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S. Jones Impact Consulting is the new Brain Child of S. Jones Books and Education (MBE/WBE Certified)

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Who We Are

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S. Jones Impact  Consulting (SJIC) is a grants and strategic development consulting firm that goes beyond grant writing to support the holistic development and scalability of our grant seeking clients. We help organizations build sustainable funding strategies, foster meaningful partnerships, and navigate complex funding landscapes with confidence by providing over 15 years of expertise in the non-profit and for-profit sectors. We have collaborated with organizations at every level of operations, from programming development, design, and implementation to project management and grant strategy. With a proven track record of securing millions in funding for organizations across private, foundation, government, local, state, and federal levels, we bring expertise, dedication, and a deep understanding of what it takes to win and sustain funding in an ever-evolving philanthropic and government funding space.

Our Mission

SJIC's mission is to empower purpose-driven organizations by equipping them with the strategic tools, funding solutions, and capacity-building support they need to create lasting impact. We believe that access to funding should not be a barrier to transformational change, and we are committed to helping organizations align their vision with the right funding opportunities; strengthen their infrastructure; and maximize their potential for long-term success.

 

Our Services

We provide comprehensive grant and strategic development services designed to help organizations position themselves for sustainable growth and funding success. This includes:

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✅ Grant Readiness, Strategy, & Development – We help organizations align their mission, capacity, and partnerships with funder priorities, ensuring strong strategic positioning for funding success.

✅ Grant Writing & Research – We identify high-impact funding opportunities and craft compelling, fundable proposals across private, foundation, local, state, and federal levels (NOFOs, RFQs, and RFPs).

✅ Capacity Building & Strategic Positioning – We ensure organizations are funding-ready by developing long-term capacity-building strategies, strengthening partnerships, and increasing overall grant competitiveness.

✅ Grant Compliance & Project Management – We support organizations through post-award processes, ensuring grant compliance, proper fund management, and project execution to meet funder expectations.

✅ Professional Development & Training – Our customized workshops and training sessions equip teams with the knowledge and skills needed to win and manage grants effectively.

 

Who We Serve

As a generalist grant writing and consulting firm, we have successfully written and managed grants across a variety of industries, including:

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✔ Education & Workforce Development
✔ Nonprofits & Disadvantaged Businesses
✔ Agriculture & Sustainable Farming
✔ Housing Development & Community Revitalization
✔ Arts, Culture & Performing Arts
✔ Environmental Science & Climate Advocacy
✔ Faith-Based & Community Healing Organizations
✔ Maternal Health, STEM, and more

 

Our Expertise

SJIC brings deep industry knowledge, grant success, and strategic insights to every project. Our areas of expertise include:

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🔹 Grant Writing & Strategy (Local, State, & Federal)
🔹 Grant Research & Prospecting
🔹 Capacity Building & Organizational Readiness
🔹 Strategic Funding & Development Planning
🔹 Grant Compliance & Project Management
🔹 Proposal Editing & Competitive Positioning
🔹 Professional Development Workshops

 

Our Philosophy

We believe that securing funding is about more than just writing a strong proposal—it’s about:
✅ Building the right relationships
✅ Identifying the right opportunities
✅ Ensuring organizations have the infrastructure and strategy to execute their vision effectively

 

SJIC takes a holistic approach to funding success, working side by side with organizations to elevate their impact and secure the resources they need to thrive.

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Let’s Work Together!

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If your organization is ready to take its funding strategy to the next level, let’s connect and explore how we can help you maximize your funding potential.

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📩 Contact us today to discuss your grant and strategic development needs!

WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING

"S. Jones Books and Education helped expand our company's vision, outreach, and development. They made the process easy. I was able to trust that I could kick my feet up and relax knowing that they had everything under control. S. Jones Books and Education really took the lead in our project. S. Jones Books and Education helped us earn our first grant, over half a million dollars!"

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-K.S.

 

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Case Study: Securing $450,000 for HealthConnect One’s Doula Learning Collaborative 
Award Amount: $450,000
Multiple Awards Won

