising/development. I've worked for a wide variety of nonprofits focused on social services, homelessness, at-risk teens, early childhood development, conservation, arts & culture, and most recently, STEM education for PreK-8 students. As of February 2023, I launched GreaterGrants to work one-on-one with nonprofit organizations to support their grant funding.
My career also includes content/editorial writing, beginning in 1992 with Northern California Home & Garden Magazine. Since then I've produced content for nonprofits and small business, including recent work for Healthy Women online. My content site is: seatoncommunications.com.
My roles and specialties
Grant Writer
Corporate & Foundation Relations, Content Writing, Donor Prospect Research
My portfolio
Visit these portfolio pieces to see more of my work.
Have you always been independent? What has your career trajectory been?
No, I just went out on my own in February 2023. I had just wrapped up 5 amazing years as VP of Corporate & Foundation Relations with Arizona Science Center. In that role, I managed a portfolio of about 80 corporate and foundation funding partners, securing roughly $750K each year through grants for our STEM education programs.
Although I always loved charities as a kid, I got my real start in nonprofit fundraising in 2002 at an agency called Grizzard in Glendale, CA. They produced direct-mail fundraising letters for many big name, national charities. I then moved to AZ in 2005 and landed a position with Valley of the Sun United Way. More opportunities followed where I learned even more about nonprofits and fundraising. At this stage of my career, I felt now was a good time to make the move to freelance. I'm loving it so far!
How do you continue to grow your professional skills?
Great question. Even after 21 years in the industry, there's still so much more to learn! First and foremost, in 2008 I joined the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP). I can't recommend it highly enough. AFP has terrific education and also valuable networking. The colleagues and friends I've met over these years have meant everything. Now as I'm focused more on grant writing, I just joined the Grant Professionals Association (GPA) and want to plug into their education and networking offerings. I also follow a few amazing fundraising 'gurus' out there including Sandy Rees and Joe Garecht.