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ABOUT SOL PARTNERS

Sol Partners is a queer, Latinx woman-owned business. We actively reach out to BIPOC clients and BIPOC consultants, among other minoritized groups.

 

Sol exists because we understand that equity is engineered and we know we can build a better world. 

 

Sol provides a professional space especially by and for minoritized people, where empowerment and inclusion are guiding principles.

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Eva Karene Romero, PhD (she/her/ella)

The daughter of a Paraguayan and an Iowan, I’m a mestiza who grew up in a juxtapositional space between South America and the United States. My identity, lived experience, formal education and life’s work have always involved translation, communication and bridge building. I built Sol to deepen my work bridging divides and silos created by power hierarchies.

 

My experience with grants began in 2003 with international grant management at The Rotary Foundation in Chicago, IL. I also used grants to fund my research as a graduate student at The University of Arizona, where I earned a PhD in Spanish/Hispanic Cultural Studies and a certificate in Gender and Women's Studies. I’m the author of Film and Democracy in Paraguay (Palgrave, 2016) and I truly truly enjoy producing worthy film projects. A storyteller at heart, I love working with film, photography and podcasting. I’ve served the arts as Board President of the Arts Foundation for Tucson and Southern Arizona and also as chair of the Justice, Equity Diversity and Inclusion Committee. I’ve served rural Arizona through bilingual support at University of Arizona Cooperative Extension and as the co-chair of the ALVSCE Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Council. Currently I support the UA Executive Office of the President as Sr. Program Manager for Inclusion.

 

Besides being the mother of an awe-inspiring eight-year-old and a string of foster animals through Arms of Angels All Breed Animal Rescue, I also love gardening, hiking, yoga, zumba, dancing and even painting a little. 

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Yolie Contreras

I am the proud daughter of a migrant father from El Salvador and a second generation Queer, Mexican-American mother. I identify as a Salvi-Chicanx Woman of Color, which honors my heritage and birthplace. I was born and raised in southern California but now call the Arizona desert my home. I have accumulated a rich tapestry of lived experience while navigating through decades of intergenerational trauma. Growing up in this way has provided me with unique insight into what it’s like to live within several marginalized identities at once. I have made it my mission to use my privilege, education and lived experience to always center those who are the most marginalized in our society. 

 

I have always been called to acts of service which began when I was in high school. I became the youngest volunteer, at age 15, for a local nonprofit which served as my introduction to the world of nonprofits. My grant writing experience began in 2015 when I enrolled in Arizona State University, where I earned a Bachelor’s degree in Women and Gender Studies with a certificate in LGBTQ Studies. I was the first in my family to graduate high school and college. While attending ASU, I completed an internship with GLSEN Phoenix in their development department that set me on the path to combine my writing with acts of service. I am a writer at heart and began by writing zines in the late 90s, this led to me co-authoring a zine lib guide for Arizona State University (the first of its kind). I have since gone on to continue publishing more zines and I write about them academically and professionally. For the past two years I have been part of the organizing team for the Phx Zine Fest and I have been awarded two consecutive grants from the Arizona Commission on the Arts to fund these amazing fests. I’ve served Southern Arizona through my position as co-chair for the Association of Fundraising Professionals’  IDEA Committee (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, & Access). Currently, I am serving as a Community Advisory Board member for KXCI. 

 

I happily live a childfree lifestyle with my husband and two rescue cats. My favorite hobby is collecting hobbies. As such, I dabble in embroidery, knitting, painting, sewing, restoring dollhouses, and stamp carving to name a few. If you would like to read about my thoughts on nonprofits and fundraising in general, please visit this link

Testimonials

Testimonials

"I got the Case for Support -- it leaves me speechless! It makes me want to cry!! It makes me wonder why on earth it took us so long to ask you all for help. It makes me sad that we waited so long to begin this process -- where would we be today, if you had done all of this for us five years ago? It makes me so grateful that you are doing all of this now! THANK YOU!!!

--A Happy Client

I have worked with Sol Grant Partners for about a year now. Their knowledge, skills, and attention to detail have impressed me from the very start. I started a new nonprofit called La Tierra del Jaguar last year with very little knowledge about what I was getting into. Without Sol Grant Partners help I am not sure I would have gotten through the first year. Now I feel prepared and inspired to take on the challenges to come, with Sol Grant Partners’ help of course. They were able to work with me and our board to define and craft our message, set goals, and find grants. Once the grant opportunities were identified they helped us with the process, writing, and positioning to help us have the best chance of getting the grants. I am pleased to say we have had considerable success on that front! Sol Grant Partners are our partners and they should be yours too.

--Randy Young, Executive Director, La Tierra del Jaguar

Eva is an experienced, compassionate, and hard-working fundraiser. Her coaching on how to speak to potential donors, what to ask for in your pitch, and where to seek support for your next project is invaluable. I would highly recommend her to anyone who needs fundraising help.​

--Anna Augustowka, Documentary Film Director and Producer

Sol Grant Partners are professional and experienced consultants. They worked with our non-profit to assess our fundraising goals, research, and add new funding opportunities and assisted us with several proposals. They are flexible and understanding of the challenges that come with non-profit work. I highly recommend them!

--Eli Burke, Education Director, MOCA Tucson

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