PIA HALLENBERG
Born and raised in Denmark, I have made the United States my home since 1991.
So, far the majority of my career has been spent in newspaper newsrooms covering local and national elections, municipal government, land use and planning, as well as environmental issues, agriculture, health and education. I’ve been an editor, blogger, columnist and news reporter. Never afraid of technology, I embraced many digital roles in the newsroom – I learned to pay attention to SEO and stats as the paper developed its website. My success was determined by the clicks, and that’s still the case.
I left the paper and spent a couple of years in development and fundraising at The Spokane Humane Society. There, I managed all internal and external communication, developed content for the society’s more than 40,000 followers on social media, and was the main fundraising organizer. I also wrote dozens of successful grant applications.
But I grew restless and missed writing so in the summer of 2020 I started my own company, Content by Pia LLC. I absolutely love my job as an independent content developer, social media coach, editor and writer. Among my clients are Avista Utilities and Reciprocity, Greater Spokane Incorporated and Wordsmithie, plus international civil engineering company GHD.
I have a double BA in Journalism and Sociology from Eastern Washington University, and was the president of the Spokane chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists for more than a decade.
I live and work in downtown Spokane, on the dry side of the state of Washington. I am an active community organizer, chairing my neighborhood council and working on homeless issues, equality and creating a vibrant downtown community.
HOW TO WORK WITH PIA
Everybody gets a free hour to chat.
Grant application can be overwhelming and confusing. I have a strong background as the development director of a 501C3 – I can help you and your board make sense of it all.
Grab a spot on my Calendly or give me a call.
Then you get an estimate from me.
I offer:
- Grant application writing for foundation, state, and federal grants.
- Grant management. I will find grant opportunities for you; apply for grants on
behalf of your clients so you can work together; and write a strategic plan for your
project. - Grant calendar and template development, if we work on more than one grant
project together.
And we sign a contract.
Since I must eat and pay the internet bill while I work for you, half the contract amount is due before I start writing – the rest is due when I have completed the application.
I do not work for a percentage of the grant we apply for.
If you are a 501C3 I check your status with the IRS and that state. I only work with those in good standing.
I am open to a bonus at the end of the year, if you REALLY like me, but my work is billed by the project.
My Rates
- My base rate is $125 an hour – I may be open to a discount for startups or very
small 501C3s. - Foundation grants take the least time; often less than 20 hours and the same
application can be submitted to many foundations. - State grants take longer, and Federal grants can be whoppers with many layers
of approvals and registrations – but they also pay a lot more. - I write fundraising letters. Please ask for a bid.
- I offer grant management sessions for boards and groups looking to get started.
Please ask for a bid.
