Monthly Advisory Retainer | 3–6 Month Minimum Engagement

Who Is it For: 

This coaching partnership supports executive directors and development leaders managing fundraising alongside other responsibilities. We collaborate to build a realistic fundraising plan, strengthen donor strategy and outreach, and implement simple systems for more consistent, confident fundraising.

You might be ready if: 

• Fundraising feels reactive and driven by deadlines rather than a clear plan. 

• You rely on a small number of funders and want to build a more diverse, sustainable base of support.

• Your executive director or development lead would benefit from a strategic partner who brings experience, accountability, and perspective.

What's Included

• Biweekly virtual coaching sessions with your executive director and/or development lead.

• Email support between sessions.

• Shared tools such as fundraising plan templates, donor pipeline trackers, and activity dashboards.

• End-of-engagement deliverables, which may include a written fundraising strategy, an annual calendar, and a capacity-building roadmap.

Defined Project | 8–10 Weeks

A focused engagement to step back from day-to-day urgency and design a clear revenue strategy. We assess your current fundraising, clarify your case for support, set priorities, and map out a practical 12–24 month fundraising roadmap aligned with your programs and capacity. This is the right starting point if you want to see how we work together before committing to a longer engagement.

You might be ready if: 

• You have been fundraising by instinct and need a written strategy.

• You want to identify and prioritize your top prospective donors or funding partners.

• Your board is not yet engaged in fundraising and you want a clearer path forward.

What’s Included: 

• Discovery sessions with leadership, development staff, and, where appropriate, board members.

• Review of current revenue streams, donor data, and fundraising materials.

• A concise fundraising strategy and calendar.

• A prioritized prospect list with research profiles.

• Outreach coaching and a board engagement plan for fundraising.

• A post-engagement check-in call.

Monthly Embedded Leadership Retainer | 10–15 Hours/Week | 6–12 Month Minimum Engagement

This embedded leadership partnership is for nonprofits that need hands-on fundraising implementation, not just strategy. It is designed for organizations without a full-time development leader or for executive directors who handle fundraising alongside many other responsibilities and need a seasoned partner in daily operations.

You might be ready if:

You have a fundraising plan, but struggle to consistently execute outreach, follow-up, and relationship-building.

You are in a transition period such as a leadership change, growth phase, or capital initiative and need interim fundraising leadership to stabilize and strengthen your revenue.

You want senior-level fundraising capacity, but are not ready to hire a full-time development director.

What’s included

Ongoing fractional fundraising leadership embedded 10–15 hours per week in your organization’s development work.

Weekly working sessions focused on donor outreach, proposal development, prospect follow-up, and revenue forecasting.

Support strengthening systems like donor pipelines, stewardship processes, and simple activity dashboards to track progress over time.

Strategic guidance on board and leadership engagement in fundraising, including meeting preparation, talking points, and follow-up plans.

Coordination with your existing staff, consultants, and partners to keep fundraising activities aligned, efficient, and grounded in your organizational goals.

Light-Touch Monthly Advisory Retainer | 2 Hours/Month | 3–6 Month Minimum Engagement

This light-touch advisory partnership is for nonprofit leaders who want a trusted thought partner and practical fundraising guidance without full coaching or embedded engagement. It is ideal if you are comfortable leading fundraising but want regular strategic check-ins, quick input on decisions, and simple tools to stay focused.

You might be ready if:

You mostly have a plan, but want periodic outside perspective on opportunities, risks, and priorities.

You are navigating specific fundraising questions (prospect strategy, case for support, board engagement) and prefer concise, focused guidance each month.

You want a structured way to stay accountable to your fundraising goals while keeping the time commitment manageable.

What’s included

One 2-hour advisory call per month focused on your most pressing fundraising questions, decisions, and opportunities.

Email support between calls for quick feedback on donor outreach, proposals, and time-sensitive decisions.

A simple shared dashboard to track key fundraising activities, prospect movement, and next steps so you can see progress at a glance.

Defined Project | 2 Individual Sessions | Curated Reading | 2–3 weeks | 

This focused sprint helps you move from indecision to a clear next set of grants—without a major time commitment. The Giving Jumpstart is for these situations: it offers a quick, simple way to turn intention into action without requiring much time.

You might be ready if: 

• You care deeply about the world, but when someone asks about your priorities, you are not sure how to answer.

• You might not think of yourself as a "philanthropist," even though you have the resources and the wish to make a real difference.

• You want to move forward without spending much time on research. You want a way to quickly move from feeling unsure to knowing where your next grants should go.

What’s Included: 

• Two focused 1:1 sessions to clarify your interests, giving history, and current challenge—then build a starter plan.

• A short curated packet of readings/frameworks between sessions.

• A one-page giving focus statement + shortlist of recommended nonprofits (plus two weeks of email support).

For clients who want to go further — a fuller values exploration, a multi-year plan, or ongoing due-diligence support — the Giving Jumpstart lays natural groundwork for the Giving Clarity Blueprint or Ongoing Advisory relationship.

Defined Project | 6–8 Weeks

This focused advisory engagement supports donors and families seeking a more intentional, values-aligned approach to giving. We clarify your priorities, assess alignment in your current giving, and create a practical framework for confident, purposeful philanthropic decisions.

You might be ready if: 

• You give each year generously, but want a more coherent strategy than one-off requests and reactive decisions.

• You are new to structured philanthropy and want to build thoughtful giving habits from the beginning.

• You want stronger due diligence and clearer priorities without overcomplicating the process.

• You want family philanthropy to feel more grounded, collaborative, and meaningful.

What’s Included: 

• 2-3 deep-dive conversations to clarify your values, giving history, and goals.

• Research on priority issue areas and opportunities aligned with your interests.

• A curated portfolio of vetted organizations, projects, and practitioners aligned with your giving criteria.

• A written giving framework to guide future decisions.

For many clients, this engagement becomes the foundation for longer-term advisory support as new opportunities, questions, and relationships emerge over time.

Monthly Retainer | 6-Month Minimum Engagement

This long-term advisory partnership supports donor families and family offices seeking a trusted partner to guide disciplined, responsive, and thoughtful giving. We assist with both strategy development and ongoing implementation through real decisions, relationships, and learning.

This partnership might be right for you if:

• You have a giving strategy and need support with execution, refinement, and follow-through.

• You are increasing your giving, and you need assistance evaluating new opportunities and conducting due diligence.

• You want to build stronger relationships with grantees and enhance the impact of your giving over time.

• A new generation is joining, and you need support to foster meaningful participation and alignment.

What's Included in the Base Advisory:

• Two advisory sessions per month.

• Email support between sessions for grant decisions, due diligence questions, and time-sensitive opportunities.

• Quarterly review of your giving portfolio, progress, and learning.

• Annual refresh of your giving priorities and philanthropic plan.

• Introductions to vetted nonprofit organizations aligned with your goals and focus areas, when appropriate.