Chasing After Impact
Remembering What Truly Matters When Seeking to Transform Lives
By Marie Thelusma-Chase, CFRE
Chasing After Impact is a companion book for visionaries, nonprofit leaders, ministry leaders, and community builders who are ready to remember the impact behind the work.
Before you chase funding, you need to remember the people, purpose, and transformation behind your vision. This book connects with the heart of Present You Perfect because strong grant writing begins with clarity about who you serve, why the work matters, and what change you hope to create.
From Grant Writing to Impact: The Elizabethport Presbyterian Center Story
This was the place where Marie began to understand that grant writing should be about more than creating winning applications. In 2002, she was hired to raise a minimum of $200,000 annually in new funding streams while also helping sustain existing programs. At the time, the organization had an annual budget of approximately $2 million and was already a trusted beacon in the community.
The grants did not create the organization’s impact from scratch; they helped deepen and expand its engagement with teen and senior populations.
Grants should always be connected to outcomes, transformation, and the lasting impact an organization hopes to create.
This story reflects the heart of Present You Perfect: helping you move beyond simply asking for money and begin clearly explaining who you serve, what problem you are addressing, and what meaningful change your work can make.
“This is where the shift began: from chasing grants to chasing impact.”
