About Us

Founder of MDC

Tessa Chandler

“You can work hard, innovate, and deliver real results, yet still see your funding stall. Without structure and compliance, ROI fades and great ideas lose momentum.”

Experience Matters.

Service areas that result in increased ROI’s, funding & renewals.

Meet Mule Deer

Smart Strategy, Real People, Results That Last

Investment Research Strategist

Specialist in Portfolio Discovery, Risk Alignment, and Funding Strategy
Supports funders and investors in identifying viable opportunities and evaluating early-stage proposals. Ensures every investment aligns with mission, compliance requirements, and long-term return potential. Provides the insights behind confident funding decisions.

Compliance & Accountability Specialist

Expert in Oversight, Audit Preparation, and Post-Award Performance
Protects your portfolio by verifying that funded organizations stay aligned with grant, contract, or regulatory standards. Tracks deliverables, monitors expenditures, and builds the documentation that prevents clawbacks and strengthens ROI.

Systems & Infrastructure Consultant

Architect of Digital Oversight Systems
Designs the digital backbone that keeps your portfolio organized and transparent. Implements dashboards, document control systems, and audit-ready data frameworks so funders can monitor performance in real time and sustain trust across every investment.

Case Studies & Impact

Real stories, real results. Click a title to see how Mule Deer helps organizations thrive.

Explore real examples of how Mule Deer Consulting has helped clients strengthen compliance, protect investments, and increase ROI through strategic systems design, funding oversight, and operational accountability.

TBCP Broadband Initiative – Budget Alignment & Operational Review

Scope: Quarterly spend analysis with salary/fringe corrections
Key Strength: Identification and correction of salary underfunding across a 16-quarter project runway with proper funding code transfers and expense reconciliation.
Impact: Improved budget compliance and funder confidence through transparent, audit-ready documentation.

Karuk Tribe – Compliance Workflow Modernization

Scope: Tribal department policy alignment and post-award process mapping
Key Strength: Introduced metadata strategies, grant folder templates, and audit readiness plans with tailored training modules.
Impact: Centralized grant documentation across departments and improved single-audit outcomes.

Wildfire Animal Rescue Operations – Grant Lifecycle Buildout

Scope: Designed and submitted multiple emergency response grants; coordinated reporting and renewal calendars
Key Strength: Funded mobile command center, staff salaries, and evacuation equipment
Outcome: $200K secured in 18 months; enabled sustained operational continuity and rapid response capacity.

Janesville Rescue Farm – Nonprofit Strategy & Grant Acquisition

Scope: End-to-end grant acquisition and funder compliance support
Key Strength: Developed logic model and reporting framework that sustained three years of continuous funding
Impact: $120K secured; post-award tracking templates reduced audit preparation time by 60%.

Repository Training – Maturity Model & Grant Archiving

Scope: Developed and delivered digital asset management training (SharePoint, Drive, DAM systems)
Key Strength: Metadata tagging, standardized template libraries, audit-ready documentation
Outcome: Improved compliance file retrieval and record lifecycle consistency.

Tribal Law Enforcement Agency Proposal – Susanville Indian Rancheria

Scope: Designed proposal for a sovereign, community-led law enforcement agency
Key Strength: Integrated DOJ CTAS, BIA, and MMIP funding pathways with compliance frameworks
Impact: Positioned the tribe for multi-source federal and state funding to improve safety and sovereignty.

CPF Infrastructure Compliance Review – Capital Project Fund

Scope: Reviewed broadband and infrastructure project workflows for federal compliance
Key Strength: Alignment with U.S. Treasury and NTIA reporting requirements
Impact: Reduced risk of disallowance and enhanced funder trust through documented audit readiness.

PopStock Program – Public Safety & Program Sustainability Grant

Scope: Developed multi-year budget framework and KPI dashboard for grant reporting
Key Strength: Blended operational, compliance, and performance tracking in one unified system
Outcome: Increased funder retention and measurable ROI through transparent performance metrics.

Grant Compliance Workflow – Audit Modernization System

Scope: Mapped grant compliance workflows and built SOP library for post-award activities
Key Strength: Automated reporting cycles and metadata controls
Impact: Reduced manual reporting labor by 40% and increased audit pass rates.

Maturity Model Audit – Workflow & Data Compliance

Scope: Evaluated departmental maturity levels across data handling, documentation, and compliance
Key Strength: Created phased roadmap from ad hoc processes to optimized automation
Outcome: Standardized workflows, enforced data policies, and increased ROI through efficiency gains.

Police Force Proposal – Tribal Law Enforcement Funding Package

Scope: Coordinated proposal to establish a fully funded tribal law enforcement agency
Key Strength: Integrated DOJ CTAS, TRGP-TA, and BIA funding tracks
Impact: Strengthened sovereign law enforcement readiness and interagency compliance.

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