Call Now: 1-850-559-7528

HealthConnect One (HCO) is a national leader in advancing equitable maternal and child health outcomes through community-based doula models. Under the leadership of Executive Director Twylla Dillion, Ph.D., HCO sought funding to strengthen and expand community doula programs across New Jersey. Recognizing the critical need for culturally responsive, community-driven birth support, the organization applied to become an administrative partner for the New Jersey Department of Health’s Doula Learning Collaborative grant initiative. ​ The Challenge To successfully secure funding, HCO needed a strategic, data-driven, and compelling proposal that effectively demonstrated their capacity to lead this initiative. The grant required clear articulation of: HCO’s expertise in supporting community doulas at the state and national levels. A robust plan to establish and facilitate an advisory board for the initiative. A structured approach to training and supervision through a “train-the-trainer” model. The development of a New Jersey-specific doula curriculum that aligned with state health priorities. Given the competitive nature of public health funding, it was essential to craft a proposal that positioned HCO as the ideal partner for this initiative. Our Approach As the lead grant writer, Sharday Jones, M.A.Ed., of S. Jones Books and Education, worked closely with Dr. Dillion to strategically develop and refine HCO’s grant application. Our approach included: 1. Strategic Positioning & Narrative Development We worked with HCO to: ✅ Clearly articulate their leadership and expertise in community doula support. ✅ Align the proposal with New Jersey’s maternal and child health priorities. ✅ Highlight HCO’s commitment to health equity, cultural competency, and sustainability. ​ 2. Comprehensive Proposal Development ​ We designed a structured and outcome-driven proposal, centered around three key objectives: Objective 1: Establish an Advisory Board (AB) Recruitment and Implementation Facilitate the formation of a state-level advisory board to guide program implementation and policy development. Objective 2: Train-the-Trainer & Provide Supervision Implement a training and supervision model to scale community doula services and strengthen workforce capacity. Objective 3: Develop a New Jersey-Specific Doula Curriculum Create a statewide, culturally responsive doula training curriculum that reflects the needs of New Jersey’s diverse communities. ​ 3. Data-Driven Justification & Evidence-Based Approach We leveraged relevant research, demographic data, and national best practices to demonstrate the need for this initiative. Our proposal also included impact projections, scalability strategies, and sustainability planning to ensure long-term success. The Outcome 🎉 HCO was awarded the full $450,000 grant from the New Jersey Department of Health! With this funding, HCO was able to lead the expansion of community-based doula programs across New Jersey, ensuring more families received critical birth support services. Impact & Takeaways ✅ Strengthened HCO’s leadership in maternal health advocacy at the state level. ✅ Expanded the community doula workforce through structured training and supervision. ✅ Created a scalable model for future public health initiatives focused on equitable birth outcomes. Case Study 1: Securing $450,000 for HealthConnect One’s Doula Learning CollaborativeClient: HealthConnect One (HCO) https://healthconnectone.org/our-work/ Executive Director: Twylla Dillion, Ph.D. Grant Awarded: $450,000 Funder: New Jersey Department of Health Project: Doula Learning Collaborative

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Case Study: Securing $325,000 in Grant Funding for Girl Plus Environment
Award Amount (Multiple): $325,000

Girl Plus Environment (GPE) is a national nonprofit dedicated to increasing access to the climate sector for Black and Brown women+, advocating for environmental justice, and addressing health disparities in marginalized communities. As a growing organization with a powerful mission but limited unrestricted funding, GPE sought strategic grant writing support to expand its funding base and secure essential resources for its work. The Challenge While GPE had successfully built a strong community presence, the organization needed a strategic approach to grant funding to secure general operating support and project-based grants that would sustain and scale its impact. The challenge was to craft compelling narratives that: Clearly articulated GPE’s unique approach to environmental justice. Demonstrated the impact of their work in mobilizing communities of color in the climate space. Showcased the organization’s growth potential to attract major funders. Given the competitive landscape of climate justice funding, it was essential that GPE’s grant applications stood out with a strong, persuasive, and well-structured approach. Our Approach As GPE’s strategic grant writer, Sharday Jones worked closely with Founder & Executive Director Diamond Spratling, MPH, to develop high-impact grant proposals that effectively conveyed GPE’s vision and demonstrated its capacity for long-term sustainability and influence. 1. Crafting Winning Narratives We worked collaboratively to: ✅ Develop clear, compelling storytelling that emphasized GPE’s mission, impact, and community-driven approach. ✅ Align each proposal with funder priorities, ensuring that GPE’s work resonated with their goals. ✅ Position GPE as a high-impact, high-growth organization, worthy of investment. 2. Strategic Funding Applications Sharday led the writing and submission of multiple grant applications, including: The Hive Fund for Climate & Gender Justice (awarded $225,000 multi-year general operating grant) The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Foundation (awarded $100,000 for climate and health equity initiatives) GM Foundation, NBA Foundation, and Iovino Family Foundation Impact Prize (pending) 3. Seamless Grant Management & Communication Beyond writing strong proposals, Sharday ensured that the grant application process was organized, efficient, and stress-free for GPE by: ✅ Maintaining clear and timely communication throughout the process. ✅ Providing proactive grant research and strategy recommendations. ✅ Helping GPE navigate application deadlines and reporting requirements. The Outcome 🎉 GPE was awarded $325,000 in grant funding in 2024! 💡 $225,000 from the HIVE Fund – GPE’s first multi-year general operating grant, providing unrestricted funds to sustain and expand its work. 💡 $100,000 from the CDC Foundation – Supporting public health initiatives and environmental justice programming. What GPE Had to Say About Working with S. Jones Books and Education: *"Sharday was an incredible asset to Girl Plus Environment, playing a pivotal role in helping us secure critical funding this past spring and summer. Thanks to her expertise and dedication, we secured our first multi-year general operating grant of $225,000 from the Hive Fund, as well as $100,000 from the CDC Foundation. Sharday was always prompt for meetings, communicated updates clearly, and willingly provided support whenever needed. She also applied to several other grants, including those from the GM Foundation, NBA Foundation, and Iovino Family Foundation Impact Prize. Her organizational skills and proactive approach made the grant application process seamless. We were grateful to have her support this year!"* — Diamond Spratling, MPH, Founder & Executive Director, Girl Plus Environment Impact & Takeaways ✅ Expanded GPE’s funding capacity with its first multi-year general operating grant. ✅ Increased financial stability to grow programs and scale impact. ✅ Strengthened GPE’s positioning for future grant opportunities with major funders. Executive Director: Diamond Spratling, MPH Grant Awards Secured: ✅ $225,000 – The HIVE Fund (Multi-Year General Operating Grant) ✅ $100,000 – Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Foundation

