Master Grant for Rewild Portland

I approached Rewild Portland in October 2025 asking if they wanted help with grant writing. At that time, their organization was at a critical inflection point. Over a dozen years of steady growth had culminated in a realization that the community demand for their offerings was growing faster than they could sustainably meet it. They were working to update their fundraising strategy and grow more sustainably. But they had limited capacity to actually draft the grant applications they needed.

Over the course of a few months, I worked with them to draft a ~4,000 word master grant, which includes several specific sections that are likely to come up on the types of grants they want to apply for. During this process, I worked collaboratively with staff and the Board to gather the data that funders want to see, and weave it into the story of their organization in a way that feels authentic and empowering. I then turned that master grant into an actual grant application, which is now pending with the funders.

Here’s a short excerpt from the master grant:

Rewild Portland's mission is to foster resilience through place-based arts, traditions, and technologies. This mission comes to life in the form of community-building, ecological restoration, and education. Rewild Portland offers a robust rotation of classes and other community gatherings that create opportunities for people to engage directly with their local ecosystems in regenerative and connective ways, learn new skills, and improve on the skills they already have. These programs are designed to help participants strengthen their self-esteem, social connectedness, and overall mental and physical wellbeing.

As one participant succinctly put it: "I came to learn hands on skills, I left with the understanding that I can do more than I thought possible and I got a taste of healthy community."

Rewild Portland's programs are rooted in recognition that many aspects of modern life are at odds with how humans evolved to live and thrive, and so they teach skills that support living in a healthier, more reciprocal relationship with nature. To re-"wild" in this sense is to shift from a paradigm of over-consumption and control of nature toward one of care and respect. On a practical level, this means reconnecting with ancestral skills, sustainable practices, and the understanding that humans are part of—not separate from—nature.

The full texts of the master grant and the grant application are available as a writing sample for those interested. Please email me directly for access.

And check out my kudos page to see what the folks at Rewild Portland had to say about our collaboration!