Adding capacity to important development work

Adding capacity to important development work

Senior-level fundraising expertise is essential for nonprofits that want to strengthen their work, broaden support, or take an important next step. But not every organization needs, or can afford, a full-time senior development staff member. That is where a development project specialist can help: an experienced professional who works with your organization on a part-time or project basis, bringing practical expertise without the cost of a full-time salary.

Senior-level fundraising expertise is essential for nonprofits that want to strengthen their work, broaden support, or take an important next step. But not every organization needs, or can afford, a full-time senior development staff member. That is where a development project specialist can help: an experienced professional who works with your organization on a part-time or project basis, bringing practical expertise without the cost of a full-time salary.

Discuss Your Project

Discuss Your Project

A consultant brainstorming with a manager

Why important work stalls

Important development work often stalls not because the need is unclear, but because the organization is already stretched thin.

Familiar ways of working can remain in place long after they have stopped producing the results the mission requires. A mailing goes out because it always has. A donor list is used because it is the list at hand. A promising idea is discussed more than once, but no one has the time to define the next steps, gather the right information, or keep the work moving.

In many organizations, leadership knows what needs attention. What is missing is not commitment. It is the time, structure, language, and follow-through needed to turn a concern or opportunity into practical action.

That is where experienced project support can help.

Ways I can support your organization

Nonprofits like yours do vital work in areas such as hunger, housing stability, education, youth development, elder care, animal welfare, arts and culture, libraries, and community life. For many mission-driven organizations, future support must come from people who believe in the work, even if they have not benefited from it directly. That makes clear language, thoughtful prospect development, and consistent follow-through essential.

✓ Maybe you want to strengthen donor engagement through stewardship initiatives.

✓ Maybe you want to communicate your impact more clearly to supporters.

✓ Maybe your annual appeal needs planning, language, mailing coordination, and follow-up.

✓ Maybe a promising initiative needs structure, timing, and steady attention.

✓ Maybe your board members want to learn how to be better participants in mission delivery.

✓ Maybe you need help coordinating special meetings and communications.

As a development project specialist, I help move important work forward with the level of experience — and the number of hours — your organization needs.

A man looking at a board

Fundraising Lesson: Margaret is not only raising money — with the second free glass of lemonade, she is beginning to build a list of people who may care about Polly’s Cat Shelter.

Ways I can support your organization

Nonprofits like yours do vital work in areas such as hunger, housing stability, education, youth development, elder care, animal welfare, arts and culture, libraries, and community life. For many mission-driven organizations, future support must come from people who believe in the work, even if they have not benefited from it directly. That makes clear language, thoughtful prospect development, and consistent follow-through essential.

✓ Maybe you want to strengthen donor engagement through stewardship initiatives.

✓ Maybe you want to communicate your impact more clearly to supporters.

✓ Maybe your annual appeal needs planning, language, mailing coordination, and follow-up.

✓ Maybe a promising initiative needs structure, timing, and steady attention.

✓ Maybe your board members want to learn how to be better participants in mission delivery.

✓ Maybe you need help coordinating special meetings and communications.

As a development project specialist, I help move important work forward with the level of experience — and the number of hours — your organization needs.

A man looking at a board

Fundraising Lesson: Margaret is not only raising money — with the second free glass of lemonade, she is beginning to build a list of people who may care about Polly’s Cat Shelter.

Ways I can support your organization

Nonprofits like yours do vital work in areas such as hunger, housing stability, education, youth development, elder care, animal welfare, arts and culture, libraries, and community life. For many mission-driven organizations, future support must come from people who believe in the work, even if they have not benefited from it directly. That makes clear language, thoughtful prospect development, and consistent follow-through essential.

✓ Maybe you want to strengthen donor engagement through stewardship initiatives.

✓ Maybe you want to communicate your impact more clearly to supporters.

✓ Maybe your annual appeal needs planning, language, mailing coordination, and follow-up.

✓ Maybe a promising initiative needs structure, timing, and steady attention.

