Happy New Year from The McAllister & Quinn Nonprofit & Public Agencies Practice!

The Nonprofit Team at McAllister and Quinn would like to thank all of our clients for the work they do every day to strengthen their communities. We are proud to support them in this mission and to share some of the highlights of 2023.

– A Message From The Practice –

Pictured from left: Tori Foster, Claire Kartoz. Annie Kurowski, Suzanna Vaughan, and Becca Dedert

As we enter 2025, we would like to take this opportunity to express our gratitude to our clients for the critical work you do every day to strengthen your communities. By promoting behavioral and public health services, environmental justice, arts and culture, and access to safe education, our clients are fostering a world in which all have an equal opportunity to live, learn, and thrive. We are proud to support them in this mission and to share highlights of our past year of work together.

Pictured from left: Ellen Riddleberger, Sophia Vomvoris, and Angie Melton at the National Association of Counties Conference 

We’re Growing! Meet Our New Team Members:

Anna Kuzmic

Anna Kuzmic is a Research Analyst for the Nonprofit Practice. She works to align clients with federal grant and foundation funding opportunities. In this role, she conducts research, develops strategy, and supports client needs. 

Suzanna Vaughan

Suzanna first joined McAllister and Quinn in 2013 and returned in 2024. Suzanna works with a wide range of clients to identify and strategically pursue funding opportunities at both the federal and foundation level. Suzanna collaborates with clients to develop government relations strategies that align with institutional priorities and provides the information and guidance necessary to maximize successful grant seeking and advocacy efforts.      

Our Success in 2024

Our clients received $122.0M in FY24 appropriations firmwide 

The firm celebrated 20 years this year surpassing $15.0B in grant funding awarded to clients. Of that total, $5.9B has been awarded to clients within the Nonprofit & Public Agencies Practice 

The Nonprofit & Public Agencies Practice submitted 105 grant projects in 2024 

New Client Spotlight

We were pleased to welcome several new clients in 2024 and are excited to highlight the following organizations: 

National Park Foundation

M&Q is looking forward to channeling our enthusiasm and appreciation for national parks into our work with our new client, the National Park Foundation. NPF helps guide charitable giving to meet the needs of the National Park Service to protect and preserve picturesque and important landscapes in the U.S. Through NPF’s youth engagement and education, climate resilience and sustainability, and landscape and wildlife conservation efforts, we are excited to support NPF making a meaningful impact on both the environment and communities. 

Los Angeles Urban League

We are also excited to announce our new partnership with the Los Angeles Urban League. Los Angeles Urban League helps African Americans and others in underserved communities achieve their highest true social parity, economic self-reliance, power, and civil rights. The League promotes economic empowerment through education and job training, housing and community development, workforce development, entrepreneurship, health, and quality of life. M&Q is looking forward to connecting LAUL with federal, state and foundation funding opportunities across these transformative areas to continue inspiring and uplifting communities

Vista Maria

In 2024 we were thrilled to begin working with Vista Maria, a nonprofit organization founded in 1883 by the Sisters of the Good Shepherd in Detroit, Michigan. Vista Maria embraces a trauma-informed approach in all that it does for at-risk girls, women, and families. It provides mental health services, education, independent living, foster care, and adoption services while advocating for the welfare of children.

Government Relations Events: Helping Clients Advocate on the Hill in 2024

We welcomed several clients to Washington DC as advocates for important policy issues, including healthcare workforce and patient needs 

National Association of Homebuilders (NAHB) Government Relations Workshop

M&Q hosted the NAHB leadership team in our offices for a training workshop on federal grant opportunities and the annual earmark process. Member Executives scheduled private consultations with our team to discuss their associations’ funding priorities.

Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles (CHLA) Family Advocacy Day

In June, M&Q supported CHLA in bringing patients and their families to Capitol Hill to meet with federal policymakers and their staff to raise awareness of pressing policy priorities relating to the healthcare worker shortage, the necessity of Medicaid and CHIPS, and the mental and behavioral health crisis

Pictured: Ella, who bravely fought stage four neuroblastoma, with Speaker of the House Mike Johnson and Congresswoman Julia Brownley. Ella even got a chance to walk on the House Floor during votes!

2024 Highlights

Congressionally Directed Spending Projects (Earmarks) 

San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance ($500K):

Our team helped the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance secure $500,000 through the Labor, Health, and Human Services account for the Native Plant Biodiversity Corps Program, which teaches high school students about California native-plants and wildlife so they can create their own native wildlife gardens. 

Pictured: Ellen Riddleberger and Claire Kartoz visiting the San Diego Zoo

Affordable Homes & Communities (AHC) Congressionally Directed Spending ($2.175M):

AHC will use $2.175 million from the US Department of Housing and Uban Development Community Funds to provide a community center and childcare center in low-income communities.  

Grant Successes

The Coalition for Green Capital ($5B):

Under the American Green Bank Consortium, the Coalition for Green Capital garnered a $5 billion Environmental Protection Agency award to establish a National Green Bank and redress climate and energy-related environmental injustice through the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and other forms of air pollution.  

Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District ($1M):

In partnership with the Greenlights Grants Initiative, our practice provided pro-bono services to the Uvalde School District that enabled them to earn a $1 million grant through the Bureau of Justice Assistance’s FY 2024 STOP School Violence Program. This funding will provide vital resources to support trauma recovery and enhance school safety measures following the devastating tragedy at Robb Elementary.  

Family Service Agency of Santa Barbara (FSA) ($9.8M):

The Department of Education awarded FSA over $9 million in funds to help recruit and hire new mental health service professionals, orient new faculty to FSA and school districts, provide ongoing training and clinical supervision to counselors, and recruit and hire to fill vacancies as they occur through the School-Based Mental Health Services Grant Program 

Community of Hope: The NP Practice & McAllister & Quinn in the Community

Pictured: M&Q at Community of Hope’s annual backpack packing event

McAllister & Quinn has partnered with Community of Hope (CoH) since 2022 to provide financial support and volunteers. Community of Hope is a Washington, DC nonprofit that works to improve community health and end family homelessness in the city.

In 2024, M&Q staff raised over $12,000, packed over 300 backpacks, hosted a birthday party for children residing at CoH, cleaned up the streets surrounding the CoH facility for Earth Day, attended the CoH Fundraiser Gala, and sponsored the “Night of Hope” fundraiser. The NP practice has also provided pro bono grants support, contributing to a $2 million award from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). 

Launching in 2025: The Nonprofit Grants Academy 

In 2025, we will launch a new “Nonprofit Grants Academy” which will provide a series of trainings for nonprofits to build their capacity for federal grants. Training topics will include “Getting Ready for Grants,” “Grants 101,” “How to Develop a Budget,” and “Working with Logic Models.” This service model will also provide resources to help nonprofits develop policies and procedures in preparation for managing a federal grant. 

To Learn More, Email: akurowski@jm-aq.com

Looking Ahead 

This year marks McAllister & Quinn’s 20th anniversary. As we look ahead, we find we have many reasons to be hopeful and energized. During our Post-election & Federal Trends Webinar in December, we forecasted the potential impacts of the incoming administration on the federal grant and budgeting process. We will host another webinar to examine the upcoming appropriations process and how organizations can access Congressionally Directed Spending. Our team remains committed to helping our clients navigate these shifting federal processes for the benefit of their missions and the communities they serve. We thank you for your trust in this work and look forward to our continued growth and collaboration. 

Happy New Year and best wishes for a healthy and prosperous 2025! 

Your Nonprofit Practice & Public Agencies Practice