FAQ's
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These questions are frequently asked by nonprofit leaders at different stages of the work: some know exactly what they need, some are just beginning to name it. Either way, the answers here are meant to help you understand how I work, whether we're a fit, and sometimes, to help you see your own organization's needs more clearly.
If something sparks a question of its own, that's what the Pick My Brain session is for.
About Working With Me
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Who is this work best suited for?
This work is for nonprofit leaders who are ready to step into their full potential — as leaders and as organizations. Whether you're trying to grow sustainably, clarify your vision, or build the funding infrastructure that finally matches your mission, what we're doing together is bigger than fundraising. It's about building the kind of organization you set out to create, and the kind of leader you already are becoming.
Who are your "typcial" clients?
My clients are typically executive directors, board chairs, or founding teams who sense that their current funding model is fragile — and who want a thought partner, not just a vendor. If you're looking for someone to run your gala or manage a direct mail list, I'm probably not your person. If you're ready to rethink how your organization generates resources, we should have a visit.
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What does "fundraising consultant" actually mean in your practice?
In my practice, it means I help organizations and leaders build the infrastructure, relationships, and internal capacity to fund their mission over the long term. I'm not usually executing campaigns on your behalf — I'm working alongside your leadership to strengthen what already exists and fill in what's missing. That includes revenue strategy, board development, staff training, fractional leadership, and identifying funding pathways that most organizations overlook.
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Do you work with small or newer nonprofits?
Yes, and I find this work especially meaningful. Starting off with the right guidance matters. Early-stage organizations often have more flexibility to build healthy funding structures from the start rather than inheriting broken ones. That said, the engagement looks different for a two-year-old organization than it does for a mature one celebrating its twentieth anniversary. We'd start by looking at where you are in your lifecycle and what kind of support makes the most sense right now.
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How is working with you different from hiring a grant writer?
A grant writer is focused on one funding channel. My work is broader — it starts with understanding your full revenue picture, identifying where resources are leaking, and building a strategy that doesn't depend on any single funder or funding type. Grant writing may well be part of the plan, but it's never the whole plan. Most organizations are sitting on funding opportunities they haven't recognized yet, and that's where I tend to focus first.
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Revenue & funding strategy
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What is Revenue Leakage and how do I know if it's affecting my organization?
Revenue leakage is what happens when an organization is generating interest, goodwill, and even donor intention -- but failing to convert those into actual gifts. It shows up as lapsed donors who were never re-engaged, events that bring people close but don't have a cultivation follow-up, or a major gift prospect who sat in your database for years without a meaningful ask. Most organizations I work with have more leakage than they realize. A good place to start is simply asking: what happened to the donors who gave once and never again?
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Why do you focus so much on noncash assets and planned giving?
Because that's where most of the wealth actually is. Research by Dr. Russell James at Texas Tech shows that 97 to 99 percent of American family wealth is held in noncash assets — things like real estate, stock, usiness interests, and retirement accounts. Most nonprofits are only asking for what's in someone's checking account. Expanding the conversation to include other asset types opens doors that cash-only fundraising never will, and it tends to deepen donor relationships significantly in the process.
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What do you mean by diversifying revenue? Isn't grants and donations enough?
For some organizations, it might be, but only for a season. Reliance on a narrow funding base is one of the most common reasons nonprofits struggle to scale or survive a leadership transition. Diversified revenue means building a mix of earned income, individual giving, planned gifts, noncash contributions, and where appropriate, government or foundation support. The goal isn't complexity for its own sake. It's resilience — so that when one stream slows down, the whole organization doesn't hold its breath.
engaging my services
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What does a typical engagement with you look like?
There's no single template, because the starting point is always different. Some clients come to me with a specific problem — a capital campaign on the horizon, a board that isn't engaging in fundraising, a revenue plateau they can't explain. Others come with a broader sense that something needs to change. We start with a diagnostic conversation, and from there I'll recommend the level of engagement that fits the need. That might be a focused project, an ongoing advisory relationship, coaching, or a combination of learning and strategy work through one of my group programs.
What are the Collectives and who are they for?
The Collectives are small peer cohorts for nonprofit leaders who want both learning and community. Current cohorts include Animal Impact, Women in Leadership, and Funding Readiness. They're structured around shared challenges, and they move at a pace that respects that everyone in the room is already running a full-time operation. If you want to grow alongside peers rather than just receive advice, a Collective might be the right fit.
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What is a Pick My Brain session?
It's exactly what it sounds like — a focused, one-time conversation where you bring your most pressing question and we work through it together. No retainer, no long-term commitment. It's a good fit if you're at a decision point and want an experienced outside perspective before you move forward. You can book directly here.
ABOUT ME AND MY PHILOSOPHY
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What is your philosophy around philanthropy?
I believe philanthropy, at its best, is a practice of mutual flourishing — not a transaction between the wealthy and the deserving. Much of what passes for the nonprofit sector right now is built on extractive structures that exhaust staff, limit impact, and keep organizations in a cycle of scarcity. My work is oriented toward something different: building funding ecosystems that are sustainable, dignified, and aligned with the mission they're meant to serve. That's what I mean when I talk about regenerative philanthropy.
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How much experience do you have, and what kind of organizations have you worked with?
I've spent more than thirty years in the nonprofit sector, and over that time I've helped raise more than $100 million for mission-driven organizations. My experience spans a wide range of cause areas and organizational sizes -- from emerging nonprofits finding their footing to established institutions managing complex campaigns. What stays consistent is the work: building the people, systems, and strategies that make sustainable fundraising possible.
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Do you work with nonprofits outside California?
Yes. While I'm based in San Diego, California, I travel and work with organizations across the country and internationally. Most of my consulting happens virtually, and I've found that the most important factors for a good working relationship have nothing to do with geography.
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HAVE A QUESTION I DIDN'T ANSWER?
​If you have a question not answered here, please reach out and ask.
Email or request a Pick My Brain Session.​
AVAILABLE NOW!
nonprofit lifecycle toolkit book
Limited Founder's Working Edition of the Nonprofit Lifecycle Toolkit
The Nonprofit Lifecycle Toolkit book is a core resource that sets the foundation for nonprofit leaders navigating growth, change, and organizational alignment.
Built around Sheree Cannon’s proprietary Lifecycle framework, this practical guide helps leaders identify their organization’s true stage of development and understand what is needed for sustainable growth and long-term success.
The book deepens the work explored through the Core Membership, Lifecycle tools, Strategy Papers, Peer Groups, and community learning experience.