Ellen Marson Foundation Relations Director
Why I am passionate about Landesa’s mission:
I believe that land rights are at the heart of systemic change and are fundamental to alleviating poverty and advocating for equity. In Poland, I witnessed the emotional socioeconomic impacts of families living in enormous, block-style housing with little to no hope of owning property or living in a house. This experience has made me more passionate about Landesa’s work to make families’ dreams to own their land a tenable reality and reap the economic, environmental, and educational benefits to be active within the global society.
ABOUT ELLEN:
Ellen leads the Foundations Team to build partnerships with private foundations. Ellen is a nonprofit professional and has managed multi-million-dollar portfolios for a variety of causes ranging from youth development, environmental education, and international development. She has provided grant writing training for nonprofit organizations and is a member of the Puget Sound Grantwriters Association. She served as a volunteer in the U.S. Peace Corps’ Environmental Education Program in Poland.
Education:
- B.A. Environmental Public Policy, Michigan State University
- B.A. Political Science, Michigan State University
Areas of Expertise
- Grant Writing
- Grant Management
- Fundraising
- Program Management
- Donor Stewardship
- Strategy Development
- Nonprofit Management
International Experience:
- Poland