Kara Calvert

Kara Calvert is the Grants Associate at the Fred and Barbara Erb Family Foundation, where she works collaboratively with the Grants Manager, program team, and grant partners to support a smooth and efficient grantmaking process. She provides administrative and technical support across the full grants lifecycle, including preparing grant agreements, issuing payments, maintaining the grants database, and offering technical assistance to staff and grant partners. 

Prior to joining the Erb Family Foundation, Kara served as Operations and Program Manager at Hope for Flowers, a mission-driven, sustainable small business in Midtown Detroit. In that role, she directed company strategy, managed grants and funding for community arts programming, and strengthened internal systems and practices to increase organizational impact. 

Kara joined the Erb Family Foundation in November 2025 and holds a BFA in Art and Design from the Penny W. Stamps School of Art and Design at the University of Michigan. 

Kara is motivated by the opportunity to support organizations doing meaningful work in their communities. Outside of work, she enjoys camping with her dog, Gus; rock climbing; and seeking out new coffee shops across Detroit. She is also a rockhound and geology enthusiast who loves identifying and illustrating rocks found throughout the Great Lakes.