LONG CREEK – North Fork John Day Watershed Council executive director Elaine Eisenbraun has completed a program with the Grant Professionals Certification Institute, to become the first certified grant writer in Eastern Oregon.

The certification training entailed 12 months of study through a program, developed and supported by the Ford Family Foundation.

Eisenbraun was selected from a competitive field of study with four other Oregonians under the direction of Dr. Kathy Ingram. For a year, the candidates spent one full week each month in Roseburg, examining the nuances of federal funds and project architecture.

She joins six other professionals in the state, the rest in western Oregon.

Eisenbraun’s area of emphasis is natural resources, but she is now trained to work on projects in fields as diverse as health services, arts and economic development. She said she will strive to encourage projects of a collaborative nature, that elevate multiple groups and diverse needs.

“Grant writing can be a catalyst for creativity and innovation,” Eisenbraun said.

She added, “The best proposals are those that identify unique solutions to existing problems – taking pen to paper can illuminate new ideas, and redefine common projects with surprising elements.”

The Watershed Council is a nonprofit that works to support landscapes and communities in the upper reaches of the John Day River. Eisenbraun is in her fourth year as executive director.