About Us

Our Mission

We collaborate with highly aligned clients to fuel their work and advance their missions through grant writing, research, and customized strategies.

Our Vision

RIC envisions a world where we all have access to resources to meet our needs and nurture a just, equitable society.

Our Results

We’ve raised more than $137 million since our launch in 2015. In 2022, we raised $27.8 million for an ROI of $67.50 raised for every dollar of revenue.

Who We Are

Resurgens Impact Consulting is a grant consulting firm founded in 2015. We work with our highly aligned clients to fuel direct services, capacity building, and systemic change through grant writing and grant research. We are based in Atlanta, Georgia and we serve clients across the United States.

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Our Values-Driven Approach

Empowering collaboration

Advancing equity and justice

Advocating for nonprofits

Acting with integrity

Passion for the work

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Working with a Grant Consultant

RIC helps take work off your staff’s plates and frees time to be more strategic. We can work quicker and more effectively because we are experts and pay for tools like Foundation Directory Online’s Professional account so we can improve performance.

Grant funding success is frequently based on relationships. Finding and writing the grant is half the battle – that’s the part where we are experts, and this frees up clients’ time and energy to invest in relationships.

However, we can never guarantee success because we don’t make funding decisions. Funders can decide to give to their friend’s organizations, spread out funding geographically, or make other choices that can exclude applicants through no fault of their own.

  • Seven of our staff members are Grant Professional Certified

Betty Barnard, MNPO, GPC

President & CEO

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Shari Williams, MS, GPC

Grants Director

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Niki Lemeshka, MPA, GPC

Grant Consultant, Manager

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Dr. Amy Drews, GPC

Senior Grant Consultant

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Christine Pickering

Grant Consultant & Learning Specialist

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Veronica Kulon, MNM, GPC

Senior Grant Consultant & Learning Specialist

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Johanna St. John, GPC

Grant Consultant

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Carolynn Brooks, MS, GPC

Grant Consultant

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Crystal Kurzen, PhD, GPC

Grant Consultant

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Meagan Westmoreland

Marketing & Operations Coordinator

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Coming soon

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Coming soon

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  • Get Grant Ready

Working with a Grant Consultant

We only do grants, and we do all kinds of grants — foundations, corporate, and government grants at all levels. We are experts in grant seeking, from helping you design impactful programs and assess your organization’s grant competitiveness to researching ideal grant funders and writing grant proposals that capture funders’ attention (and secure grant awards).

Since 2015, we’ve raised over $157 million in grant awards and counting for 100+ nonprofits like Esperanza United, Noor Family Services, and the National Domestic Workers Alliance. We’ve helped our nonprofit clients secure grants from big funders like Ford, Freedom Together (formerly JPB Foundation), and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, as well as government funders like the Office on Violence Against Women, Office for Victims of Crime, and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

We have seven staff members with Grant Professional Certified (GPC) designations, and we’re all members of the Grant Professionals Association.

Our company is virtual. We work with nonprofits in all 50 states, with deep expertise in Georgia, Tennessee, Florida, Louisiana, Michigan, Hawai’i, and Ohio.

Our company is virtual. We work with nonprofits in all 50 states, with deep expertise in Georgia, Tennessee, Florida, Louisiana, Michigan, Hawai’i, and Ohio.

We support nonprofits that help people who have been harmed and nonprofits that change the systems that harm them. We work with organizations that…

  • Provide direct services (health and human services, especially victim services and access to health care and behavioral health treatment) 
  • Build movements (think advocacy, policy, organizing, and voter mobilization)

RIC is a progressive grant consulting firm whose expert grant consultants provide grant research, writing, and strategy to maximize grant revenue and free up your time so you can focus on your mission — because only RIC has the grant expertise, caring and supportive approach, passion for justice and equity, and proven process that has raised $157 million and counting for more than 100 nonprofits. 

Unlike many other fundraising firms, we don’t rely on contractors. We use trained, full-time staff who use our proven process to deliver results (I’m excited to tell you more about our process during your free consultation call!). We assign a dedicated staff person to work with you, allowing you to get to know them and develop a rapport. Rest easy knowing you have a team of grant experts in your corner.

If this sounds like exactly what your nonprofit needs, then we are here to help. Fill out the brief form below and you’ll receive a link to schedule a free consultation call.

