Christy Crytzer Pierce is Owner and Grant Strategist at Perfect Fifth Grant Consulting, where she provides grant strategy and writing services to nonprofit organizations nationwide in the arts, culture, youth services, and education sectors. Her 25-year career in fundraising and communications includes roles with the National Endowment for the Arts; the Baltimore, Nashville, and Dallas Symphony Orchestras; Project Partners, a fundraising firm in Fort Worth, Texas, and 8va Music Consultancy, a classical music PR firm out of New York City, where she is currently a publicist.

As a grant writing professional, Christy has raised more than $12 million in local, state, and federal grants, as well as from private, public, and corporate foundations. Clients have included the Bravo! Vail Music Festival, Library of Virginia Foundation, Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum, Jubilee Theatre, and the American Baroque Opera Company, among many others.

A native of Pittsburgh, Christy trained as a violinist at Indiana University of Pennsylvania and received her master’s degree in arts management from American University in Washington, DC. She currently resides outside of Birmingham, Alabama, with her son Corbin, her husband Brad (a chemistry professor at the UA), two cats, and one bearded dragon.