Kristen Summers
Grants Associate (Functioning as Grants Manager) @Boldly Go Philanthropy
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WORK HISTORY
Grants Associate (Functioning as Grants Manager) @Boldly Go Philanthropy
Compliance Leadership: Serve as de facto Grants Compliance Manager for 4 private foundations across 3 clients, overseeing the full grantmaking compliance lifecycle — from eligibility review and due diligence through award execution and post-grant monitoring — in Foundant GLM and SmartSimple.• Operational Risk & Controls: Identify and document operational risk exposure across client foundations; develop and implement recommendations for strengthened compliance controls and process efficiencies, reducing onboarding time for new team members.• Contract & Vendor Compliance: Draft, review, and execute grant agreements and contracts; manage contractor onboarding in accordance with organizational compliance standards.• Data Visualization & Reporting: Built and maintained business development dashboards and pipeline visualizations in Zoho CRM, enabling leadership to surface trends and inform quarterly strategy with data-driven decision-making.• SOP Development: Created and maintain Standard Operating Procedures to document new processes, ensure regulatory consistency, and preserve institutional knowledge across accounts.
EDUCATION
Kent State University
Bachelor's of Science, French; International Relations
Kent State University
Non-Profit/Public/Organizational Management and International Higher Education
Council on Foundations
Global Grantmaking Essentials
Kent State University
Graduate Certificate Coursework, Knowledge Management
Kent State University
Master's of Arts, Translation; French
Depict Data Studio
Dashboard Design and Simple Spreadsheets
Case Western Reserve University School of Law
Certificate, Compliance and Risk Management
Ed2go
Grant writing, fundraising
SKILLS
ABOUT KRISTEN SUMMERS
I work at the intersection of grantmaking and compliance, with a focus on the systems, regulations, and relationships that make responsible international philanthropy possible. On the funder side, I\'ve managed the full grants lifecycle — from due diligence and award to monitoring and closeout — with particular attention to the compliance frameworks that protect both funders and grantees. I\'ve completed the Council on Foundations\' Global Grantmaking Essentials training and am currently pursuing a Certificate in Compliance & Risk Management at Case Western Reserve University, with a growing focus on OFAC, AML, and cross-border regulatory requirements. I\'m drawn to complex grantmaking environments — intermediaries, philanthropic LLCs, and family offices — where compliance isn\'t just a checklist but a strategic function that enables mission-driven work to happen safely and effectively across borders. I believe that rigorous compliance and deep grantee relationships aren\'t in tension — done well, they reinforce each other.
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