Liz Congdon Forster, GPC has served as an independent grant consultant since 2017, writing proposals for nonprofits, schools, and municipalities across dozens of sectors and service areas. With a background as a program director and grants manager, Liz does a lot more than write grants. She serves as a strategy partner: helping her clients research and analyze funding opportunities and advising on program design, evaluation metrics, and budget development within the RFP parameters to optimize fundability while ensuring realistic implementation. As a lead grant writer, Liz has secured $29,062,445 (and counting!) in grant funding.

Prior to her work as an independent grant writer, Liz worked in art galleries, museums, and K-12 education. Most notably, Liz served for five years as the Program Director for a federally-funded after-school program that served 1,300 students annually, overseeing 120 part-time staff members and providing grant administration for two grants totaling $1.8 million annually. After writing the grants that secured $9 million in continued funding for the program, she realized she had found her true calling and gradually launched LCF Grant Consulting. 

Liz currently serves on the Board of Directors for the United Way of Cattaraugus & Allegany Counties. She has served three terms on the executive board (including one term as President) and also served on the task force that oversaw a merger of the Allegany County United Way and Cattaraugus County United Way in 2022-2023. She is an active member of the Grant Professionals Association and served as a founding member of the Western New York & Finger Lakes GPA Chapter in 2021. Liz also serves regularly as a grant peer reviewer, chairing two Allocations Committees for the United Way of Cattaraugus & Allegany Counties and serving regularly for the states of Arizona, Texas, and Oklahoma for their 21st Century Community Learning Centers competitions.

Liz holds a Master of Arts in Museum Studies from SUNY Oneonta's Cooperstown Graduate Program and a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Art History and Studio Arts from Syracuse University. Liz became a Certified Cognitive Coach through Thinking Collaborative in 2019 and received her Grant Professional Certified (GPC) credential in 2024 – one of only nine grant consultants in New York State to hold this respected credential.