About – Futureful Grants

ABOUT

Trusted Grant Strategy for Growing Nonprofits

Since 2016, Jaime Aguirre and Futureful have helped nonprofits strengthen their funding strategies, improve grant success, and raise millions of dollars in support of meaningful community impact.

Who We Are

Partners in mission, strategy, and measurable impact.

Through strategic grant support, ethical leadership, and measurable results, Futureful partners with mission-driven organizations—especially those serving historically under-resourced communities—to expand access to opportunity and long-term growth.

$7M+ raised annually for nonprofits

Led by visionary Grants Consultant Jaime Aguirre

Years of nonprofit administration and fundraising experience

Grew entirely through referrals and recommendations

Trusted by nonprofit organizations of all sizes

Our Vision

To create a future where nonprofits of all sizes have equitable access to the funding, strategy, and support needed to thrive.

Jaime's Story

From two clients to a trusted funding partner.

Futureful was born from a deep belief that nonprofits doing life-changing work deserve greater access to opportunity, funding, and long-term support. In 2016, after years spent in nonprofit administration, operations, and fundraising, Jaime Aguirre saw firsthand how many organizations were struggling—not because their missions lacked value, but because they lacked the resources and strategic guidance needed to grow. Determined to change that, she started Futureful with just two clients and a vision to help nonprofits build stronger, more sustainable futures.

What began as a small consulting practice quickly grew through trust, relationships, and word-of-mouth recommendations alone. Over the years, Futureful has partnered with dozens of nonprofits across Kansas City, helping organizations secure the funding they need to expand their impact and better serve their communities. Today, Futureful helps raise more than $7 million annually for Kansas City nonprofits, supporting missions that transform lives every day.

Behind that impact is a dedicated team of grant professionals, including Amber Thumann, Tara Clevenger, and Shannon Carney—each committed to helping nonprofits move from uncertainty to opportunity through strategic funding and meaningful partnership.

"Funding shouldn't be a
guessing game. It should be a system."

— Jaime Aguirre, Founder

The Team

Grant professionals who bring expertise and heart.

Shannon Carney

Grant Writer & Administrator

With over five years of experience in Kansas City’s nonprofit fundraising sector, Shannon specializes in grant writing and resource development. Most recently at Legal Aid of Western Missouri, she helped secure grants ranging from $5,000 to $500,000, contributing to a remarkable $13 million raised in 2024. Shannon holds a graduate certificate in Nonprofit Management and Development from the University of Missouri–Kansas City.

Patti Stengel

Project Manager & Grant Writer

Patti joined Futureful in 2025, bringing more than 17 years of federal grants administration experience. With expertise spanning the full grants lifecycle, Patti has supported major initiatives at AmeriCorps and FEMA, including new grant program development and disaster relief funding.

Tara Clevenger

Writer & Researcher

Senior Grant Writer for Futureful and Executive Director of the KC Blind All-Stars Foundation, which supports the Kansas State School for the Blind. Tara was the grant writer at the Kansas City Art Institute for many years and has been writing grants since 2007. She combines strategic research with strong grant writing to help nonprofits secure meaningful support and long-termimpact.

Amber Thumann

Grant Writer

Amber is our federal grants expert. Her time in engineering has given her the attention to detail that is required to successfully navigate federal grant applications and compliance. An accomplished public speaker, she lectures on sustainable agriculture and permaculture at the University of Kansas and Kansas State University.

Amber Thumann

Grant Writer

Case Study

How Friends of Reggae International strengthened their funding strategy.

Explore how Futureful has helped nonprofits strengthen their funding strategies, improve grant success, and secure meaningful financial support for their missions.

$X

Raised

100%

Renewal Rate

Y yrs

Partnership

3x

Grants Won

Behind the Scenes

Moments of connection,  collaboration, and heart.

Behind every grant, proposal, and funding strategy is a team deeply committed to the people and missions we serve. These moments reflect the collaboration, relationships, and shared purpose that make Futureful Grants more than a workplace—they reflect a community driven by impact, connection, and heart.

Testimonials

What began with two nonprofit clients is now a trusted funding partner for dozens.

Through strategic grant development and fundraising support, Futureful now helps nonprofits raise over $7 million each year with 25 years of nonprofit experience.

Futureful has been a valued partner of Union Station’s development team. Tapping into Futureful’s knowledge of the grant application and reporting system and relying on their expertise in grant writing and organization, Union Station has been successful in finding new partnerships. We would highly recommend Futureful to any non-profit organization for achieving successful outcomes.

Lynette N. Darby

Manager of Community Engagement & Sponsorship

Union Station Kansas City, Inc.

Kansas City Jazz ALIVE was established as a 501(c)3 organization in 2014. Since then we’ve grown from an annual budget of less than $10,000 to over $100,000. The Futureful team understands our programming, and tells our story, clearly and concisely, to our funders. Jaime Aguirre has over 20 years of experience with non-profits. We value her connections within the local philanthropic community.

Emily Behrmann

Board Member

KC Jazz ALIVE

Working with Jaime has been an easy and rewarding process. Her understanding of our agency and what will benefit us is unparalleled and indisputable. Since beginning work with Jaime, we have seen a substantial increase in our agency’s ability to successfully apply for grants. We wholeheartedly recommend Jaime to any nonprofit seeking to add a grant writer to their team.

Joel Bailey

Director

Footprints / Heroes Home Gate

Free Tool

Take the Free Grant Readiness Quiz

Understand whether your nonprofit is truly prepared to apply for grants successfully. Identify gaps, get a score, and a clear next step.

Strategic questions

Instant readiness score

Personalized recommendations

Download

The 12-Step Grant Application Checklist

A practical checklist used by funded nonprofits to prepare strong, competitive applications — every time.

Ready to strengthen your funding strategy and build a financially sustainable nonprofit?

Helping nonprofits secure funding with confidence and consistency. Led by Jaime Aguirre.

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Contact

Built with purpose for mission-driven organizations.

Trusted Grant Strategy for Growing Nonprofits

Partners in mission, strategy, and measurable impact.

To create a future where nonprofits of all sizes have equitable access to the funding, strategy, and support needed to thrive.

From two clients to a trusted funding partner.

"Funding shouldn't be a guessing game. It should be a system."

Grant professionals who bring expertise and heart.

Shannon Carney

Patti Stengel

Tara Clevenger

Amber Thumann

Amber Thumann

How Friends of Reggae International strengthened their funding strategy.

$X

100%

Y yrs

3x

Moments of connection, collaboration, and heart.

What began with two nonprofit clients is now a trusted funding partner for dozens.

Lynette N. Darby

Emily Behrmann

Joel Bailey

Take the Free Grant Readiness Quiz

The 12-Step Grant Application Checklist

Ready to strengthen your funding strategy and build a financially sustainable nonprofit?

"Funding shouldn't be a
guessing game. It should be a system."

Moments of connection,  collaboration, and heart.