ORLAND PARK, IL, UNITED STATES, June 3, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Leading an International Nonprofit Consulting Firm That Has Raised Over $625 Million for Global Community Impact
Tamara Leonard, MA, CFRE, is a nonprofit strategist, Certified Fund-Raising Executive, and Founder and President of Grant Staff, Inc., an international grant-writing and development consulting firm based in Orland Park, Illinois. With a career defined by strategic vision, ethical leadership, and commitment to mission-driven organizations, she has become a trusted advisor to nonprofits seeking sustainable growth, strong governance, and long-term funding success.
What began as a small consulting practice has grown into a globally recognized firm serving nonprofit organizations across multiple sectors and regions. Under Tamara’s leadership, Grant Staff has helped nonprofit organizations secure more than $625 million in grant funding to support initiatives in hunger relief, disability services, youth development, health care access, education, homelessness prevention, behavioral health, domestic violence services, and crisis intervention. With more than twenty-one million individuals aided, the organizations she has supported serve some of the most vulnerable populations worldwide, including children, senior citizens, veterans, individuals with disabilities, low-income families, and individuals experiencing homelessness. Through this work, she has strengthened the nonprofit infrastructure in countless communities and enabled organizations to expand life-changing services that might never have existed.
In addition to leading Grant Staff, Tamara is an active scholar and advocate for ethical leadership in the nonprofit sector. She is currently a doctoral student in organizational leadership at Indiana Wesleyan University and co-authored an article on nonprofit board engagement and leadership succession, offering practical strategies to strengthen governance and support smooth transitions. She has donated more than 6,000 hours of pro bono consulting to nonprofits with strong missions and deep community roots that could not afford professional services. Through this volunteer work, she has helped small and emerging agencies secure vital funding, build sustainable programs, and expand services for vulnerable populations. She also mentors emerging grant writers and nonprofit leaders, trains nonprofit boards, and teaches grant writing and fundraising seminars for community organizations, equipping them to fulfill their missions.
Tamara’s commitment to service extends beyond her consulting practice. In 2011, during a period of rising hunger and financial hardship, she co-founded the One Love Global Wellness Foundation to address growing community needs. The organization was inspired in part by individuals who offered to wash dishes in exchange for a meal, a powerful sign of both desperation and dignity. In response, she helped establish Mission Meals, a volunteer-driven outreach that provides sit-down meals to individuals and families experiencing food insecurity and hardship.
Since its founding, One Love Global Wellness Foundation has served more than 25,927 individuals and distributed over 316,618 pounds of food. Under Tamara’s leadership, the organization expanded to include Mission Meals on the Street, which distributes Blessing Bags filled with food, toiletries, blankets, gloves, and emergency supplies to unhoused individuals, and the Family in Crisis program, which provides emergency food, clothing, medical supplies, and direct assistance to families facing severe hardship. Collectively, these initiatives have distributed approximately 4,900 Blessing Bags and assisted more than 10,597 individuals through emergency support services.
Beyond these efforts, Tamara has completed six marathons to raise funds for Ronald McDonald House Charities, using her personal discipline and endurance to support families with critically ill children. She is also an active volunteer in her church and local schools, where she supports community outreach, youth programs, and family service initiatives.
As a proud wife, mother, and grandmother, Tamara’s faith, compassion, and courage shape her life in profound ways. As a breast cancer survivor, she understands suffering and fear firsthand and leads with empathy and authenticity. She speaks in churches, schools, and community settings throughout the Chicagoland area about her cancer journey to promote early detection and encourage those facing serious illness. Through her leadership, advocacy, and service, Tamara Leonard continues to influence the global nonprofit landscape while inspiring others to lead with purpose, integrity, and compassion.
Learn More about Tamara Leonard:
Through her Influential Women profile, https://influentialwomen.com/connect/Tamara-Leonard or through her website, https://yourgrantstaff.com/
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