The Soul of Ghost Writer
We believe that mission-driven organizations, no matter their size, should have equal access to the resources they need.
We Believe
Ordinary people, given the right support, do extraordinary things.
The right story, told well, can fund a shelter, protect a river, or preserve a piece of history.
That writing—real, honest, strategic writing—can change the world.
Our Why
In 2017, Kirsten Hubbard founded Ghost Writer after two decades in the nonprofit world, writing grants, running programs, building coalitions, and watching capable, mission-driven teams get stuck. Not because they lacked passion or skill. Because they lacked time, funding, or in-house support to keep all the plates spinning.
So she built something new. A scalable, sustainable model that provides expert-level marketing and development services for nonprofits and municipalities without requiring a full-time hire. Kirsten registered as a licensed fundraising counsel, signed her first retainer client, and got to work. After winning Lion Tank, a Penn State–hosted business competition, the momentum grew.
Since then, our team has helped clients raise over $15 million.
We've worked with human service organizations, historical preservation projects, arts and cultural institutions, community revitalization, and municipalities across Virginia, North Carolina, New York, Washington, DC, and internationally.
2025: Kirsten completed SBA Thrive, a highly selective national leadership program for small business CEOs focused on sustainable growth and impact.
Ghost Writer also earned certification as both a Women Business Enterprise and a Woman-Owned Business, reflecting equity, access, and impact.
We’ve helped $200,000 nonprofits grow their budgets to over a million. We’ve turned backlogs of missed deadlines into full, strategic grant calendars. We’ve supported leaders through burnout and transition, giving them room to plan, lead, and breathe again.
But most importantly,
we’ve seen what the right words, in the right hands, can do.
Our Core Values
Acting with Intention
We don’t waste time. We ask the right questions and purposefully direct our energy toward meeting your goals.
Choosing with Honor
We make ethical decisions based on what serves our clients and their communities. We pursue meaningful outcomes and only recommend what we truly believe will move your mission forward.
Exchanging Knowledge
Everything we create for you is yours: content, strategies, grant language, and tools. We have process-driven workflow that shares information, due dates, and communication across our team and yours—meaning you are never relying on only one person.
Nurturing Innovation
We adapt, troubleshoot, and find smart ways to do more with what you’ve got. As creative collaborators, we bring fresh ideas for programs, partnerships, and funding.
Staying Driven
Your goals drive our work. We show up with persistence and celebrate your wins with you.
This isn’t “consulting.” This is real partnership, built for people who are ready to grow and just need the right team behind them.
Meet Our Team of Co-creators
Kirsten Hubbard
Founder & CEO
Kirsten started Ghost Writer with a belief that all nonprofits deserve big support. After more than 20 years working inside organizations, she built a model that delivers high-impact development, marketing, and infrastructure support without the cost of hiring in-house. Under her leadership, Ghost Writer has grown to three departments, 10 team members, and clients spanning from down the street to global initiatives in Mozambique. Deeply driven, she leads with strategy, vision, persistence, consistency, patience, commitment, and more than a little scrappiness!
When you work with Ghost Writer, you get more than a single contractor. You get a team that knows the landscape, believes in your work, and shows up to get it done. We’re writers, editors, designers, and strategists with over 150 years of combined experience.
Abby
Director of Community Engagement
Abby understands how to turn a mission into a message—and get it in front of the right people. With more than a decade of nonprofit experience, she is our Director of Community Engagement. She oversees strategy and execution for both internal initiatives and partner organizations, delivering digital and print materials that elevate visibility and voice. With a background in communications, Abby blends smart messaging, clean design, and strategic use of donor databases and digital tools to make nonprofits more visible—and more effective—in the communities they serve.
Diane
Principal Consultant for Content & Strategy
Diane helps organizations get clear on what matters—and build the systems, strategies, and communication to support it. With more than 25 years of experience across the nonprofit, higher education, and private sectors, she brings a sharp eye for structure and a belief that effective organizations are built through clarity, trust, and shared responsibility. At Ghost Writer, she leads strategic consulting and organizational communications, facilitating planning retreats, developing board tools, refining internal documents, and helping teams build the alignment that makes mission-driven work sustainable.
Christiana
Administrative Assistant/Writing Specialist
Christiana brings a rare mix of precision, adaptability, and a deep love of language to the Ghost Writer team. Since graduating from Messiah University, she’s worked across every tier of editing—from big-picture structure to final polish—and has contributed to nearly every corner of our work, stepping in wherever sharp thinking and clean execution are needed. Her current focus is on grant writing and administrative support, playing a vital behind-the-scenes role that keeps proposals moving, systems running, and deadlines met.
Rebecca
Writing Specialist
Rebecca brings 30 years of writing and editing experience and close to 20 years in marketing to her role as a strategist and communicator. As a former nonprofit founder with a background in therapy, she helps organizations communicate clearly, connect with funders and audiences, and move their missions forward. At Ghost Writer, she focuses on grant writing, campaign messaging, and marketing strategy, pairing thoughtful language with real-world results.
Cheryl Piper-Snyder’s energy will forever live as part of our team.