03: 7,761 to 1. Winning the Zayed Sustainability Prize: Melanie Dussaye and Ray Frankenhauser
Winning the Public Purse with David KincadeShow Notes
Imagine applying for a grant to fund a project in a rural Indigenous community, only to find yourself competing against 7,761 applicants from 173 countries. Success in the public sector requires a rare combination of bold vision and a grounded, strategic proof of concept, and Melanie Duchesne and Ray Frankenhauser break it all down in this one. In this episode of Winning the Public Purse, David Kincade sits down with a husband-and-wife duo whose backgrounds read like a Hollywood script: Melanie, a finance professional who has managed operations across four continents, and Ray, a former Canadian diplomat with 20 years of experience in high-risk global environments. Together, they share the remarkable story of how the Alberta Conference of the Seventh-day Adventist Church won the prestigious Zayed Sustainability Prize for Mamawi Atosketan Native School. From an initial $150,000 USD grant to receiving police clearance from the Sheikh of Abu Dhabi to accept a global award, this conversation explores how a "finance brain" and a "faith-driven sense of purpose" can turn a shipping container into a year-round hydroponic farm. This episode is for the grant seeker building from the ground up, the seasoned professional looking to scale their impact, and the community leader dedicated to solving food insecurity. Melanie and Ray provide a clear, actionable path for anyone ready to take their next step in the public sector. Ready to transform grant writing into a predictable pillar of your success? David's students have already won over $61M in funding using the frameworks taught in the Advanced Grant Writing Course. You can get started now at https://albertabusinessgrants.ca/grant-writing. To ensure you never miss an insight into the world of public funding, subscribe to Winning the Public Purse with David Kincade on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app. If you found value in this episode, please consider leaving a rating and review to help other mission-driven leaders unlock the public purse. Highlights From This Episode: Why Melanie accepted a job in Liberia before even checking its location on a map and how that adaptability fueled her career [7:41]
Ray's perspective on the difference between visiting a local market as a diplomat in an armored car versus visiting as a local person [13:01]
The key reasons that the issue of food insecurity is nuanced and isn't just with raw quantity available [25:50]
A look at why Indigenous households in Canada experience food insecurity at more than double the rate of the general population [28:11]
How winning a small greenUp grant from Fortis Alberta paved the way for a million-dollar global prize [30:38]
Why wanting the money a grant provides isn't enough and the importance of understanding the execution and reporting nature of a project before you write the application [31:27]
What the experience of becoming a finalist for the Zayed Sustainability Prize was like for Melanie and Ray and the logistics they faced taking two students halfway across the world [33:26]
A sneak peek of what it's like to attend a gala where movie stars, presidents, and kings are in attendance, and the students are the stars of the show [39:02]
Ray and Melanie's final thoughts on the "leaps of faith" they've taken and why having a sense of purpose makes you the primary driver of your own success [42:13]
LINKS: Mamawi Atosketan Native School Represents Canada and North America, Wins Global Sustainability Prize in Abu Dhabi Melanie's LinkedIn Ray's LinkedIn 01: Winning a $5,000 Restaurant Grant with Mona Pinder Advanced Grant Writing Course Grant Gazette YouTube Book: Golden Grant Rules Website Email: [email protected] Phone: 780-297-6177
More from Winning the Public Purse with David Kincade
What actually happens when a room full of smart people sit down to write grants together for a week? In this episode of Winning the Public Purse, David Kincade reflects on his latest in-person Advanced Grant Writing Course in Lacombe, Alberta, and shares 5 lessons from the experience that apply well beyond the classroom. David has several upcoming events and courses worth knowing about. He is speaking at Strathcona County's Small Business Week in Sherwood Park on October 20th, 2026. He is also hosting a webinar on October 13th for municipalities on the complexity of finding grants. As well, the last live Advanced Grant Writing Course of the year runs November 23rd to 27th in Sherwood Park, so reach out soon to secure a training grant before the October 22nd deadline. The next online cohort begins January 27th. David is also planning two in-person courses in British Columbia in February and March 2026; if you want him to come to your town, now is the time to reach out by email, [email protected] or by phone/text at (780) 297-6177.
