a little

About Me

Portrait of Kathyrn Gratton, founder of Red Lips Mentor

Here are a few of my accomplishments
• Six-figure business owner 

   (because I practice what I preach)

• Nearly $26 million in grants secured
• First and Youngest Female to Lead a SCORE Chapter in Maryland and the Hagerstown/Frederick Chapter. One of the First and Youngest Female Diversity Ambassadors in the National SCORE Program. Certified Mentor.
• Member of Grant Professionals Association
• Member of Main Street America
• Member of Maryland Economic Development Association

• Member of Association of Fundraising Professionals, Western MD Chapter
• Board President for Washington County Arts Council. Board Member for Cumberland Valley School of Music & WRGG Radio Station.

hey there

i’m kathyrn

 

Well, well, well… look who stumbled onto my corner of the internet. I’m that rare unicorn who actually enjoys decoding federal RFPs and turning social media chaos into something that actually works. (Yes, we exist. No, I don’t know why either.) 

 

Here’s the highlight reel: nearly $26 million in grants secured. Six-figure business built from scratch. Former Executive Director who’s led organizations through growth phases, staff transitions, and the kind of board dynamics they don’t warn you about in any training.

 

I’ve been a Lead Circuit Rider and Main Street Manager for municipalities, which is a fancy way of saying I know how to navigate government bureaucracy and live to tell the tale. I’ve sweet talked state officials into giving my clients designations they may not have qualified for, and launched grant programs that attract people to invest in communities like it’s going out of style.

 

Fun fact: I became the first and youngest woman to lead a SCORE chapter in Maryland and for the Hagerstown/Frederick Chapter, and one of the first and youngest women in the national program to serve as a Diversity Ambassador, probably because they realized my caffeine-fueled enthusiasm was contagious. Turns out being slightly unhinged about growth strategies is a marketable skill.  

 

When I’m not making municipal grants sound sexier than they have any right to be, I’m running my own business, so yes, I actually practice what I preach. The bags under my eyes? Earned, not given.

 

Want to see the receipts? My LinkedIn Page has all the professional proof that I’m not making this up. Though between us, I’m way more fun than my LinkedIn headshot suggests.

Close-up of Kathyrn Gratton's tattoos

I’m not your average data geek.

Yes, that’s real ink 🔥

Cooking is my favorite hobby

I say I’m the boss, but really it’s my rescue cat, Meowly 🐾

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

a few fun facts

 

about me

Sticker of a tabby cat in a pink collar sitting on a stack of paperwork with the words Reviewed by management.

now that
we’re friends

Ready to work together? I’m always up for a conversation about grants, marketing, or how to keep your organization from falling apart at the seams. No pressure, no pitch, just a real talk about what you need.