Meet Our Team
bethany m. planton, gpc
founder and ceo
Bethany helps nonprofit leaders and grant professionals build and maintain strategic and sustainable nonprofits AND have fun along the way.
Bethany M. Planton, GPC, is a consultant, trainer, and coach for nonprofits and consultants. She brings over 16 years of nonprofit experience and a $12 million track record in awarded grants from foundations, corporations, and local, state, and federal government in the areas of education, human services, veterans, historic preservation, and arts and culture.
Bethany is passionate about the field of grants and has served in a leadership capacity since 2016. She was part of a team of grant professionals that launched the #HealthyGrantPro initiative in 2019 to help grant professionals create healthy work environments that help them thrive. As a member of the #HealthyGrantPro team, Bethany co-authored three related publications – Burnout in the Grants Profession: An Initial Analysis and BIGGER than Burnout: Strategies for Winning the Silent Battle, and Healthy Grant Professionals in the Real World, published in the Journal of the Grant Professionals Association.
Aside from her professional endeavors, Bethany loves reading, traveling (anywhere and everywhere), eating ice cream, and cheering on Racing Louisville and The Ohio State Buckeyes.
Ingredients:
Experience
- $12 million awarded in grants
- 16 years of experience in the nonprofit sector
- Expertise in processes
- Thought leadership in burnout
Education
- Bachelor of Science Degree in Communications Studies from Ball State University
- AmeriCorps VISTA Grant Writer/Fundraiser
- Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Administration from Western Kentucky University
- Grant Professionals Certification from the Grant Professionals Certification Institute (2016 - present)
- GPA-Approved Trainer (2020 - present)
- Social Media Strategist certification from the National Institute for Social Media (2020-2022)
- Scrum Master and the Product Owner certifications from Scrum, Inc (2020-present)
- Certified Tourism Ambassador (2022 - present)
Service
- Grant Professionals Association (GPA)
- Board of Directors (2025-2027)
- Mentor (2023 - present)
- Governmental Advocacy Committee (2024)
- Social Media Committee (2017-2018)
- GPA Kentucky Chapter
- Vice President (2018-2019)
- Communications Chair (2019 - 2020)
gypsy
chief wellness officer
Gypsy helps nonprofit leaders and grant professionals practice the Wellness Triad of sleeping, eating, and exercising.
Gypsy joined bmpconsulting as the Director of Health and Wellness in July of 2017 and was promoted to Chief Wellness Officer in 2023. Her responsibilities include ensuring the bmpconsulting staff care for themselves through sleep, food, and exercise. She likes to add a little fun to the process.
Before joining bmpconsulting, Gypsy was waiting at Tyson’s Chance Animal Foundation for her opportunity to join an organization like bmpconsulting. Gypsy loves eating whatever you eat, walking in the park, and taking long naps.
cassidy perry
Virtual Assistant
Cassidy brings together creativity and strategy to support bmpconsulting.
Work that allows her to make an impact matters to her, so she’s been drawn to nonprofits and mission-lead businesses for over a decade. She can’t resist work that leaves the world just a little brighter than it was before.
After work, you’ll find her trying a new DIY project she found on TikTok, viewing the world from behind a camera lens, and keeping her three-legged dog out of trouble (barely).
Our Training Partners
melissa draut
From 2007 through 2021, Melissa served as a contract grant writer for state domestic violence coalitions and local nonprofit organizations. She secured hundreds of grants raising more than $6 million to fund programs, operations, and capital projects. Her strength is building relationships and developing support from private and corporate foundations locally and nationally.
vickie johnson, gpc
Vickie Johnson, GPC started her nonprofit career in 2009 at the state’s domestic violence coalition, where she helped build capacity for economic empowerment programs targeted to DV survivors. After securing her first two federal awards, she was hooked and has since helped organizations secure more than $13.5 million in competitive grants, as well as managed federal, state, and foundation funds. In 2019, Vickie began working as a grant writer for the Ohio Valley Educational Cooperative (OVEC) and, in 2022, launched a grants consulting business.
julie boll
Julie Boll is the founder of Julie Boll Consulting, a consulting firm dedicated to helping people and organizations make the most of their time, energy, and resources so they can maximize their impact on the community. Julie has more than 20 years experience in the nonprofit sector and is a GPA approved trainer. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Public Relations and a Masters Degree in Leadership, both from Quincy University.