The development work has outgrown what the executive director can carry, but the budget can’t justify a senior hire at full salary.
Fractional fundraising solves that. On a monthly retainer, I become part of your team at the level your organization is ready for. Strategy gets set. Plans get written. Donors get moved. And your executive director gets to lead the organization again instead of running the appeal alone.
The model isn’t new, but the version that works depends entirely on who’s in the seat. Nine years of senior development leadership, a CFRE credential, and time inside hospice, recovery, and human-services nonprofits are what I bring to it.
The Work
What I do as part of your team.
Build the fundraising plan.
An annual plan with realistic goals, a calendar your team can hold, and the strategies behind each revenue line.
Lead major donor strategy.
Portfolio review, moves management, ask amounts, proposal strategy, and the next right step for every key donor relationship.
Strengthen donor retention.
Stewardship plans that keep first-time donors giving and longtime donors feeling known.
Run grant and sponsorship strategy.
A grants calendar, a prospect pipeline, and a clear plan for which funders to pursue, in what order, and why.
Coach the board.
Practical fundraising coaching for boards that want to help but aren’t sure how. Talking points, talking practice, and the structure to make it stick.
Support the staff you have.
If you have a development associate or generalist on staff, I work above them, not around them. Most leave the engagement stronger than they came in.
What To Expect
Why this model works.
Four reasons organizations choose to work this way.
01A senior leader without the senior salary.
The strategic judgment of a Director of Development or VP of Philanthropy, at a cost that fits a mid-sized nonprofit budget.
02No ramp-up, no hiring risk.
I come in knowing how nonprofit fundraising actually works, especially in hospice, recovery, and human services. There’s no first ninety days of figuring out the role.
03Flexible by month and by season.
Heavier hours around year-end, campaigns, and grant cycles. Lighter retainers in quieter months. The engagement flexes with your calendar.
04Accountability to outcomes.
We agree on what the engagement is meant to produce, and we measure against it. Stronger appeals, healthier retention, more confident asks, more dollars raised.
Who This Is For
- Executive directors carrying development on top of running the organization.
- Boards that need senior development leadership but aren’t ready to hire full time.
- Nonprofits in a season of growth, transition, or a campaign that has to land.