For more than ten years, Elaine Gast Fawcett has served as a writer and communications consultant through her firm www.FourWindsWriting.com, specializing in grantmakers, nonprofits, philanthropy associations, and social- and environmentally conscious businesses and individuals. A published author of seven books for grantmakers, Elaine has educated philanthropists nationwide on governance, management, strategies and more. She has provided pivotal needs assessments, analysis and evaluation on statewide grantmaking initiatives. She has also helped foundations manage the grant process from start to finish – designing request for proposals and grant guidelines, reviewing proposals and conducting due diligence, designing funding formulas and overseeing payment processes, reviewing grant reports and evaluating results.
Elaine has presented training sessions and panels at national philanthropy conferences, and planned events on a national and state level. She has crafted marketing, ad and web copy, and prepared reports, articles and newsletters for national distribution. She has also worked extensively with the media—coordinating news conferences, preparing press kits, and writing and distributing news releases. In addition, she has researched and written numerous grants and government contracts for nonprofit organizations, private businesses and individuals.
Elaine holds a Masters in Professional Writing from Towson University in Baltimore, and a Certificate in Nonfiction from Charles University in Prague. In 2005, she served as a travel writer for Fodor’s Travel Publications. She has published articles in a number of national magazines and local newspapers, and is a member of the National Network of Consultants to Grantmakers.
As a volunteer, Elaine serves as project director for Voices of the Earth: An Interview Project of the Earth Medicine Alliance, an online media interview series featuring elders and community leaders who engage in earth-honoring ways. She engages regularly with local community groups, as well as abroad. In 2009, she traveled to Tibet to participate in a service project with a local orphanage there.
Elaine lives in the San Francisco Bay area and offers her services nationwide. When away from her laptop, Elaine spends her days as a yoga instructor and certified natural foods chef. She founded Fruition Organic Catering and co-founded Ocean Oasis Yoga & Natural Foods Retreats (www.oceanoasisretreat.com). Along with her husband Ted and Shiba Inu Rogue, she enjoys traveling, hiking, biking, and adventures of every kind.
great work. I need to work harder to get mine site up.
Congratulations for the great work you´ve been doing! Please, tell me… how did you do all this? I mean, tell me about the path you´ve trailed so to be a writer and a consultant for nonprofits organizations etc. That´s what I want to do for life and I don´t know how.
Excuse me for the poor english writing, I´m brazilian.
Hi Elaine, I love your blog – there is not enough philanthropy in the world. I hope you don’t mind, but I’ve set your blog up on networked blogs in facebook (I prefer using that to follow blogs than subscribing to RSS feeds).
Thanks for the wonderful words of wisdom!
Thanks for your kind words, Sue. I’m honored that you like the blog.
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Thanks Anne for the mention. xoo
I love your blog and your latest post, that you’ve wrote about something that actually matters rather than the depressing valentines posts others write and feel sorry for themselves when others around the world are in worse situations.
Great work Elaine. It would be glad if you could reply to Raphaela, she could be among your new volunteers who could excel like you. More good things to do and all the best.
Keep up!
I’m SO glad I found your blog today. Meant to be I believe. Thank you for the uplifting and inspiring post for Valentine’s Day. I have shared it on my blog and also added you to my blogroll. I will be back to browse more soon.
Cheers and a Big Hug, G
Thanks Geraldine – so nice!
Those Tahini no-bake bars on your blog look delicious, by the way…thanks for sharing. I love delicious raw foods so this is perfect for me.
i really like your blog. gonna subscribe here.
i have mine too. but i’ve just started it and i dont have my own domain yet. looking forward to have mine soon. 
great job, though. 
Wonderful work Elaine. There are some difficult years ahead and people like yourself will make a positive difference. Mahalo.