I’m Alyssa, a social worker turned project development & grant writing specialist. I have over 8 years’ experience supporting the delivery of community-based programs and am incredibly passionate about achieving measurable outcomes for the communities that I serve.
As a grant writer I have helped to secure over $12 million of funding for a variety of community-based services and projects delivered across Australia. I have worked on a variety of grant and tender applications ranging from small grants of $5,000 to major tenders worth over $2 million. I aim to continue to expand on my successes, securing funding for innovative projects delivered by organisations that are deeply embedded within their communities.
I have significant experience working in the child and family welfare sector with roles ranging from frontline case management to grant writing and supporting program design, management and implementation. Within these roles I’ve had the opportunity to work with a diverse range of clients including Aboriginal children and families, asylum seekers and culturally and linguistically diverse communities. Having worked within three Australian states New South Wales, Western Australia and Victoria and internationally in Cambodia I have an appreciation of the diversity of approaches to evidence-based practice in this sector and the importance of the implementation of evidence-based programs that are relevant to each context.
I have had the fortune of working with and learning from a wide variety of community based organisations, including Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (ACCOS) in Victoria and remote Western Australia. Promoting and enhancing self-determination and cultural safety is central to both my practice as a grant writer working with ACCOs and when supporting the design, development and implementation of new programs. This includes recognising and understanding the diversity of Aboriginal communities across Australia from metropolitan to remote communities and taking a stance of cultural humility, shifting from a focus on achieving "expert" status and instead adopting an openness to lifelong learning.
If you'd like to learn more about my experience as well as the theories and approaches that underpin my work, you might like to checkout Episode 57 of the Social Work Spotlight podcast produced by Sydney-based social worker Yasmine McKee-Wright.
Outside of my work supporting organisations with grant writing and development, I can be found walking my dog Kali on the beach, trail running through Christchurch’s Port Hills or enjoying a good book.
Checkout the links below to learn more about my services and previous projects: