margaretnvancleve@gmail.com

grant and proposal copywriter and communications freelance professional and consultant based in New York City.

Me.

I am first and foremost a communicator – synthesizing information and making sense of it through writing is my passion. As an aspiring polyglot, I know how to navigate the twists and turns inside of any language and, more importantly, how to hone them. In most thing, knowing what to say is as important as knowing how to say it.

What can I do for you?

I love helping clients fix problems by finding creative solutions. I am patient and tenacious in my approach to work. With comes to grant and proposal writing, I support clients in searching for resonant messages while simultaneously project managing through to submission. Between my ability to organize and coordinate

  • My proposals and grant applications have brought six-figure awards and seven-figure contracts to firms.

    From federal to local grants and Requests for Proposals (RFP) to prestigious awards, I am well attuned to reading RFP nuance and adapting language to respond to institutional audience requirements and preferences.

    I will help you secure funding through compelling proposals.

  • A campaign idea is only as good as its execution. The right message has to be packaged and realized with precision so that it reaches the right audience.

    Having managed over 30 campaigns for New York City’s Departments of Transportation and Health, I know how to lead a team to deliver campaigns. I can bring teams together and lead them to complete even the most complex projects. From managing engineers in finalizing proposals to publishing an annual magazine, I can bring together any disparate team mates and bring their goals into reality.

  • My original blogposts, imbued with creative and data-driven insights, remain some of the most read on websites years after publication.

    I have written for websites, newsletters, and magazines. I have a breadth of experience developing written copy that fits into communications and marketing strategies. I have experience writing long and short form narratives for diverse audiences. Writing for a non-native English-speaking audience, I an utilize Plain Language and write in a manner easily understood by many.

    Let me help you find your voice!

  • I have earned favorable media coverage in syndicated publications like the New York Times by effectively communicating key messages in an understandable and relevant context through effective storytelling that brings the why and the how together.

    I know how to bring critical details to the forefront in compelling press releases and effective messaging. I have helped C-Suite executives find clarity in their messaging.

  • Having a message is crucial, but knowing how to share it is equally important.

    In today’s landscape there are many avenues for sharing a message. Whether it be fundraising or audience engagement, bringing your voice to life online is a critical step in brand management.

    Having worked on websites, I am familiar with SEO best practices and know how to help you find your audience online. Analytics and analysis are forefront in my strategic thinking.

  • I have edited countless articles and proposals. With knowledge of various styles, including Chicago and MLA, I can provide illustrative feedback that helps writers improve and get their point across.

    With experience working with different software, I can help you bring your writing to life.

  • Fundraising is about helping people find a way to meaningfully contribute to making the world a better place. Between my grant writing experience and conference planning, I can bring people together to support any mission.

    I am currently pursuing a Certificate in Fundraising at the New York University School of Professional Studies. With this degree, I hope to expand my professional network and

Why Me?

Today we are witnessing an onslaught of crises from the scaling back of human rights, to the warming planet. I am motivated to work for a mission that addresses one of these issues. I hope to make an impact, even in a small way.

I am responsive, creative, idea-driven, and a pleasure to work with (or so I’ve been told).

My expertise is in taking complex subject material and distilling it into simple, yet effective, text to be used on websites, in proposals, and in other marketing material. I have worked with policy papers and technical reports, transforming them into easy-to-read narratives that can inform broad, non-technical audiences. I am adept at developing grants from parsing out RFP language, to strategizing themes and differentiators, and finally managing the submission process.

I am experienced in writing for non-native English speaking audiences who thrive with text that follows the Plain Language principles and that emphasize clarity and precision. My writing can reach, inform, and convince people with different backgrounds and language levels.

Having lived and worked abroad, I am trilingual, fluent in both Spanish and French, both of which I can use in full professional capacity, I am comfortable traveling and working cross-culturally. As a life-long learner, I am currently learning Turkish.

Skills

Professional Skills

Award Submissions | Blogging | Campaigns | Client Management & Services | Conference Planning & Management | Content Creation | Copyediting | Copywriting | Editing & Editorial | Email Distribution | Federal Grant Reporting | Government Relations | Grant Management | Grant Writing | Media Relations | Newsletter Writing & Distribution | Press Releases | Project Management | Proposal Writing | Publications | RFP & RFI & RFQ | Storytelling

Technical Expertise

Adobe Acrobat | Adobe InDesign | Adobe Photoshop | Asana | Bluebeam | Critical Mention | CRM | Formstack | Google Ads & Analytics | Google Suite | HTML | Mailchimp | | Microsoft PowerPoint | Microsoft Sharepoint | Microsoft Word | Monday.com | SEO | Slack | Squarespace | SurveyMonkey | Website CMS | WordPress

Writing Samples

Portfolio

Back to the Future: Our World’s Cities in 1985, and Today

2020, ITDP

In celebrating ITDP’s 35th Anniversary, pitched a Before/After idea for an article that shed light on global, urban progress.

To Combat Climate Change, Electrification Needs Compact Cities for Full Impact

2021, The City Fix

Article chosen and republished by The City Fix

35 Years of Certain Change in an Uncertain World

2020, ITDP

Companion blogpost to 35th Anniversary article, this blogpost included research findings and indexed all nine blogposts about ITDP’s regional offices.

The High Cost of Transportation in the United States

2019, ITDP

ITDP’s most read blogpost for over five years, was republished with new data to respond to audience interest.

