Jake Whitaker serves as Director of Grant Services at California Public Policy Group, where he leads our team in developing high impact grant proposals for local governments and public agencies across California. With a stellar track record of success throughout his career as a grant professional, Jake has secured hundreds of millions of dollars in state, regional, and federal funding on behalf of local public agencies. His unique ability to tell the story of public agencies and nonprofits produces successful, highly competitive grant proposals.

Jake first honed his grant writing skills working as an Administrative Analyst for the County of Yolo. He was tapped to assist a colleague with a tight deadline for a proposal to open a new emergency shelter for victims of crime who experienced housing instability. The proposal was successful, and upon seeing the real-world impact of that work, Jake decided to pursue grant writing as his professional calling. After spending four years at the District Attorney’s Office and securing numerous grant awards for mental health treatment, diversion, and victim services programs, Jake turned to full-time consulting, expanding his expertise by working with municipal governments and institutions of higher education.

Today, his consulting work spans the state of California. Jake works with communities of diverse sizes, geographies, and demographics, from the City of Bakersfield, the ninth-largest city in California, to the agrarian community of Greenfield (pop. 18,000) in the Salinas Valley, the Inland Empire urban population center of the City of San Bernardino, Redwood City on the San Mateo Peninsula, and the North Bay City of Santa Rosa. Jake prioritizes high-quality service, collaboration, and effective communication in all his consulting work.

“The most amazing part of being a grant writer is that when you do your job well, the things you write on paper become reality,” he says.

Among Jake’s signature accomplishments is his leadership role in securing over $20 million for the San Bernardino Community College District through California Workforce Development Board’s High Road Training Partnership (HRTP) and High Road Construction Careers programs. This effort represented a landmark regional collaboration, involving all 12 Inland Empire community colleges with programming across multiple industry sectors, to advance equity-drive career pathways to good paying jobs for low-income residents living in historically disinvested areas.

Jake also played a key role in supporting the Southeast Strong initiative in Bakersfield, which was awarded $42 million through the EPA’s Community Change Grant ($20 million) and the Strategic Growth Council’s Transformative Climate Communities program ($22 million). These grant awards support a multi-year, community-led investment in housing, mobility, transit access, urban greening, and workforce development in the long-neglected and historically underserved area of Southeast Bakersfield.

With nearly a decade of experience working in and with local government, including four years as an elected school board member for his hometown Woodland Joint Unified School District, Jake is a well-rounded professional with experience working on a diverse array of issue areas, including transportation infrastructure, parks, public safety, climate resilience, housing, homelessness, K-12 education, workforce training, and economic development.

Known for a collaborative leadership style and sharp strategic insight, Jake excels at translating local priorities into compelling proposals. His expertise spans the full grant lifecycle—from early scoping and strategic positioning to final submission and compliance. A deep knowledge of state and federal funding landscapes enables Jake to offer proactive guidance to clients on upcoming funding opportunities and counsel on the changing availability of federal grant programs.

Jake holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Willamette University. While attending college, he worked as a Legislative Assistant in the Oregon State Assembly, with a focus on agriculture and education policy. Jake also serves as the Chair of the Yolo County Democratic Central Committee and enjoys volunteering to support the public schools and community in his hometown of Woodland.