💌 The Future is Funded. But Not Without Us.

Hello hello hello wonderful people,

This month, I’m inviting you to be part of something bold, beautiful, and deeply necessary. June 1st I'm launching a campaign to bring 100 users onto the Protea platform—our grant readiness tool designed specifically for nonprofits, small businesses, and mission-driven teams that have historically been overlooked.

But this isn’t just a numbers game. This is a movement.

✨ What’s in this letter:

• Protea: The 100 User Campaign (and How to Join)
• The Net-Do Community: Relaunch + Monthly Meetups
• Free Grant Tools & Resources for Your Team or Community
• Why Community is Our Competitive Edge

🔗 Protea: The 100 User Campaign (and How to Join)

About 2 years ago I went on a journey to pursue my doctoral degree in Public Health and I felt confident that I would get into the program of my choice fully funded. However I had multiple people asking me "do you actually need a doctorate to do the work you want to do?" I wavered with my response every time and even more so when I started to received rejection letters. Now my academic mentor consistently reminded me that "you have to find the right fit for both partiers, Natalie" but let's be real, I was not trying to hear that.

Fast forward to the present, I've launched my business, I'm pursuing my passion and dreams, I'm growing in ways I could've never imagined.

I created Protea because I kept seeing the same story:

• ➡️ Great people with great ideas couldn’t get funded—not because they weren’t deserving, but because they weren’t “grant ready.”
• ➡️ They didn’t have the proposal language, logic models, or budget prep tools.
• ➡️ They didn’t have a place to start—or someone to walk with them.

So I built it. And now, Protea is live. This MVP version is already helping users build grant proposals with guided templates, drag-and-drop components, and an AI advisor (Greta) that makes funding less overwhelming.

Starting June 1st, we're onboarding our first 100 founding users to help shape the future of equitable funding access—and we’d love for you to be part of it.

💬 Want in? Join here or DM me “Protea” and I’ll personally walk you through it.

🌱 The Net-Do Community Is Evolving

If you’ve been around for a while, you know that Net-Do isn’t just another group—it’s a space for reflection, action, and connection. We’re rebuilding the infrastructure to serve you better, and here’s what’s new:

🎥 Monthly Virtual Meetups — personal + professional growth with people who get it

📣 Member Features — space for you to showcase your work, launches, and wins

🌍 Community Conversations — rooted in identity, impact, and shared growth

This community has always been about real relationships. And this relaunch is about recommitment to what matters most: doing good work, together.

If you want to join our next meetup or get plugged into the circle, drop your email here: Net-Do Sign-Up

📚 Free Resources for Your Grant Journey

You don’t have to pay to prepare. I’ve created several free tools to help you get started with Protea or improve your funding strategy—even before you become a subscriber.

Here’s what’s available:

• ✅ Grant Readiness Quiz — assess where you are and what you need
• ✅ Logic Model Miro Board — my favorite planning template
• ✅ Greta GPT — an AI-powered grant advisor (and yes, she’s already helped folks win grants)
• ✅ Protea.ai Demo — an AI-powered Letter of Interest demo (this is experience is just a taste of our full product)

🧠 Why Community is Our Competitive Edge

You can have the smartest platform in the world, but it won’t matter without the right people around it.

Protea isn’t just tech. Net-Do isn’t just networking. This work isn’t just about building companies or winning grants. It’s about building power—in community.

So if this newsletter resonates, here’s what I’m asking:

• Be a champion for the 100-user Protea campaign—share it, tag someone, or jump in yourself
• Join the next Net-Do meetup—and bring a friend [Register]
• Use the free tools—and tell me what’s missing and how they've made an impact in your world

We don’t rise alone. But we can rise, together.

Be Well | Disrupt Often,

Natalie Poindexter

[Website] | [Subscribe]