I am a dreamer, just a girl from Oklahoma growing up in the outskirts of a small country town. On a summer day, you could often find me laying in the cool morning grass staring at the clouds, focussing on their shapes and how they could change in an instant with only a small breath of wind. I often saw myself in the clouds, wondering what life had in store for me.

I am the 5th of 6 girls. Having not been blessed with any brothers, let's just say that from taking care of animals, fixing fence and broken down cars, I knew fairly young that I could do hard things, really hard things. Money never seemed to be in abundance, so we either figured it out, or lived without. I prefer the first option to the latter which is why I can generally find a solution to most home repairs.

I like a good challenge. Constantly considering, "what if we could" or "what if we did". I can remember questioning why my school did not host a dance after the homecoming football game. When I inquired to the principle, he said, get enough signatures from students and you can have a dance. Well, I am sure you know the ending to that story. I sat in the hall at lunch for a week, gathered the needed signatures, and had a dance in the middle school gym with my dad as the DJ. I was elected student body President the following year. If you can dream it, and are willing to work for it, good things will follow.

I met my husband when I was 19, got engaged a month later, married 2 months after that. We are a perfect fit for each other, having endured 16 moves, numerous career shifts, and have had the blessing of raising four amazing children. We have lived in UT, TX, TN, PA, and now call Idaho our Idahome.

I can remember my mother making me a red dress in the 3rd grade so that I could perform a Barry Manilow song for the talent show. I won a dozen cookies and you would have thought it was a million dollars. It wasn't the cookies, it was the flowing red dress. In that moment I knew there was a passion inside me to learn to sew, and by the time I turned 16, I was designing and sewing fancy formals. Entrepreneurial by nature, I sewed for profit as we journeyed across the country, sewing everything from drapes to dresses with a few couches in between, all the while, dreaming of owning my own business with chandeliers and velvet stairs.

In 2007, we left the corporate ride and moved across the country from Pennsylvania to rural Idaho. I had found a business online, the Sweetheart Manor, a wedding venue that was in dire need of a makeover out of the 70's. It was a perfect fit for me as a professional wedding planner and event organizer and I hung several chandeliers. As amazing as the weddings were, my passion for fancy dresses led to opening Formalicity, a prom, bridal, and tuxedo retail store a few miles down the road. Those eight years were filled with wild adventures and countless wedding stories that could one day grace the pages of a bestselling novel (behind the scenes of a wedding planner). Selling both businesses in 2015, we relocated to Meridian, where I once again reinvented myself in a new market.

In 2017, I became the first CEO of the Idaho Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, then less than 2 years later became the CEO of the Hispanic Foundation launching two Idaho Women's Business Centers followed by the Idaho Connect Community Navigator Pilot Program, both programs of the US Small Business Administration. From 2019-2023, I secured just under seven million dollars in federal and nonfederal grants for the programs.

When it comes to writing grants, I am an unlikely success story. As a wedding planner, you become skilled at envisioning the entire ceremony, from beginning to end. In bride consultations, you ensure every aspect is carefully considered—the seating arrangements for guests, the procession down the aisle, the appetizers and desserts to be enjoyed, and the perfect song for the first dance. Writing a compelling grant follows a similar pattern. I visualize each element in my mind, the people, the mission, the process, and the grant begins to take shape like an enticing movie trailer. I have created numerous nonprofits and believe in the impact they can provide. I now find much joy in helping others who have a "Passion to Nonprofit" in creating their first 501(c)(3), coaching them along the way with education, and grant assistance.

Over the years, I have been blessed with numerous awards and accolades, which I deeply appreciate. However, my true passion lies in opening doors for women who have historically been left behind. I have witnessed the value of giving up my seat for another.  When focusing on the doors one can unlock for others to walk in, it is a joy felt like no other.

After witnessing the positive impact of my work in Idaho for the last fourteen years, I decided to embark on a new endeavor—creating Passion to Nonprofit, the National Women's Business Center Network (NWBCN) and the NWBCN Foundation, 501(c)(3).  I am devoted to reshaping the narrative for all women.

I am a dreamer and a strategic collaborator.

I extend an invitation for you to join me in our mission:

 "Assisting the Inspired."

Diane Bevan, CEO/Founder