Our Services

Advancement Expert’s Organizational Assessment & Alignment process is designed to take a nonprofit’s senior leadership team through an organizational audit focused on identifying its readiness to deliver a higher level of social impact while maximizing sustainable philanthropic revenues.

At some point, most nonprofit organizations will experience a misalignment in their organization that affects mission delivery, operational functionality, and/or fundraising effectiveness. Some symptoms of misalignment include disengaged Boards, lack of shared vision among Board and Staff leaders, outdated governance policies and procedures, inefficient staffing structures, mission drift, and low-performing fundraising efforts.

Our Assessment & Alignment process is customized to each nonprofit as their unique history, culture, and leadership determine organizational health.

Service Area Expertise: 

• Governance Structure & Implementation

• Mission, Vision, and Core Values Alignment

• Organizational Structure & Operations

• Organizational Policies & Procedures

• Advancement Audit and Planning

Examples of Service Area Deliverables:

• Recommendations on modifications to By-laws, with a focus on alignment with desired governance structure and policies

• Identified gaps in organizational policies and procedures and recommendations on how to address them

• Customized policies and procedures documents

• Creation and/or refresh of mission, vision, and core values statements

• Recommendations on aligning organizational structure with desired operating activities

• Strategies for increasing fundraising results through enhanced and new advancement strategies and planning

Advancement Experts utilizes an integrative advancement assessment and planning model focused on brand development and diversification to create sustainable philanthropic revenue. Our team utilizes their years of experience in fundraising and executive management to help nonprofits expand their marketing, communications, and fundraising programs to realize reliable, predictable, and sustainable sources of funding.

Service Area Expertise:

• Annual Fund Planning

• Major Gift Program Development and Implementation. 

• Corporate and Foundation Giving

• Planned Giving

• Organizational Case for Support Development

Examples of Service Area Deliverables:

• Multi-channel Annual Fund Plan

• Tier-based Fundraising Strategy Model ®

• Major Gift program development and implementation focused on giving analytics, systematic relationship development, and stewardship

• Relationship-based corporate and foundation strategies

• Planned giving programs predicated on customized marketing and cultivation strategies

• Organizational Case for Support development that attracts transformational support

Advancement Experts helps organizations plan and implement comprehensive campaigns that respond to community needs.  We start with visioning for what will be different once the campaign is complete and take nonprofits through an assessment of their readiness to execute a campaign.

Throughout campaign execution, we monitor the campaign timeline and benchmarks.  Our purpose is to help organizations reach and exceed their fundraising goals so that they can impact more people through their programs and services.

Service Area Expertise: 

• Initial Campaign Planning

• Feasibility Study Design and Implementation

• Campaign Implementation Planning 

• Campaign Implementation

Examples of Service Area Deliverables:

• Defined campaign components and goals

• Campaign Case for Support

• Chart of Gifts with identification of prospects at each level

• Trend analysis of giving history to determine feasibility

• Developed policies, procedures, naming opportunities, and gift standards needed for the campaign

• Campaign Cabinet Leadership identification, development,

• Comprehensive donor identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies at all levels of campaign giving

• Campaign Plan development

• Assessment of staffing and resourcing needed to support a campaign

• Campaign materials development

• Campaign implementation coaching

Throughout campaign execution, we monitor the campaign timeline and benchmarks.  Our purpose is to help organizations reach and exceed their fundraising goals so that they can impact more people through their programs and services.

Advancement Experts believes that an organization’s mission, vision, and core values should drive the culture and strategy of the organization. This belief is reflected in the two foundational elements of our proprietary strategic planning process, the Guiding Path, and the Driving Path. The Guiding Path is tied to organizational culture and the Driving Path is grounded in strategy and action. As organizations align their culture and strategies through a Vision-based Strategic Plan, it becomes easier to strategically scale social impact

Step One: Alignment of the organization’s Vision, Mission, and Core Values

• Organizational Vision

• Organizational Mission

• Organizational Core Values

Step Two: Engage in a Vision Based Strategic Planning process that aligns with the organization’s Mission, Vision, and Core Values

• Strategic Plan Vision

• Foundational Pillars

• Strategic Priorities

• Objectives and Key Results (OKRs)

 Step Three: Implement the Vision-Based Strategic Plan and measure progress

• Vision-based Strategic Plan implementation and monitoring

Examples of Service Area Deliverables:

• Review and/or development of Vision, Mission, and Core Values aligned with the organization’s programs, services, and client base

• Vision-based Strategic Plan with a focus on realistic and measurable goals regardless of size or capacity of organization

• Sustainable social impact growth plan

• Layered accountability of the plan through organizational staff leadership

Investing in the development and growth of your Board of Directors, aligned with your nonprofit’s Vision, Mission, and Core Values will result in more engaged Board members and a shared vision with staff leadership. Establishing a strong “Culture of Philanthropy” begins with leadership from both Board and Executive Staff. By focusing on the development of your Board of Directors collectively and individually, you will ensure a higher probability of intentionally driving the culture, vision, mission, and core values of your organization.

Service Area Expertise:

• Board Audit & Assessment

• Customized Trainings

• Board Advances

• Coaching and Action Planning

• Development of Governance Tools and Templates

• Executive Development and Coaching

Examples of Service Area Deliverables:

• Alignment of organizational governance with Articles and By-laws

• Development and implementation of a Gold Standard Board

• Creation and delivery of customized Board trainings

• Customized coaching and training

• Leadership coaching for senior leadership team

The Everything DISC assessment provides work teams with the social and emotional know-how for more effective interactions. Our certified Everything Disc trainers help you learn more about the workstyles of you and your team and create a work culture that inspires performance and impact.

We customize the Everything DISC program to meet your needs. It comes with an online assessment for each team member; a full report for each participant, the team leader, and the facilitator; and coaching for how to use the results to build a more cohesive team culture.

More information about the Everything DISC assessment and its benefits can be found here:

Everything DISC

In addition to our core consulting services, we have developed the following workshops and presentations that can be utilized with Board and/or staff members. 

These workshops and presentations can be customized to the specific situations and needs of a nonprofit and be utilized in various formats (e.g., Board Advances, Staff Meetings and Trainings, Continuing Education Sessions, etc.).

Examples Include: 

• Building a Culture of Philanthropy

• Major Gift Fundraising Management and Success

• Aligning your Organization for Optimal Impact

• Creating a Common Language for your Volunteers and Staff

• Planned Giving Basics

• Building Your Base of Support – Annual Fundraising Strategies

• Tier-based Fundraising Strategies

• Purpose Driven Boards

• Case for Support and Fundraising

When the development leader transitions out of an organization, Advancement Experts can step in as Interim Chief Development Officer until a new leader is hired.  This ensures that fundraising continues without pause or delay and that the staff has direction, guidance, and reassurance to remain positive and productive during the transitionary time.