Kim Joyce, GPC (Grant Professional Certified), a native of Phoenix, began her career in education and has been involved with the nonprofit sector as a grant professional, fundraising professional, and volunteer for over 20 years. In 2010, Kim founded her grant writing firm, Kim Joyce & Associates, that provides services in the areas of grant writing, prospect research, grant writing training, grant office assessments, donor cultivation coaching, and nonprofit capacity building.
Kim’s clients have included nonprofits providing services in the areas of health and human services, education, at-risk youth, homelessness, healthcare, the arts, charter schools, and faith-based organizations, as well as institutes of higher education, school districts, tribes, and units of local government. Her firm, one of the largest in Arizona, is comprised of highly skilled employees and subcontractors from across the nation and has assisted clients in receiving grant awards of more than $159 million.
Two distinctions set Kim apart from her peers in the industry: she is one of only 21 GPCs in the state of Arizona, and she is one of only 32 GPA Grant Professionals Association (GPA) Approved Trainers in the world. Kim earned her GPC certification through the Grant Professionals Certification Institute (GPCI) and is also a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) Continuing Education Approved Provider.
Kim is a proud member of GPA – Arizona Founding Chapter, the Alliance of Arizona Nonprofits, the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), the National Grants Management Association (NGMA), and also serves as a Board Member of the GPCI. She enjoys giving back to the community, both personally, and professionally. Kim previously served as the Board Secretary of the GPA – Arizona Founding Chapter and on various local foundation and government review panels, such as Valley of the Sun United Way, the Arizona Criminal Justice Commission, and the City of Phoenix CDBG grant review panel.
Cindy DeWitt, GPC brings over 20 years of experience in community assessment, diverse partnership development, capacity building, strategic planning, grant management, evaluation, and sustainability. She has successfully written, administered, and reported on grant funding in the federal, state, and private foundation sectors. Her work focuses on health equity, food insecurity, substance abuse prevention and treatment, mental health, parent education, foster care, city infrastructure, outdoor recreation, and more. Cindy received her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Sociology from Arkansas Tech University and her Master of Science Degree in Community and Economic Development from the University of Central Arkansas. A Grant Professional Certified (GPC) and a member of the Grant Professionals Association, Arkansas Chapter, she is committed to ethical practices and staying current on trends in the world of nonprofit funding.
Dale Braden, GPC, is a Colorado native and moved to Portland, Oregon after graduating from Colorado State University. Dale worked as a post-award grant administrator at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) for 8.5 years before leaving to work with an international nonprofit organization, Youth With A Mission. He returned to OHSU in March 2006 as research grant administrator, ensuring grant applications were complete, as well as assisting with budget preparation and application assembly. Dale worked with investigators on internal compliance, provided monthly spending projections, approved expendit
Jeanne M. Johnston, MPA, GPC joins Kim Joyce & Associates as a Senior Grants Specialist. She brings 11+ years of nonprofit experience beginning her career in a local municipality with grant experience at the federal level, ranging from Brownfield Development, neighborhood revitalization, parks, and greenways to veterans’ housing projects.
Jeanne has a diversified background working in capital campaign fundraising and management and working in development for nonprofits. Her most recent years as a grants consultant included grants and strategic planning for various human services organizations: at-risk and homeless youth, faith-based youth leadership, community health care for free and charitable clinics, and many others. Jeanne has enabled nonprofits to grow substantially in their programs and operating revenue through the submittal of federal-funded, state pass-through grants. Jeanne has served as a proposal reviewer for the Administration for Children and Families.
Jeanne is active in the North Carolina Grants Professional Association with Program development and received her Certification as a Grant Professional in 2020. Jeanne has a Bachelor of Science from James Madison University, a Master’s in Public Affairs from the University of North Carolina Greensboro, and received the Economic Development and Community Development Academy certificates from the Kenan-Flagler School of Government at UNC-Chapel Hill.
Keri McDonald brings over 20 years of experience in health and human services and education policy to Kim Joyce and Associates. Since 2008, Keri has raised over $98 million in private and public sector grants. She attributes this success to her Jane-of-All-Trades work experience on both the administrative and programmatic sides of non-profits as a caseworker, communications manager, project manager, grants manager, and board member. Keri has a Master of Public Affairs and a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Texas at Austin. She lives in Round Rock, TX, and is a proud Board Member of the Lone Star Justice Alliance.