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Case Study: Securing National Recognition & Funding for T.I.M.E. Organization, Inc.
Award Amount: EST $200,000

T.I.M.E. Organization, Inc. (TIME) has been a leader in behavioral health, transitional housing, and reentry services, providing crucial support for individuals navigating reintegration after incarceration. TIME’s mission-driven approach to low-barrier housing and comprehensive mental health services has positioned it as a critical resource for reentry populations in Maryland and beyond. In 2024, TIME sought to elevate its reentry housing initiatives, enhance programming, and secure funding and national recognition to scale its impact. Through Impact Justice’s National Reentry Housing Incubator Program, TIME had the opportunity to gain expert technical assistance, capacity-building support, and national funding opportunities—but competition was fierce, with hundreds of organizations across the country vying for a spot. The Challenge To stand out among top reentry service providers, TIME needed a strong, research-backed proposal that: Clearly demonstrated its impact in reentry housing and services. Outlined a scalable, sustainable program model that aligned with Impact Justice’s mission. Positioned TIME as a national leader in reentry housing innovation. With such highly competitive selection criteria, every element of the application had to be strategic, persuasive, and aligned with the best practices in reentry housing. Our Approach As TIME’s lead grant writer and program development strategist, Sharday Jones worked directly with Chief Operating Officer Lauren Herron, LCSW-C, and Chief of Staff Shareese Kess-Lewis, LCSW-C, CCM to develop a winning submission. Our approach included: 1. Strategic Program Development & Refinement We worked collaboratively to: ✅ Strengthen TIME’s reentry housing model, aligning it with best practices and national reentry standards. ✅ Develop a compelling case for support, highlighting TIME’s expertise in low-barrier housing, behavioral health services, and trauma-informed care. ✅ Ensure the proposal demonstrated measurable outcomes, reinforcing TIME’s ability to expand and scale reentry housing solutions. 2. Crafting a High-Impact, Competitive Grant Narrative To ensure TIME’s application stood out, we: ✅ Conducted in-depth research on successful reentry housing strategies and incorporated data-driven justifications. ✅ Aligned TIME’s mission and goals with the priorities of Impact Justice and national reentry housing needs. ✅ Positioned TIME as a thought leader in innovative, equitable reentry housing solutions. 3. Showcasing TIME’s Expertise & Capacity for National Impact ✅ Highlighted TIME’s history of serving reentry populations, demonstrating a proven track record in successfully transitioning individuals from incarceration to stable housing. ✅ Articulated how TIME’s approach could be replicated and expanded nationally, further positioning them for future funding opportunities. The Outcome 🎉 TIME was selected as one of only six organizations nationwide to participate in Impact Justice’s National Reentry Housing Incubator Program! 🏆 Beating out hundreds of organizations, TIME secured a coveted spot among the nation’s most promising reentry housing programs. 📈 This achievement positions TIME for future national funding, partnerships, and recognition as a leader in reentry housing innovation. What This Means for TIME ✅ National Recognition – Being selected for this program elevates TIME’s standing as a leading reentry service provider. ✅ Access to Funding & Resources – TIME now benefits from Impact Justice’s expert training, technical assistance, and funding opportunities. ✅ Scalability & Growth – The incubator will help TIME expand its reentry housing services, refine its program model, and build long-term sustainability. Client: T.I.M.E. Organization, Inc. Leadership Team: Lauren Herron, LCSW-C – Chief Operating Officer Shareese Kess-Lewis, LCSW-C, CCM – Chief of Staff Award: Selected for Impact Justice’s National Reentry Housing Incubator Program Competitive Landscape: 6 organizations selected from hundreds, if not thousands of reentry programs nationwide