In this freestyle solo episode of Winning the Public Purse, David records on a Friday evening before heading to Lacombe for a week of in-person grant writing training, and uses the moment to share what is on his mind heading into one of his busiest falls yet. You'll also learn the difference between leaders who invest in their people and themselves, and those who don't. David also shares a personal win from the summer that has nothing to do with grants, and a whole lot more. Equal parts life update, business reflection, and genuine encouragement, this one is worth a listen if you have ever talked yourself out of doing the hard thing. Ready to transform grant writing into a predictable pillar of your success? David's students have already won over $71M in funding using the frameworks taught in the Advanced Grant Writing Course, and the next online class is happening this week, September 24th, 2026. You can get started and grab your spot now at https://albertabusinessgrants.ca/grant-writing. David's next online course starts October 1st, and he can help you secure a training grant to offset the tuition! Reach out to David by email at [email protected], or by phone at 780-297-6177 to learn more. To ensure you never miss an insight into the world of public funding, subscribe to Winning the Public Purse with David Kincade on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app. If you found value in this episode, please consider leaving a rating and review to help other mission-driven leaders unlock the public purse. Highlights From This Episode: Why David decided to keep the current podcast name after considering a rebrand, and what the name change would have got wrong [1:34]
Some of the best lessons in government funding do not come from a grant portal. They come from watching how a real funding story unfolds in real time. In this episode of Winning the Public Purse, David Kincade walks through a recent Alberta government funding announcement that quietly became a masterclass in stakeholder relations, grant timing, and what happens when organizations are caught off guard. Starting with a May 2026 announcement of nearly $62 million for family violence initiatives, David traces how a swift and coordinated response from the Alberta Council of Women's Shelters triggered media coverage, public pressure, and ultimately an additional $16 million from the government by July. By September, grant applications were open with deadlines as tight as four weeks out. This unfolding story drives home three lessons that apply to any sector: know your stakeholders before the announcements hit, have your master grant application ready before the deadlines appear, and never let the summer grind become an excuse to fall behind on funding intelligence. Ready to transform grant writing into a predictable pillar of your success? David's students have already won over $71M in funding using the frameworks taught in the Advanced Grant Writing Course, and the next online class is coming September 24th, 2026. You can get started and grab your spot now at https://albertabusinessgrants.ca/grant-writing. David is heading back to Lacombe on September 21-25 for one more live cohort, and he can help you secure a training grant to offset the tuition (as of the time of this recording, there are still a couple of spots left)! Reach out to David by email at [email protected], or by phone at 780-297-6177 to learn more. To ensure you never miss an insight into the world of public funding, subscribe to Winning the Public Purse with David Kincade on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app. If you found value in this episode, please consider leaving a rating and review to help other mission-driven leaders unlock the public purse. Highlights From This Episode: How a May 19th Alberta government announcement of nearly $62 million for family violence initiatives quietly set off a chain of events worth paying close attention to [3:08]
Some lessons about winning grants do not come from a boardroom or a textbook. In this solo episode of Winning the Public Purse, David Kincade draws a surprisingly sharp line between his fly fishing hobby and the patterns he has watched play out across 14 years of professional grant writing and over 174 students in his Advanced Grant Writing Course. Equal parts practical and personal, this episode connects fly fishing, high cholesterol, productivity grants, and leadership into one of the more honest conversations David has had to date on the podcast. David is heading back to Lacombe in September for one more live cohort, and he can help you secure a training grant to offset the tuition (as of the time of this recording, there are still a couple of spots left)! Reach out to David by email at [email protected], or by phone at 780-297-6177 to learn more. Ready to transform grant writing into a predictable pillar of your success? David's students have already won over $71M in funding using the frameworks taught in the Advanced Grant Writing Course, and the next online class is coming September 24th, 2026. You can get started and grab your spot now at https://albertabusinessgrants.ca/grant-writing. To ensure you never miss an insight into the world of public funding, subscribe to Winning the Public Purse with David Kincade on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app. If you found value in this episode, please consider leaving a rating and review to help other mission-driven leaders unlock the public purse. Highlights From This Episode: Why some organizations win grants consistently while others keep struggling, and what David believes is really behind this gap [1:08]
August can feel like a lost month. Guests reschedule, C-suites disappear, and the grind slows to a crawl. In this reflective solo episode of Winning the Public Purse, David Kincade makes the case that the slow season is actually one of the most important times of year for grant writers, and for anyone building something worth funding. For non-profit leaders, grant writers, and anyone who has ever felt guilty for slowing down in August, this one reframes the whole month. David is heading back to Lacombe in September for one more live cohort, and he can help you secure a training grant to offset the tuition. Reach out to David by email at [email protected] to learn more. Ready to transform grant writing into a predictable pillar of your success? David's students have already won over $67M in funding using the frameworks taught in the Advanced Grant Writing Course, and the next online class is coming September 24th, 2026. You can get started and grab your spot now at https://albertabusinessgrants.ca/grant-writing. To ensure you never miss an insight into the world of public funding, subscribe to Winning the Public Purse with David Kincade on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app. If you found value in this episode, please consider leaving a rating and review to help other mission-driven leaders unlock the public purse. Highlights From This Episode: Why August is the number one vacation month for C-suites, and what grant writers need to have sorted before summer hits [1:10]