Meredith Burke Hammons, Ph.D.
Grants Associate
Smyrna, GA
Meredith Burke Hammons has a varied career in education. She taught at the high school, college, and graduate levels, worked as a librarian in public and academic libraries, and served as the assistant director of the local office of a national, education-based nonprofit. Through her library work and love for research, she began grant writing, primarily focusing on youth development, education, human services, and faith-based organizations. She is active in the Georgia Grant Professionals Association, currently serving as treasurer, and is a long-time volunteer in a local mentoring program for elementary school children. Meredith holds a Ph.D. in Religion from Vanderbilt University, a Master’s Degree in Library and Information Science from the University of Illinois, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Religion from Davidson College.

Harmony Nelson
Senior Quality Assurance Manager
Mesa, Arizona
Harmony is an experienced nonprofit executive, having worked with the Boys and Girls Clubs, United Way, and multiple government and collegiate organizations in Arizona, California, and Missouri. She brings expertise in program development and management, grant writing, and management information systems. Harmony has bachelor's degrees in Business Administration and English Literature. Her non-profit experience has focused on foster care, workforce development, veterans, children’s literacy, and homelessness.

Angie Bardsley
Prospect Research & Grants Associate
Moline, IL
An Illinois native, Angie Bardsley has 14 years’ experience in the nonprofit sector, working in higher education, the arts, and healthcare. Her roles have involved writing grants, conducting research, raising annual funds, leading fundraising events, and creating donor relations strategies. She has a Bachelor of Business Administration and Master of Organizational Leadership from St. Ambrose University, as well as a copyediting certificate from UC San Diego Extension. She has served on the board of a local animal shelter, been the Chapter Administrator for her area’s Association of Fundraising Professionals chapter, and volunteers for a nonprofit that offers art opportunities to people impacted by cancer.

Chloe Juriansz
Junior Grant Writer
Gilbert, AZ
Chloe Juriansz is a recent graduate of Haverford College where she earned a Bachelor's degree in Anthropology and a minor in Spanish and Latin American Studies. She has experience working in a variety of different roles in the nonprofit sector, including working in an afterschool program for migrant youth in Philadelphia, to running social media and fundraising efforts for a Head Start agency in Utah. She is excited to combine this experience and her strong background in research and writing to her work at Kim Joyce & Associates.

Jenna Joyce
Data Entry Specialist
Scottsdale, AZ
Jenna Joyce is a senior at Grand Canyon University where she is majoring in Psychology with a minor in Behavioral Health Sciences. She has varied skillsets including data entry, writing, customer relations management, and more. She has volunteered with nonprofits and youth serving organizations both nationally and internationally. She is excited to bring her love of serving others, strong academic background and attention to detail to Kim Joyce & Associates.

Laurie Pierce
Senior Grants Associate
Scottsdale, AZ

Wendi Gephart
Senior Grants Specialist – Senior Grants Management Specialist
Seattle, WA

Tomi Simmons
Junior Grant Writer
Phoenix, AZ

Andrea Forsmo
Junior Grant Writer
Groton, Massachusetts
Andrea brings expertise in the education field, programs that benefit children and adolescents, and making the heart connection between organizations and funders. After several years of volunteering, teaching, and grant writing for a local school system, she made a career change from retail bank management to following her passion. Andrea is experienced in persuasive and effective writing across the grant proposal process, assessing educational impacts and metrics, and prospect research. Andrea is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts Lowell (BA, English, Writing Concentration) and earned two fundraising certificates at Arizona State University Lodestar Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Innovation, Grant Development: State and Foundation Proposals and Advanced Grant Development: Federal Proposals. She is also a member of the Grant Professionals Association.