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Restoring Grant Compliance & Securing Nearly $1M in Funding for Dexterity Driving School

Dexterity Driving School (DDS), based in Washington, D.C., provides driver’s education and workforce development opportunities to justice-involved youth. Funded by the Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services (DYRS), DDS plays a critical role in equipping young people with the skills and certifications needed to pursue employment and independence. In 2017, DDS faced a major operational and financial crisis—their DYRS grant was at risk of being revoked due to severe non-compliance and lack of organizational capacity. Without formal data reporting systems, structured compliance measures, or sustainable operational processes, DDS was operating at just 16% compliance—far below the threshold required to maintain funding. Without immediate intervention, DDS would have lost its DYRS grant, jeopardizing the program and the youth it served. The Challenge DDS urgently needed to: Develop and implement grant-compliant operating systems to meet DYRS reporting requirements. Increase organizational capacity to effectively manage and sustain grant funding. Improve compliance scores to maintain eligibility for funding renewals. With the grant amount ranging from $225,000 to $450,000 per year, DDS risked losing nearly $1 million in funding if compliance issues were not resolved. Our Approach As Grant Writer and Grant Compliance Manager, Sharday Jones, M.A.Ed., was brought in to assess the risks, identify solutions, and restore DDS’s operational standing. Collaborating closely with Executive Director Jules Kontchou, Sharday developed a strategic intervention plan that focused on: 1. Identifying Compliance Gaps & Developing an Action Plan Working with the Progressive Life Center’s (PLC) technical assistance team, Sharday conducted a thorough audit of DDS’s operations, identifying: ✅ Key areas of non-compliance that put the grant at risk. ✅ Deficiencies in data reporting, financial tracking, and operational oversight. ✅ Gaps in staffing capacity and internal processes that hindered compliance. From this assessment, Sharday developed a step-by-step recovery plan to improve compliance quickly and sustainably. 2. Implementing Grant-Compliant Systems & Processes To bring DDS into compliance, we established: ✅ Formal data collection and reporting systems that aligned with DYRS requirements. ✅ Structured financial tracking mechanisms to ensure grant funds were managed effectively. ✅ Clear operational procedures for staff, ensuring consistency in program delivery and compliance reporting. 3. Immediate Compliance Recovery & Long-Term Sustainability ✅ Within one month, DDS’s compliance rate jumped from 16% to 97%—making it eligible to retain its DYRS grant. ✅ As Acting Program Director, Sharday maintained a 97% compliance rate for three consecutive years. ✅ Developed training protocols to ensure DDS staff could maintain compliance independently beyond the initial recovery period. The Outcome 🎉 DDS successfully retained its DYRS grant, securing nearly $1 million in funding over three years! 📈 Compliance increased from 16% to 97% within 30 days and was sustained throughout the three-year grant period. 💡 DDS transformed from an at-risk organization to a grant-compliant, operationally sustainable program, ensuring continued support for justice-involved youth. What This Meant for DDS ✅ Financial Stability – Avoided grant loss and sustained funding at $225K-$450K per year. ✅ Operational Efficiency – Established structured, compliant systems for long-term success. ✅ Capacity Building – Strengthened DDS’s ability to manage future grants independently. What DDS Leadership Had to Say "Sharday’s expertise in grant compliance and program development was nothing short of transformational. Before she stepped in, we were on the brink of losing our funding—now, we’re a model for operational compliance. Her ability to streamline processes, create sustainable systems, and ensure continued funding has been invaluable to our organization." — Jules Kontchou, Executive Director, Dexterity Driving School Client: Dexterity Driving School (DDS) Executive Director: Jules Kontchou Granting Agency: Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services (DYRS) Grant Award Amount: $225,000 - $450,000 per year Total Funding Secured: Nearly $1 million over 3 years Challenge: At risk of losing grant funding due to non-compliance

How S. Jones Impact Consulting Can Help You

SJIC specializes in helping organizations like the ones studied above secure national funding, develop strategic programs, save at-risk grants, strengthen compliance, ensure long-term funding sustainability and position themselves as industry leaders. Whether you’re looking for highly competitive grant writing, capacity building, or program development, or compliance management, we provide the expertise to keep you funded and thriving.

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📩 Need help securing or maintaining your grant funding? Let’s connect today!

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