Sarah J Consulting

Executive Directors, What happens to a nonprofit when its Development team turns over constantly?   Missed revenue targets might be the most obvious outcome. Also consider the lost relationships, evaporated institutional knowledge, and reverberations among remaining staff. And programs miss out on attracting critical funding, which could diminish community impact.   To avoid such challenges, it's important to understand what would drive Development professionals—sometimes, entire teams—to leave their jobs.   Talented Development professionals join nonprofits for the mission and the work (and sometimes even for a good salary and benefits), but often leave when myriad internal obstacles hinder their progress—from boards that avoid Development at all costs, to CEOs that expect big results in little time, to a total lack of Development budgets and basic infrastructure. To attract and keep excellent Development professionals, it's well worth examining your culture of philanthropy. Here are three questions to start the reflection process. 1. How many people at your organization know your top donors? Do leaders and board members engage with major donors regularly, join in on visits, or make thank you calls? Do they send personal invitations to upcoming events? Or is the Development officer the only connection donors have to your organization? 2. How does your organization interface with Development work? Is there a dedicated section in board meetings and leadership meetings to participate in Development strategy? Does your nonprofit prioritize investments in Development staff, infrastructure, and resources necessary to carry out successful fundraising? Do board members make their own philanthropic gifts to the nonprofit? 3. Are your program staff aligned with Development goals? Do they grasp the connection between philanthropy and their work? Are program and Development staff regular partners in creating funding proposals? Do they have mutual respect and share in each other's successes?   These questions are only the tip of the iceberg at unpacking Development turnover and assessing a nonprofit's culture of philanthropy. By taking the time to identify and actively address issues in your organization that impede fundraising efforts, you'll create a healthier environment for Development professionals to stay—and to build donor relationships that have a lasting impact on your nonprofit, the givers, and society.

We've gained so many followers, connections, and newsletter subscribers lately that I thought now would be a good time to re/introduce myself! 👋 I help nonprofit fundraising teams reach their multimillion-dollar goals. Alongside my incredible husband and business partner Corey Jackson, our company Sarah J Consulting achieves this work through campaign planning, fundraising plans and assessments, team/leader coaching, and donor strategy. To date, SJC has helped nonprofits raise $500M+ and counting. I founded SJC by myself in 2012, way before contract work and the gig economy were what they are today. I'm a proud OG solopreneur! Before launching SJC, I was lucky to work in some of the most incredible Development departments nationally, including at Harvard University and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. It was amazing to spend 10 years at these institutions learning the art and science of fundraising from the very best professionals, while getting to help raise money for world-class doctors, researchers, and faculty members. When I'm not working, you can find me: 💕 Spending time with Corey, our 9-year-old son, and our 6-year-old daughter. They are really just the best. Our kids are caring, silly, smart, and creative--and growing up way too quickly! Corey is the most fun partner to go through life with. 💕 Watching movies, especially thriller, horror, and sci-fi. I'm always on the hunt for that really good twist or mind-blowing ending. 💕 Organizing and decorating 💕 Hanging out with, texting, and sending endless memes to my friends 💕 Napping 💕 Singing around the house. I used to sing and act in lots of community theater productions. My favorite roles were Eva Peron in Evita, Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors, and the Lady of the Lake in Spamalot. I also sang professionally, and even performed with the Tanglewood Festival Chorus! Someday I'll sing for audiences beyond my living room again. Corey and I try to bring our whole selves into our business. As a family business, SJC puts the wellbeing and happiness of our clients and our family first. We manage our client load so that we can give 1000% to every nonprofit we work with, while also making tons of time for our children. And we try to have fun in everything we do. Nice to meet you! 😍

I would like to wish Corey Jackson a very happy second work anniversary with Sarah J Consulting! It's amazing to work with you every day! We've been married for 15 years and people frequently ask us what it's really like to work together. This sounds saccharine, but the honest answer is that we have fun, we lift each other up, and our family business thrives because our skills and experiences are so complementary--and we are best friends. Corey, thanks for joining me on this entrepreneurial ride! I love that we get to do life AND work together!!! #consultant #married #familybusiness #nonprofit #partnership

Executive Directors, When you look around at your technology, do you feel like your organization is stuck in the past? It's easy to focus on technical upgrades like phone systems and software, but what about your people? As someone with 13 years of Enterprise Software experience, I know firsthand the importance of the people behind the technical tools. When thinking about your technical stack, don't just think about what the next new shiny toy should be. Think through your organizational health. What needs work and how can technology help? Here are 3 things to consider as you plan for the future: 1. Update Job Descriptions: Are your job descriptions still listing basic technical skills like Microsoft Office or Adobe Photoshop? Think more strategically. Consider what technical skills could accelerate the work of each role. Ask your IT vendor for suggestions on improving your job descriptions and interview questions. I guarantee they have some pet peeves that you could avoid in your next hire. This can and will save you time and money. 2. Improve Inter-Departmental Communication: Are things falling through the cracks or getting stuck in the mud? Use technology to improve communication patterns. Platforms like Slack, Discord, or Teams can help your team work together more efficiently. Encourage this kind of communication and even reward it if possible. Many tools have bots that can monitor each person's activity level. Make it cool to communicate informally and formally. 3. Get Familiar with AI: Don't be afraid to embrace AI. Make sure your team is up to date with the latest developments and policies. AI can help your team work smarter and more efficiently than ever before. Invest in professional development here for your entire team NOW! Combining technology solutions can lead to amazing cross-departmental discoveries, helping your organization work smarter towards your ultimate vision. And finally, I wouldn't be a development consultant if I didn't talk about the culture of philanthropy in this context. Improved technology is good for communication, period. Communication is what it takes for solid relationships to form with constant, real-time dialogue. This builds trust and allows for healthy conflict and accountability. Relationships are the key to a solid healthy culture of philanthropy for your nonprofit. So many times, this all breaks down because we're waiting for the next time we see people in person. Well guess what? (and I really hope this is not a surprise) Technology now allows for that too, more than ever before. If you need help thinking through the right technical strategy for your nonprofit, drop me a DM with the word TECHNOLOGY and we can chat.

Corey Jackson and I would like to thank Leah Neaderthal and Smart Gets Paid for having us on their podcast! Leah provided us with incredible business coaching that totally transformed how we approach business development and marketing.