Deneene Graham
President & Principal Grant Writer
Deneene Graham brings more than 18 years of professional experience in philanthropy, nonprofits, and the public sector. Over the past four and half years as the owner of her own consulting firm, she has guided clients in securing more than $12 million in grant funding.
Her expertise is not limited to grant seeking—Deneene has also coordinated grantmaking for a local funder, providing her with invaluable insight from both sides of the grant funding equation. Additionally, she offers an international development perspective, having worked on development aid projects in Jamaica to strengthen the monitoring and evaluation capacity of public organizations.
Deneene holds a Master’s degree in Nonprofit Management from Hamline University, a Master’s degree in Public Policy, and a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Political Science. She is an active member of the national Grants Professionals Association (GPA) and the Upper Midwest GPA Chapter.
Areas of Expertise: Education, Early Childhood Development, Youth Development, Reentry/Prevention Services, Human/Social Services, Basic Needs, Housing/Homelessness, and Mental Health.
Based in Rochester, Minnesota
La’Twan Mushayi
Grant Writer
La’Twan initially joined our team in 2023 and rejoined in January 2025. She began her career in grant writing in 2019 as a Grants & Contracts Officer at Georgia State University, where she managed multiple million-dollar federal grants while supporting local community organizations throughout the grant-seeking process by developing and submitting proposals to foundations, local governments, and corporations.
Over the past five years, La’Twan has collaborated with nonprofits to refine their grant-seeking strategies, ensure grant readiness, enhance program design for improved fundability, and develop competitive, high-quality proposals. Before joining us, she served as a Program Assistant at Firelight Foundation, where she provided comprehensive administrative support to the Director of Programs and Learning and assisted the programs team with proposal development and prospect research.
La’Twan holds both a BBA and an MBA in Business Management and Administration from the University of West Georgia. In her free time, she enjoys reading, writing poetry, and spending time with her family.
Areas of expertise: Women and Girls, Workforce Development, Vocational Training, Entrepreneurship Education.
Anne Lundquist, GPC
Grant Writer
Anne Lundquist joined our team as Senior Grant Writer in 2024. With over ten years of experience in the government and nonprofit sectors, she specializes in crafting state and federal grant proposals. Anne holds a Master's degree in Information from the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor and is Grant Professional Certified (GPC), the premier credential in the grant profession. She is an active member of the national Grant Professionals Association (GPA), as well as the Minnesota Upper Midwest and Wisconsin GPA Chapters.
Areas of expertise: Education, Human Services, Housing/Homelessness, Libraries.
Based in the Twin Cities, Minnesota
Annalyse Filoteo
Grant Writer and Operations Lead
Annalyse Filoteo is a graduate of the University of Minnesota, where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in American Studies with a minor in Anthropology. With a solid background in research, having completed several research projects during her college years, she has also gained professional experience in the nonprofit sector, including work with an organization that provides day services for children and adults with disabilities. Annalyse has been a valued member of our team since November 2021, providing a range of grant writing services for our clients.
Areas of expertise: Youth Development, Housing and Homelessness, Education, Human Services.
Based in the Twin Cities, Minnesota