Vicki Silver

Vicki Silver is a community planner with 27 years experience in local and state government agencies, half of which was spent working closely with the nonprofit sector.  She specializes in program development, grant writing, grants management, technical writing, and project implementation, but also has a reputation and expertise in open space/greenways, nature-based and heritage tourism, and historic preservation/folk arts.  For 14 years, as a county senior planner then a consultant, Vicki applied these areas of expertise to economic development in the Glades, Florida communities, procuring $10 million in funding for nonprofits and government agencies.  Her efforts resulted in an award in 2000 by the National Association of Counties for the Best Community and Economic Development project, for the Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail: An Innovative Revitalization Approach. 

Previous planning activities have included preparing a Florida statewide guide to urban coastal parks and historic sites, obtaining a $42 million grant to buy an environmentally sensitive beach park, and organizing several well-attended conferences to build awareness of environmental issues. 

A consultant since 2002, Vicki has written grants for nonprofit and for-profit clients on topics ranging from autism to business expansion, historic restoration, museum development, tour guide training, and world peace. She has served on grant review panels for state and local agencies and has considerable experience mentoring or empowering agency staff in the intricacies of grant preparation. 

She has a bachelor’s degree in economics from Montclair State College in New Jersey, a master’s in public administration, with an environmental/growth management specialization, from Florida Atlantic University, and is a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners.