My GRANT WRITING JOURNEY

I'm Pallavi Kidambi, a non-profit development consultant, artist, and educator with a rich background that spans over a decade. Born and raised in San Jose, CA, my life has always been intertwined with the arts - from playing piano, drums, and guitar to delving into electronic music production. With a Master's in TESOL and a career that's zigzagged from ESL educator to curriculum developer, my path led me to the world of grant writing in 2019.

My experiences include collaborations with renowned artists like Amirtha Kidambi (Elder Ones) and Natalie Greene (Mugwumpin), as well as grant writing and consulting for impactful nonprofits like Hip Hop for Change, Omni Commons, Deb Gives Foundation, and Jerusalem Boxing Club.

In the past two years, I've applied for over $3 million in funding through more than 100 grant opportunities, demonstrating my commitment to supporting the arts in the Bay Area and beyond. I have earned funding from the following organizations: Zellerbach Foundation, Satterberg Foundation, City of Oakland, San Francisco Foundation, San Francisco Arts Commission, Alameda County Arts Commission, The Battery SF, California Arts Council, National Endowment for the Arts, East Bay Community Foundation, and more.

My passion for grant writing stems from a deep belief in the power of storytelling. By harnessing this power, we can fund transformative projects, from dance programs for the elderly and disabled to social justice events and experimental albums. I've seen firsthand the impact of securing funding for artists and arts programs, and I'm here to share my knowledge, experience, and passion with you.

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Testimonials from my Grant Writing Workshop with the UC Theatre’s Concert Career Pathways:

“I thought it was really intriguing and I appreciated how much detail and examples Pallavi provided. I also didn't expect it to feel so helpful for my college applications which I am working on right now so that was super cool. Thank you for sharing your knowledge with us! ” - Sada L.

“This was a lot of useful information and I learned a lot. I learned the different types of grants and what is submitted with it. What inspired me was the example that Pallavi provided for us, it really put into perspective how do-able writing a grant is.Thank you for taking the time out of your day to give us this workshop! It means a lot and I am definitely using the skills that I learned to apply to my organization at cal.” -Michelle L.

“I learned more about what to include in your EPK, and I really appreciated the outline of the artist toolkit. What inspired me was her personality. Pallavi is a great speaker and knows how to relay information very efficiently and I’m sure that also comes from the work she does.Thank you so so much for all the information, especially the resources!!! Thank you so much for being willing to be such a helping hand to us ” -Lizy M.

“It was very informative and I feel like i'm more confident if i ever need to write a grant. Im inspired to get my artist portfolio down so i'm on track to writing grants for myself. Thanks for answering all my questions in detail” -Latif L.