Grant writing and management services to nonprofits and individuals, creative facilitation to organizations of all kinds

“We’re in an imagination battle. We live in this abundant world, and we’ve been told it’s scarce. And then we’re given all these stories of scarcity…what does it look like to imagine beyond the constructs?”

— adrienne maree brown, author & pleasure activist

Those of us in the nonprofit industry are invested in envisioning a world with enough resources. But the nature of our work conditions us to operate with a scarcity mindset. Radical imagination is, in part, about imagining how to shift resources and redistribute wealth. As an arts administrator and an artist, I'm constantly living in my imagination. And when you live in your imagination, the possibilities feel endless. You can fill so many things: annual budgets, personnel and staffing, artistic practices, and beyond. Spare Jar Consulting channels enough abundance to fill open hands and of course, spare jars.

About

Ola Faleti (GPC) is an artist, arts educator, and principal at Spare Jar Consulting. A grant writer since 2017, Ola has served as a grantmaker and grant reviewer for several entities, including Ingenuity, Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE), and the Poetry Foundation. She’s secured millions of dollars in grants for various organizations across the country. When she’s not working on grants, Ola leads workshops for all ages, including in-school residencies for K-12 students. Her favorite number is 9. She lives blissfully close to Lake Michigan in Chicago; this is the traditional homeland of the Anishinaabe, or the Council of the Three Fires: the Ojibwe, Odawa, and Potawatomi Nations.

Services

Grant Writing and Management

assessment

  • developing grants strategy

  • creating systems, such as a grants calendar

  • prospecting for new grants

execution

  • crafting a case for support statement for your organization

  • writing and submitting grant proposals and LOIs

  • reporting for existing grants

  • maintaining funder relationships

counsel & coaching

  • individual or small group grant writing classes

Workshops and Facilitation

Testimonials

Abdi Ali, Ed.D., Executive Director of WriteBoston

“Throughout the process of hiring new Executive and Development directors, Ola’s skillful and collaborative approach never wavered. She ensured that we not only met our deadlines, but delivered high-quality materials that centered our mission and values every step of the way. Ola worked seamlessly with staff across the organization, honoring the expertise of our programs and utilizing existing assets while bringing her own fresh perspective and deep knowledge of grant work. In short, Ola is an absolute joy to work with. We couldn’t be more grateful that she has graced our organization with her skill, her enthusiasm, and her dedication to telling our story and embodying our values.”

Megan Shuchman, Executive Director of 826michigan

“Ola is one of those true collaborative colleagues, who is not only incredibly sharp, insightful, resourceful and a beautiful writer, but someone you want to work with each and every day. I love getting to check in each week with Ola because I know that not only will she bring great ideas to the table, but she will always be open to giving and receiving feedback. Ola's title with us is "Institutional Giving Strategist" and I enjoy witnessing her excellence in grant writing as well as her keen strategy eye to boot. My advice? Hire Ola right away!”

Molly Fannin, Principal and Co-Founder of Reflector Lab

“Ola is a talented, thoughtful storyteller who consistently centered 826CHI's mission and values in her grantwriting. She was keen at precisely communicating the organization's facts and figures while weaving in the right amount of stories about the powerful experiences felt by students involved in 826CHI's programs. The end-result of Ola's grantwriting was high "win" rates and longstanding donor retention. She understands the intricacies and nuances of fundraising strategy, and is a principled thought leader in the grantwriting and grantmaking space. Ola is a huge asset to have on your team!”