Services

Consulting

In 2013, the nonprofit sector as a whole raised concerns about the challenges
facing fundraising and fundraisers in the CompassPoint / Evelyn and Walter Haas
Fund research study, “UnderDeveloped.” The study concluded that having a skilled
development director is not enough. Organizations and their leaders must build the
capacity, the systems and the culture to support fundraising success, and Linda’s
assessment emphasizes the organization’s readiness to build that capacity, system and
culture.

Screening, hiring and on-boarding new staff

Occasionally, as part of the Fund Development Office Assessment or as a result of it, Linda is asked to help recruit, screen and hire new staff for the Development Office. The definition of staff roles and responsibilities follows from the assessment and forms the basis for recruitment and screening. Linda prepares an Interview Guide and Competency Profile in collaboration with her client, and, then, provides finalists for the client’s consideration. After hiring is completed, Linda often provides on-boarding assistance and on-going coaching.

Strategic Planning

Begin with the end in mind. Begin with an open mind. And begin with the understanding that strategic planning will be enjoyable with Linda as its facilitator. Linda’s process is inclusive and interactive – but not burdensome. Using the client’s internal data as well as one-on-one interviews, focus groups and surveys, Linda gathers information to help her client reframe its questions and see new possibilities. As she and her client work through the planning process, Linda ensures that the strategies are both aspirational and pragmatic and that the resulting plan is a living document.

Sustainability planning, succession planning and/or board development often emerge as
strategic themes during the process.

Sustainability Planning

If a nonprofit is going to deliver on its promise to the community, it must be sustainable. To become sustainable the organization must be willing to confront rigorously a few essential, interdependent questions:

• For which results will we hold ourselves accountable? What impact do we intend to have?
• How will we achieve these results?
• What will these results really cost, and how can we fund them?
• How do we build an organization that will deliver these results?

During sustainability planning, Linda leads her clients through a process that yields answers to these questions and creates a plan based on the answers. And, as always, she ensures that the strategies are practical – leading to early successes.

Succession Planning

Succession planning is part of risk mitigation for all nonprofit organizations. Yet, it is rarely done due to stretched capacity. Linda leads the board and staff through steps to create emergency and planned succession plans for board and staff leadership positions. Particularly, when the executive director is planning to leave/retire, Linda’s consulting can help the organization to view the situation as an exciting opportunity rather than a frightening upheaval.

Board Development

Boards and Board members are often the least maximized asset in a nonprofit. Linda works with the Board, its leadership and committees as well as staff leadership to remedy that situation and to ensure that Board members are energized and satisfied by their Board work. One goal is to determine that the bylaws and board practices are capable of achieving the mission and producing the impact the organization promises to the community. Another goal is for the governance processes to provide for recruiting and retaining the very best board members and executive director.

Customized Coaching

Linda offers one-on-one and small group coaching packages to –

CEOs / Executive Directors
Staff leadership teams
Board Chair/CEO partnerships
Individual staff leaders, most often Development Directors
Individual organization departments, most often Development Offices
Board Executive Committees
Board Development Committees
Board Governance Committees

Workshops/Presentations

Workshops

The Asking Workshop
Creating a culture of asking in your organization.

Growing Your Community of Support
It’s not about the money.

Joy on Board
Is it possible to govern effectively and enjoy the work?

Presentations

Are We Making a Difference Yet? How will we know when we do? And who cares, anyway?
Using continual quality improvement tools in our nonprofit.

Delivering on Your Promise
What are the results you intend to deliver and the strategies and organization that you must create to deliver those results?

Collaboration May Be the Answer
Are the conditions right for successful collaboration?

I just wanted to tell you how awesome Friday was. You really did a great job. We came away thrilled and energized by the progress and the feeling in the room. A great experience. You are so terrific and trust me when I tell you I am seeing changes already. Thank you for being a ray of real sunshine. Working with you is always such a treat for me.Heather Filipowicz, former Director of Development, Planned Parenthood of WNY, and former Executive Director, WNY Women’s Foundation