Today’s Team Member Shout Out is for Lora Ollom, who brings 17 years of experience in writing and editing to the RBW Strategy Team. Lora is an astute writer and conscientious planner, who approaches her work with a positive and steady disposition. She currently leads four RBW engagements, most of which are multiyear, and has been expressly requested by one of our clients to lead a fifth engagement. In addition to her many technical grant writing and reporting strengths, she has emerged as a subject matter expert across many areas, including education and youth development, environmental protection, healthcare, housing and shelter, and a variety of human services.

But like many grant writers, Lora didn’t start out to have a fundraising career. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Scientific and Technical Communication from Bowling Green State University, and before she became a grant writer, her first several jobs focused on document layout and design. She worked as a desktop publisher, assisting with production of print materials first for a national distributor of repair supplies, then for an educational publisher. From there, Lora made her way to the editorial department, and as part of the elementary science team, helped develop instructional materials. Just over five years ago, Lora learned about an open grant writing position and made the transition to writing, editing, and reviewing grant proposals as a freelancer. Lora is now a member of the Grant Professionals Association and enjoys working in the nonprofit sector because she is inspired by all the positive efforts that she sees in philanthropy. Lora also enjoys the variety of the work, learning about each of her clients and the work their organizations are doing.