This is an interview-styled webinar with Sean Hale, founder of Nonprofit CFOs, and Arlene Siller, founder of Ascend Nonprofit & Business Solutions.
Many nonprofits focus on the proposal—but funders often decide based on financial credibility long before the application is complete. This webinar reveals how CFOs and finance leaders shape grant readiness behind the scenes, from building funder confidence to aligning financial systems with grantmaker expectations. Learn the proactive steps your finance function can take to help secure more funding—before a single word is written.
Co-Sponsor: Ascend Nonprofit & Business Solutions
About Your Presenter
Arlene Siller, PhD, is the founder of Ascend Nonprofit & Business Solutions LLC, a woman- and Hispanic-owned consulting firm that has helped nonprofits, schools, government agencies, and small businesses nationwide secure more than $188 million in funding. What began with a $300 laptop and a mission to make grants more accessible has grown into a national practice dedicated to helping mission-driven organizations build the same strategic funding systems as large institutions.
As a grant strategist, trainer, and consultant, Dr. Siller specializes in strengthening the full funding lifecycle—from grant readiness and pre-award strategy to post-award compliance and long-term sustainability. Her work blends story-driven proposals, capacity building, and leadership development to help organizations increase revenue, strengthen internal systems, and build funder confidence so they can focus on transforming their communities.