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Betty Barnard

Grant seeking is Betty’s life purpose. She specializes in creating and supporting the growth of sustainable, smart, innovative organizations and programs through grant seeking, writing, and research. Betty loves securing grant funds for programs that help people meet their needs and thrive. She has experience in fundraising and grantsmanship with private foundations, corporate sponsors, and local, state, and federal program offices. She believes that everyone deserves to have the resources they need to overcome adversity, heal from violence, and flourish.

Betty launched Resurgens Impact Consulting in 2015 with Irene Turner. Today, Resurgens Impact Consulting is a grant writing, research, and strategy firm that helps clients across Georgia and the U.S. to acquire grant funds. We specialize in grant writing for health, human services including victim services, and systemic change such as advocacy, organizing, and voter engagement.

Betty is a graduate of Smith College and The University of Georgia’s Master’s of Nonprofit Organizations and Women’s Studies Graduate Certificate programs. Betty has a Grant Professional Certified (GPC) credential from the Grant Professionals Certification Institute. She is a member of the Grant Professionals Association and served on the Board of the Georgia Chapter.

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Shari Williams, MS, GPC

Shari believes in the power of words and stories to bring about social change. She is passionate about work that supports women and children, and channels that passion into securing grant funds for social service agencies. She earned a master’s degree in Human Services Administration and has experience in writing and managing grants from private funders, corporate sponsors, and government agencies. Shari lives in Hawaiʻi and is a member of the Grant Professionals Association. 

Niki Lemeshka

With more than 20 years of experience in direct client advocacy and program management in the nonprofit and government sectors, Niki is a “people person” with a passion for using her skills in relationship building to enhance the coordinated community response to social justice issues. She possesses demonstrated expertise in grants management and administration, and her communication skills allow her to maximize contact with clients and manage deadlines effectively. Niki holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Georgia, a Master of Public Administration from Columbus State University, and a Certified Public Manager (CPM) credential from the Carl Vinson Institute of Government. When she is not working, Niki enjoys rooting for the Boston Red Sox and other lost causes.

Dr. Amy Drews, GPC

After a successful career in journalism, Dr. Amy followed her passion to work in the nonprofit sector. She has more than a decade of grant writing experience, working alongside social service organizations to create stronger families and communities. She draws on her previous experience as a reporter while performing in-depth research for clients, matching them with like-minded funders, and writing compelling proposals. She enjoys building relationships with funders to help nonprofits reach their goals and reporting on their impact through storytelling. Based in Nashville, she earned her Ph.D. in Communication and Information from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. When she is not writing, she enjoys spending time with her husband and three children.

Christine Pickering

Christine strives to help nonprofit organizations thrive as they pursue equity in housing, healthcare, education, infrastructure, and economic opportunity. Christine graduated from Michigan State University with a degree in Communications and has significant experience procuring grants from private and community foundations, as well as corporate and government sources. She is a member of the Grant Professionals Association and considers herself a “life-long learner,” consistently seeking out opportunities to expand her knowledge base and bring new insights to her work. She enjoys connecting clients with funding partners that share their vision and is passionate about crafting proposals that convey each client’s unique story. 

Veronica Kulon, MNM, GPC

Veronica Kulon, MNM, GPC, began her career as a grant professional in 2012 after obtaining her Master’s in Nonprofit Management. With over 10 years of experience in the field of grants, she has raised over $20 million from foundations, corporations, and government funders for non-profits in the areas of poverty alleviation, homelessness, education, workforce development, community development, mental health, and criminal justice reform. Her mission is to grow the capacity of organizations to meet the needs of underserved communities. Her professional career includes Grants Manager positions in several well-established nonprofits in the Atlanta area operating in the human services sector. She has worked collaboratively with nonprofits, businesses, and the public sector to build capacity and further systemic change. She also mentors more novice grant writers and volunteers with several nonprofits advocating for individuals and communities struggling to overcome the insidious and far-reaching effects of systemic racism. Before joining the RIC team, she served as the Grant Writer in the Office of Research at Kennesaw State University, where she was tasked with bringing in external funding to support institutional-level research activities and academic programs that enhanced KSU’s diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. Veronica has a Grant Professional Certified (GPC) credential from the Grant Professionals Certification Institute. She is a member of the Grant Professionals Association and serves on the Board of the Georgia Chapter.