Highways and Zoning: Tools of Racist Policy

2021, ITDP

In light of the global George Floyd Protests, published timely article during Black History Month.

Density is Not the Problem: COVID-19 and Cities

2020, ITDP

In response to zealous articles blaming urban areas for the spread of COVID-19, this story highlighted the value of density.

Where does the Sidewalk Begin? Rethinking Suburban Streets in the Time of COVID-19

2020, ITDP

While many media sources were blaming cities for disease spread, this article reflected on the challenges of the unquestioned built environment.

Rapid Transit Database

2021, ITDP

Conceived of idea and brought to life by leading team through multiple month iteration and development process.

Professional Experience

  • It’s Electric, Brooklyn, NY

    Grants Manager

    • Wrote and submitted winning awards, proposals, and other grant requests of varying lengths for amounts ranging from $50,000 to $250,000 in value. Submissions were executed on time with varying, often competing deadlines.

    • Supported EV community events throughout the country by developing marketing and public relations collateral in English and Spanish and managing relations with governmental and non-governmental stakeholders.

    HNTB Corporation, New York, NY

    Marketing Specialist III

    • Manage Requests for Proposals (RFP) and Requests for Qualifications (RFQ) for contracts awarded by regional transit agencies including NJ TRANSIT, the MTA, and others.

    • Lead proposal management by managing the iterative draft and review process from discovery through to submission, interview, and awarding. Process involves aligning written and quantifiable content of SMEs and others while guaranteeing that all RFP and addenda nuance are addressed within the proposals.

    • Spearhead proposal process with organized project management keeping close communication with contributors so as to meet all deadlines and keep drafts progressing.

    Freelance, New York, NY

    • Work with private clients to lead grants.

  • The Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP), New York, NY

    Editorial & Content Manager

    • Wrote and published weekly 2,000-word blogposts that included unique content on topics ranging from ITDP’s most recent publications, policy positions, and achievements. Copy was replicated and used throughout newsletters, fundraising communications, and press relations.

    • Planned, copyedited, and developed annual Sustainable Transport Magazine including managing graphic designers, copyeditors, printers, photographers, and distributors.

    • Responded to daily media requests and earned media placement in the New York Times, Reuters, The Guardian, among other outlets; composed and distributed press releases.

    ID4AFRICA, Paris, France/New York, NY

    Manager of Marketing and Communication

    • Supported 500+ multilingual conference attendees by assisting with media requests, logistical needs, and other business development requests.

    • Developed and produced collateral materials including weekly and monthly newsletters, annual satisfaction surveys, press releases, and recruitment brochures in French and English.

  • ID4AFRICA, New York, NY/Paris, France

    Manager of Marketing and Communication

    • Developed bilingual (French and English) social media and online presence including website and mobile application for nonprofit event organizer working in multiple African countries.

    • Supported 500+ multilingual conference attendees from government, NGO, and commercial sectors by assisting with media requests, logistical needs, and other requests.

    The Conference Forum, New York, NY

    Associate Marketing Manager

    • Used digital marketing techniques to recruit attendees for company-organized conferences focused on immuno-oncology and drug delivery methods.

  • The Sherry Matthews Group, New York, NY

    Account Supervisor

    • Independently managed 30+ marketing campaigns, resulting in 800+ static, video, digital, and print ads in 13 languages for New York City Departments of Health & Mental Hygiene (DOHMH), Transportation (DOT) for public information campaigns with budgets ranging from $800,000 to $2 million.

    • Guaranteed on-time delivery for all ads by overseeing creative and production teams and by developing strong, trusted client relationships.

  • Kasha Paris (formerly A+B Kasha), Paris, France

    Marketing Associate

    • Redesigned website by collaborating with graphic designers, web developers, and SEO consultants.

    • Studied social media analytics to improve audience engagement.

    ID4AFRICA, Paris, France/New York, NY

    Manager of Marketing and Communication

    • Conceived, developed, and created social media and online presence for young organization creating conferences in countries including Rwanda, Nigeria, and Namibia.

    • Designed, implemented, and maintained bilingual website. Taught self HTML to adjust and update website.

    • Conceived and populated social media presence.

    • Produced template-based mobile application used by over 500 conference attendees.

    • Segmented and organized database on cloud-based CRM Zoho.

  • Bespoke Education, Paris, France

    Tutoring Associate

    • Guided students of diverse academic and linguistic backgrounds through SAT preparation and essay writing for private, US based tutoring company.

    • Provided individual tutoring to students for the SAT, other academic subjects including AP test preparations.

    The Princeton Review, Pittsburgh, PA

    SAT Teacher & Tutor

    • Taught courses on all sections of the SAT to high school students from different academic backgrounds.

    • Tutored and taught privately and for group classes.

  • It’s Electric, Brooklyn, NY

    Grants Manager

    • Prepared quarterly financial, narrative, and quantitative federal reporting for $1.6M grant from the Joint Office of Transportation and Energy. Provided Government Relations support by managing lobbying reporting.

    The Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP), New York, NY

    Editorial & Content Manager

    • Conceived of the visualization of the development of the Rapid Transit Database, an online tool tracking all public transit systems worldwide since 1985. Spearheaded the production of the online tool by overseeing a web developer, graphic designer, along with a research team and spanned a year before its launch in 2022.

    • https://itdp.org/rapid-transit-database/

My hobby? Stationery.

Check it out on Etsy

If you are interested in working with my on a specific project or grant, please fill in the below form