✓ Maybe your board members want to learn how to be better participants in mission delivery.

✓ Maybe you need help coordinating special meetings and communications.

As a development project specialist, I help move important work forward with the level of experience — and the number of hours — your organization needs.

A man looking at a board

Fundraising Lesson: Margaret is not only raising money — with the second free glass of lemonade, she is beginning to build a list of people who may care about Polly’s Cat Shelter.

How We Get Started

Initial Conversation

We discuss your organization, goals, and the issue or opportunity you want to address. From there, we define the likely scope of work and the next practical step.

For a Simpler Beginning

Sometimes the immediate need is getting an appeal mailed, organizing donor information, preparing materials for a meeting, or helping a project get unstuck.

For a Larger Project

I review current programs and revenue model, case statement and communications, project objectives, and project participants. The result is a work plan that establishes the process, timeframe, and budget.

Progress Assessment

We review progress in planned or ad hoc meetings, make agreed-upon adjustments, and keep the work moving.

Initial Conversation

We discuss your organization, your goals, and the issue or opportunity you want to address. From there, we define the likely scope of work and the next practical step.

For a simpler beginning

Sometimes the immediate need is more direct: getting an appeal mailed, organizing donor information, preparing materials for a meeting, or helping a project get unstuck. We can begin there and then decide what additional work is needed.

For a larger project

I review the current programs and revenue model, case statement and communications, project objectives, and project participants. The result is a work plan that establishes the process, time frame, and budget.

Progress assessment

We review progress in planned or ad hoc meetings, make agreed-upon adjustments, and keep the work moving.

Let's Discuss Your Project

Let's Discuss Your Project

Working Together

If our conversation points to a need beyond the support I provide, I will say so clearly and, when possible, suggest colleagues or other resources that may be a better fit.

Fees Vary

Working Together

If our conversation points to a need beyond the support I provide, I will say so clearly and, when possible, suggest colleagues or other resources that may be a better fit.

Fees Vary

Working Together

If our conversation points to a need beyond the support I provide, I will say so clearly and, when possible, suggest colleagues or other resources that may be a better fit.

Fees Vary

Working Together

If our conversation points to a need beyond the support I provide, I will say so clearly and, when possible, suggest colleagues or other resources that may be a better fit.

Fees Vary

Where Experience Was Built

Maureen’s experience has been shaped over more than 30 years in nonprofit, educational, cultural, and community-based settings, including:

• Our Neighbors' Table Food Pantry

• Historic New England

• Preservation Society of Newport County

• Greater Worcester Community Foundation

• Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education

• Cambridge Public Libraries

• Gay-Lesbian Advocates-Defenders

• Humanist Chaplaincy at Harvard

• Harvard University, Kennedy School

• University of Pennsylvania, Wharton School

More than 30 years immersed in nonprofit organizations

More than 30 years immersed in nonprofit organizations

Maureen George

Practical, collaborative support when additional capacity is needed.

My work has included fundraising campaigns, donor stewardship, grant management, board support, program evaluation, communications, and special projects. I have worked in education, libraries, arts and culture, and community-based services.

Today, I help nonprofits add experienced development capacity when important work needs to move forward and existing staff are already stretched.

Where Experience Was Built

Maureen’s experience has been shaped over more than 30 years in nonprofit, educational, cultural, and community-based settings, including:

Our Neighbors' Table Food Pantry

Historic New England

Preservation Society of Newport County

Greater Worcester Community Foundation

Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education

Cambridge Public Libraries

Gay-Lesbian Advocates-Defenders

Humanist Chaplaincy at Harvard

Harvard University, Kennedy School

University of Pennsylvania, Wharton School

Let's discuss your goals

Let's discuss your goals

Whether you need support for a specific initiative, additional project capacity, or help moving an important priority forward, I'd welcome the opportunity to learn more about your organization and its goals.

A conversation about your priorities

Practical ideas and potential next steps

An opportunity to determine whether we're a good fit