Fundraising is strategy, judgment, and the art of turning relationships into results
I partner with nonprofits to raise more money by:
√ Sharpening strategy
√ Elevating messaging, and
√ Building sustainable relationships that leverage your existing assets for long-term success.
This can mean shaping a campaign, rethinking an event, guiding a board, or stepping in during a leadership transition. The goal is always the same—to help you move forward in a way that builds on your strengths while keeping your mission front and center.
30+ years. From the Inside.
30+ years. From the Inside.
For more than 30 years, I've worked alongside executive directors, board members, staff, and donors by helping organizations navigate growth, leadership transitions, fundraising challenges, and strategic decision making in the face of limited time, resources, and significant risks. Having served in the capacity as a staff member, consultant, board member and interim executive, I bring a clear point of view, steady guidance, and seasoned experience.
That range wasn't part of a plan—it started with a full-time job at a Chicago nonprofit and a habit of spending my off-hours helping other organizations, too. Turns out my interests are wide-ranging, and eventually something had to give. So I quit my day job and started my own shop—one built to hold all of it, and to put the relationships I'd developed across the Chicago nonprofit community to work for more than one organization at a time.
Organizations typically bring me in to:
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Mentor staff and emerging leaders.
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Assess campaign readiness and organizational positioning.
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Train boards and staff on fundraising and relationship building.
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Build sustainable fundraising strategies, including reviewing branding, messaging and pitches.
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Serve as an interim development or program leader.
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Guide campaign and anniversary planning.
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Strengthen board engagement and fundraising capacity.
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Create and grow revenue-generating events.
I am also the author of The Unseen Fundraiser: Lessons, Life and Laughs from a Small Shop Finesser, an essay collection for nonprofit leaders working in small organizations with limited resources and high expectations.
How We work Together
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We start with open, candid conversations with stakeholders to define the need and the vision, assess what's working, and identify where the strongest opportunities lie.
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After careful listening, I make recommendations that build on what's already in place.
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Then, we roll up our sleeves and dig deep. Sometimes it's time to advise and lead board conversations. Other times, it means leading a project or campaign during a time of transition. Or, it's time to write a case for support, plan an event, or build staff capacity. The goal is to move the organization forward with as few dollars as possible.
The right Fit
Every organization I work with deserves to have their needs met in a way that is grounded in reality and serves the organization for years to come.
Clients gain the best results with deadlines, check-ins, and well-defined outcomes. We start with a conversation, build trust, and move at a pace that pushes the organization towards reaching their goals.
The Unseen Fundraiser
An essay collection I wrote for nonprofit leaders, fundraisers, board members, and founders working in small organizations with limited resources and high expectations.
The book is also the starting point for Unseen Community Conversations, a traveling series of candid conversations about the realities of fundraising in small and mid-sized nonprofits. I'm creating spaces for these conversations to happen. I'm also available as a community speaker or to lead a conversation for a specific organization. If you'd like to be invited to an upcoming event, click on the link below to sign up.
Organizations I’ve worked With
