Emily Clare
Founder & Principal Strategist
Federal Grants
Nonprofit Strategy
Serving nonprofits and arts organizations in western Pennsylvania and beyond.
About Us
With over 15 years of experience in capital procurement, Emily Clare, founder of The Clare Collective, has secured more than $12M in funding for mission-driven organizations across education, workforce development, and public health.
Her work spans complex federal portfolios — including ESSER, Title I, PCCD, and DOJ funding — as well as private foundation and state grant cycles. Emily founded The Clare Collective to give nonprofits access to the institutional-grade strategy typically reserved for large, well-funded organizations.
She holds a Doctorate of Education Leadership from Youngstown State.
Results
CLIENT CASE STUDY
The EmpowerED Model for Workforce Equity
Workforce Development • Regional Foundation Funding • Education & Recovery
$205,333
Secured in specialized regional funding
THE CHALLENGE
A gap between recovery and livelihood
The organization served individuals in recovery but lacked the funding infrastructure to sustain workforce programming. They had a compelling mission — but no language that funders could act on.
THE STRATEGY
A unified funding narrative
We developed a "transformational" narrative that wove education, workforce development, and recovery support into a single, fundable institution — making the case that these couldn't succeed in isolation.
THE DELIVERABLE
A measurable impact plan
Designed a comprehensive evaluation framework tracking short-term enrollment metrics and long-term socioeconomic stability — giving funders the accountability structure they require.
THE RESULT
$205K in barriers eliminated
Secured specialized regional funding to remove financial barriers for participants entering Medical Assistant, EMT, and Construction trades — three pathways to living-wage employment.
Everyone deserves the opportunity to learn and grow in a space that reflects their dignity.
Why Partner with Us?
1 / Funder Relationships
We bring active relationships with program officers at foundations and government agencies — not just knowledge of their guidelines.
2 / Federal Compliance Expertise
We manage the technical requirements of agencies like the US Dept. of Education and DOJ — budget reconciliation, audits, and impact reporting included.
3 / Systems, Not Transactions
We build your Grant Vault, narrative infrastructure, and prospect pipeline so your organization is fundable long after our engagement ends.
Secured Grant Examples
1 / PA Schools to Work
$216,500 to support the creation and implementation of a Construction Trades Pre-Apprenticeship Program for high school students
2 / Mercer County Opoioid Settlement Funds
$242,000 to support adult training programs for adults in recovery
3 / PA VIP + BOOST Funds
$418,000 to support out-of-school opportunities for students through mentorship, career readiness, and high-dosage tutoring
Our Partnership Models
1
The Readiness Audit
A high-intensity deep dive that builds your foundation.
Investment
$1,200 - $3,000 flat fee
-
Grant Vault creation
-
Master Narrative Template
-
10 curated funding opportunities
-
Foundation-building roadmap
Best for: Early-stage nonprofits and businesses ready to formalize their funding approach
Most Popular
2
The Growth Engine
Your own fractional grant department.
Investment
$1,500 – $3,000 / month
-
1–2 submissions managed monthly
-
Ongoing strategy alignment consulting
-
Continuous prospect research
Best for: Established organizations requiring consistent, professional funding pipelines
3
The Enterprise Partner
Full-scale program design and compliance oversight.
Investment
Starting at $4,000 / month
-
Six & seven-figure pursuits
-
Federal/State compliance oversight
-
Multi-partner budget reconciliation
-
High-stakes narrative management
Best for: Organizations pursuing transformative federal funding
4
Project-Based Support
While we prioritize long-term strategic partnerships, The Clare Collective offers individual project support for organizations with specific, high-priority funding deadlines.
Standard Foundation Proposal
Professional development of a single narrative, budget alignment, and submission.
Investment: Starting at $500
Complex / Federal Submissions
High-stakes applications requiring multi-departmental coordination and technical writing.
Investment: Project-based (Custom Quote)
Best for: Early-stage nonprofits and businesses ready to formalize their funding approach
6
Grant Workshops
Virtual or in-person options.
We work with nonprofit organizations, local city, county or state agencies, and educational institutions to design a workshop tailored to your needs.
Examples of Previous Workshops:
Grant Readiness 101
AI + Grant Research
AI + Grant Submission
By hosting The Clare Collective at your location, you receive a donation per paid registration back to your organization.
A Note on Ethics & Compensation:
To maintain 100% alignment with the ethical standards of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) and federal funding guidelines, The Clare Collective does not accept commission-based compensation or "percentage-of-funds-raised" payments. We believe your mission's capital belongs to your mission.
Our Tier 3 "Success Premium" is structured as a separate, performance-based consulting fee. This is triggered only upon the successful procurement of funds and is billed independently of the grant award. This ensures your organization remains in full compliance with all grantor regulations while allowing The Clare Collective to provide the intensive, high-stakes support required for enterprise-level capital procurement.
Our Process
Frequently Asked Questions
FREE RESOURCE
The Grant-Ready Vault Checklist
Stop guessing what funders want. This is the exact document checklist we use to prepare our Tier 3 clients before pursuing six-figure opportunities — now available for free.
If your organization can't check every box, that's exactly what we're here to fix.
No spam. Takes 30 seconds. Delivered instantly via Google Form.
What's Inside:
A practical, easy-to-use tool for getting your organization's house in order. The Vault Checklist walks you through the key categories of documentation and information that funders expect — and gives you a centralized place to track and organize everything in one view.
As you work through it, you'll receive a score that shows how funding-ready your organization is right now, and where the gaps are. Think of it as an honest audit you can run yourself — before a funder runs it for you.
Ready to build your funding strategy?
Schedule a free 30-minute consultation to find the right partnership model for your organization.
Subscribe to our newsletter
emilyclare@clarecollective.com • New Castle, PA • By appointment