Johanna St. John, GPC

Johanna aims to move toward justice and community in all areas of her life. Professionally, this means empowering organizations working toward equity and creating vibrant, diverse spaces in their communities. She holds a particular interest in supporting organizations working on issues of immigration, medical debt, and environmental justice. 

 

Johanna began her career in the arts, earning her Bachelors in Classical Saxophone Performance from The Ohio State University. She then earned her Masters in Arts Management from Carnegie Mellon University where she discovered a passion for supporting non-profits across disciplines through research-based management and grant writing. Over the last ten years, she has worked as Grants Administrator at Montana’s largest foundation and written grants for human services, arts & culture, mental health, and community organizers, youth programs, small businesses, and places of worship. She is a committee member of the Central Ohio Chapter of the Grant Professionals Association.

 

Outside the office, Johanna enjoys gardening, amateur woodworking, yoga, hiking, and all things cozy. On a rainy evening, you might find her baking banana bread and doing a puzzle with friends and a campy movie.

Meagan Westmoreland

Marketing & Operations Coordinator

Meagan Westmoreland has a strong background in the nonprofit sector and grant writing, with expertise in team building and strategic thinking. Her extensive experience in youth and victim service programming includes non-profit internal evaluation, program coordination, and grant management, all aimed at supporting youth towards self-sufficiency. Meagan partnered with the Department of Children and Family Services and Child Advocacy Centers to coordinate over 65 Trauma-informed Care and Human Trafficking 101 trainings and helped develop regional trafficking-specific multi-disciplinary teams throughout Louisiana. In her role as the Director of a planning grant for an innovative approach to child trafficking in the state, she played a pivotal role in establishing strategies and frameworks that protect and support vulnerable children.

As an experienced grant writer, Meagan has secured $2.25 million and counting in funding for causes such as violence and trafficking prevention, youth housing and supportive services, afterschool, leadership, and street outreach programs. Her expertise spans writing grants for federal, state, corporate, and foundation funders, ensuring that programs align with funder requirements and organizational visions. In her role as Grants & Operations Coordinator for Resurgens Impact Consulting, she excels at piecing together not only grants but also systems that support the entire Grant Consultant team.

Apart from her professional achievements, Meagan is a dedicated mother of four and is married to a great, supportive husband who occasionally reminds her to take a break. Juggling grant writing, program development, and family life, she has mastered the art of multitasking.

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Carolynn Brooks, MS, GPC

Carolynn Brooks brings over 10 years of experience in research, project management, and direct victim services to her role as a grants consultant. Her approach combines a keen analytical eye with a commitment to fostering sustainable change, helping nonprofits align funding strategies with impactful, community-centered programming. With a unique blend of hands-on service experience and rigorous academic training, Carolynn provides actionable insights and proven strategies, advancing her clients’ goals in a complex funding landscape.

 

Crystal Kurzen, PhD, GPC

As a lifelong reader, writer, and word enthusiast, many would not be surprised to learn that Crystal came into the world of grant writing and grant management via commercial publishing and a 15-year career in academia. She earned a PhD in English at the University of Texas at Austin, which, along with other teaching and research opportunities since then, provided many years of various types of experiences managing academic projects and students in their university education. Transitioning from a higher education and academic background to a grants role in a nonprofit allowed Crystal to hone her critical thinking, writing, reading, and communication skills to appeal to a different kind of audience. Figuring out how to adapt the proficiencies she developed as a professor to this new environment opened her mind to a post-academic career path, which she continues to find incredibly rewarding. 

Crystal secured her first grants role in 2018 at a nonprofit organization in Columbus, Ohio, where she currently resides, and hasn’t looked back since. Her academic focus was on those that are often overlooked or undervalued in society because of their race, ethnicity, class, gender, age, religion, or ability. The identities they worked so hard to make visible through their literary works comprised the focus of most of the classes she taught. This commitment to those who are underrecogzied along with the values and goals of Resurgens Impact Consulting—integrity, ingenuity, and intersectional work to create a more just and equitable society—speak to her own principles and guide her work as a grant professional. She is passionate about connecting nonprofits to grant funding that will help them successfully carry out their missions.  

She is also active in the Central Ohio Chapter of the Grant Professionals Association and earned the Grant Professional Certified credential in 2025.