Meaningful Impact through Collaboration
We’re all about collaboration …. listen first and guide second.
Together as partners, we’ll create clear plans, track real results and celebrate each win along the way.
Types of grants we target (financial & in-kind)
Foundations
Individual, Family, Trust, Donor Advised Funds (DAF)
Corporate
Corporate Social Responsibility, Foundations
Government
Federal, State, County, Local
Nonprofit sectors we support to launch, expand or complete important work
Human & Social Services
Health & Wellness
Environment
Animal Welfare
Education & Economic Development
Arts, Culture & Research
Kathy Johnston graduated from the Michael G. Foster School of Business at the University of Washington.
She built a decades-long career in Experiential Graphics, leading teams and driving business development, persuasive proposal writing and complex project management. Days were full of juggling budgets, deadlines and engineered fabrication and design details for multiple high-profile projects with limited resources, while remaining calm and decisive under pressure.
Her work spanned branding, wayfinding and custom-fabricated experiential graphics for organizations around the world such as Boeing, Google, the University of Washington, REI, Whole Foods Market, Microsoft, the Gates Foundation and Fred Hutch Cancer Center. Her clients represented a wide range of sectors including healthcare, corporate campus, mixed-use development, higher education, civic spaces and transit, airports, sports venues, retail and restaurant.
Alongside her professional career, Kathy has a long history of nonprofit volunteer service (Ronald McDonald House Charities of Western WA, Urban Gleaners, Furnish Hope, Deschutes Trails Coalition, youth sports & education), while raising two great kids.
Now rooted in the beautiful Central Oregon community enjoying outdoor adventures with her husband and chocolate lab, Kathy’s mission is to partner with well-run nonprofits doing impactful work and to help connect people to the causes that matter most to them. So rewarding!
Why Choose GrantLynk?
Kathy’s experience translates directly into effective, strategic grant writing and management.
She brings:
Research & Prospecting Expertise — Skilled at identifying well‑aligned funding sources and evaluating fit
Relationship Building — Decades of cultivating trusted, long‑term partnerships that mirror funder–grantee relationship needs
High‑Stakes Proposal Development — Led competitive, complex RFP/RFQ submissions nationwide for corporate, civic, government, healthcare and higher‑ed clients. This included aligning narratives with funder goals, gathering data and producing persuasive, outcome‑focused writing
Leadership & Strategic Insight — Communicates mission, vision and growth priorities clearly; collaborates with executives; guides teams toward shared goals
Budgeting & Financial Analysis — Deep experience with job costing, resource allocation and financial data—skills essential for credible grant budgets, reporting and outcome measurement
Collaborative Engagement — Inclusive work with clients, teams, vendors and stakeholders to gather information and build strong, coordinated submissions
Project Management Mastery — Highly organized, deadline‑driven and detail‑oriented; managed multiple complex projects simultaneously; proficient in database management, proofreading and editing large documents
