Fundraising
As a fundraiser, Laili has supported artists, organizations, and collectives with grant writing, prospect research, individual giving campaigns, and developing institutional giving strategies. Laili uses her creative writing background and deep understanding of Bay Area communities to craft proposals that transform an organization’s or individual artist’s vision and impact into writing. Laili has also served on nonprofit boards and has been a grants panelist for the California Arts Council, San Francisco Arts Commission, and the City of Oakland. As an advocate for trust-based philanthropy, she is committed to pushing funders to acknowledge and dismantle white supremacy in philanthropy.
Laili was a 2022 Periplus Fellow, a Western States Arts Federation Emerging Leader of Color in 2018 and advisor through 2020, a CAST Cultural Space Ambassador from 2018-2019, and a San Francisco Emerging Arts Professionals Fellow in 2017.
Securing Funding for the Arts & Social Impact
With over a decade of experience in fundraising, I’ve successfully secured grants from leading philanthropic organizations, government agencies, and private foundations to support artists, nonprofits, and cultural initiatives. My work spans institutional giving, grant writing, individual giving campaigns, and strategic donor engagement.
I’ve helped clients secure funding from:
- National Foundations: Ford Foundation, The MacArthur Foundation, The Mellon Foundation (Andrew W. Mellon Foundation), The Surdna Foundation, The Wallace Foundation
- Leading Arts Funders: The Creative Work Fund, East Bay Community Foundation’s Fund for Artists, The Fleishhacker Foundation, The Kenneth Rainin Foundation, League of American Orchestras, New England Foundation for the Arts, New Music USA, The Wallace Alexander Gerbode Foundation, The William & Flora Hewlett Foundation, Zellerbach Family Foundation
- Government Agencies: Alameda County Arts Commission, Berkeley Public Schools Fund, California Arts Council, The California Endowment, City of Berkeley Civic Arts, City of Oakland Cultural Funding Program, City of San Francisco Grants for the Arts, The National Endowment for the Arts, The San Francisco Arts Commission
Areas of expertise:
- BIPOC individual artists and organizations
- Performing arts organizations, especially symphonies and dance companies
- Arts education programs, including those with standards-based curriculum
- Commissions and new work, especially those at the intersection of art and social justice or cultural commentary
- Familiarity navigating application and compliance processes with government funders
Let’s connect and explore how we can bring your vision to life. Get in touch today!
Strategic Advising
As a development professional, board member, and grants panelist, Laili has experience building a fundraising culture from several perspectives. She brings that perspective to her work in board development, donor communications, campaign development, and donor event strategy.
Looking to strengthen your board, engage donors more effectively, or launch a successful fundraising campaign?
Get in touch to explore how strategic advising can help.
"When it comes to strategic conversations about fundraising, Laili is one of my most trusted advisers. She is thoughtful and deliberate about framing a case for support and clear-eyed in understanding what matters to funders. Her experience in programming and operations gives her essential insights into what it takes to run and sustain projects for the long haul. I value her expertise enormously."
– Daniel Nevers
Detour Productions
The Twilight Aristocracy
Photo by Robbie Sweeny