COEUR d'ALENE - Retirement has been a joy.

It has given Colleen Allison, former Kootenai County grant writer, plenty of time for leisurely reading, which she's taken up.

"I'm having a ball," said Allison, who stepped away from the county last year after 14 years of searching, applying and receiving around $50 million in grant money. "I'm able to do all the reading I want to."

But old habits - or in this case careers - die hard.

And between page-turners Allison is helping nonprofit organizations apply for grants - free of charge.

That's it. No catch. The agencies geared to help those who need aid can tap into Allison's expertise to help them land state or federal dollars.

"Now that I'm retired, I figured that was something I could do to help," she said. "I have to keep my mind working and I wanted to give back to the community that I've learned over the years to be very fond of.

"There's a lot of marvelous people here," she added. "Extremely giving people."

She has a business license though the city of Coeur d'Alene. The business is called "I'll Grant You ..."

Her track record speaks volumes - up to $50 million earned for the county.

But Allison's experience can help agencies not only apply for a grant, but train them where to look for one in the first place. Allison said she knows local nonprofits well, and can spot a grant that could be useful for another agency even while searching for a different grant for another agency.

Experience has also established tight relationships with grant offices in Washington, D.C.

"Tax money we send, it's only fair we get some of it back," she said.

Now 85, she has begun helping some nonprofits. Her home computer is her office.

"I enjoyed my job tremendously," she said. She said she'll slow down one day, and really get away from grant writing and bask in full-out retirement.

Just not now.

Info: callison103@live.com