About us

Writers for Maryland's mission-driven organizations

Grace Grants LLC is a Maryland grant consulting firm built for the organizations that hold neighborhoods together: volunteer fire departments, American Legion and VFW posts, churches, community centers, STEM nonprofits, crisis centers, museums, arts organizations, and youth programs, cultural centers, and more.

Our work is grounded in Christian values — integrity, stewardship, and service. When mission-driven organizations have clear, competent grant support, they can get back to serving their neighbors.

We offer full grant research, writing, and editing, but our deepest expertise is Maryland bond bill post-award management: compliance, reporting, and state coordination that carries capital projects all the way to completion.

Meet the team

The people behind the paperwork

Grace Grants combines expertise in journalism, research, public affairs, and filmmaking to create clear, impactful stories that support your mission.

Angela Terrell, Principal Consultant at Grace Grants LLC, smiling in a navy blazer

Angela Terrell

Principal Consultant

Broadcast journalist turned grant strategist — she makes complicated funding stories clear.

Angela is a dedicated storyteller and strategist, passionate about writing that informs and uplifts. Her career began in broadcast journalism, reporting national business news for PBS’s Nightly Business Report. While covering Capitol Hill hearings and economic trends, she learned to create clear, engaging stories quickly.

For over ten years, she applied these skills with a healthcare nonprofit, writing grants, planning outreach, and building partnerships that create community impact. She has led communications and fundraising as the Business Development and Marketing Director for a pro bono physical therapy clinic.

Angela is also an accomplished filmmaker. She produced the award-winning documentary Women of Faith: Coping with Trauma, which explored the impact of childhood sexual abuse among Black women. This work deepened her commitment to supporting programs that empower women and girls, especially those recovering from trauma.

Whether writing grants or producing films, Angela’s goal is to connect purpose with impact.

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Shelly Smith, Grants Manager at Grace Grants LLC, smiling in an olive-green blazer and white top

Shelly Smith

Grants Manager

Sixteen years in banking, then university research grants — she knows why applications get declined.

Shelly is a grant writer and strategist with experience supporting schools, churches, and community organizations. Before transitioning into the grants space, she spent more than 16 years in corporate banking with CitiBank and American Express, working across collections, skip tracing, credit, and ultimately serving as a Business Consultant for small businesses. There, she saw firsthand how often organizations were denied funding simply because no one explained why, or how they could better position themselves for future opportunities.

Before joining Grace Grants, Shelly worked in the Office of Research and Grants at UNC Charlotte, where she saw how much collaboration goes into a strong proposal — from program staff and finance teams to researchers and writers. That experience shaped her approach today: clear organization, strategic communication, and intentional teamwork.

Shelly is currently completing her Master’s in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) at UNC Charlotte, where her academic focus examines behavioral-health research for women. Women have historically been underrepresented in research literature, and she is passionate about contributing to a more accurate and comprehensive understanding of their experiences.

Across roles, her consistent goal is to simplify the funding process, help organizations communicate their value effectively, and position them to secure the resources they need to grow.

linkedin.com/in/shelly-smith-630615257/
India Young, Senior Grant Writer at Grace Grants LLC, smiling in a navy blazer and white shirt

India Young

Senior Grant Writer

Fifteen years writing for federal programs — precise documentation is her craft.

India is an accomplished communications strategist who brings over 15 years of experience supporting complex federal IT and communications initiatives. She excels in translating technical concepts into clear, user-friendly documentation across digital and print platforms, making information accessible for diverse audiences. Her expertise includes end-to-end documentation management, software manual editing, and collaboration with engineers, subject matter experts, and cross-functional teams.

India’s professional background features senior roles at Booz Allen Hamilton, supporting IRS and SAMHSA/HHS projects. She has developed strategic messaging for national public health campaigns, produced content for large government websites, and optimized editorial processes for compliance and accessibility. She holds a UX Certification from the Nielsen Norman Group, is a Certified Usability Analyst (Human Factors International), and maintains an active Secret Clearance.

Through leadership in content development and document management, combined with a deep understanding of federal contracting environments, she is a valuable asset to organizations seeking grant writing excellence, clear communication, and high standards in documentation and strategy.

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Why Grace Grants

Why Maryland nonprofits choose us

Maryland focus

We work only in Maryland, so we know the state's funding landscape — from bond bills to community foundations.

Experienced team

Broadcast journalism, corporate banking, federal programs, and university research — decades of professional writing behind your mission.

Rooted in values

Integrity, stewardship, and service. We treat your organization's resources the way we'd want ours treated.

Plain language. Honest timelines. Work you could hand to an auditor without a second thought.
Our promise
An open notebook, fountain pen, coffee and phone on a wooden desk by a window
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Let’s talk about your mission

A short conversation is usually enough to tell whether we are the right fit for your project.

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