“Mike was an excellent advisor to me during one of the most challenging times for my nonprofit startup. It was an intense fundraising season for us, with just a few months runway and ambitious programming goals for the year ahead. Mike listened empathetically as I shared my concerns and offered thoughtful, tailored suggestions on how I could navigate this stressful moment. His prompt follow-up email to me after our initial conversation blew me away. He shared a list of prospective supporters for my organizations, including suggested strategies on how to engage each individual. The results were remarkable. One is now an annual, five-figure supporter of my nonprofit. Another introduced us to a corporate foundation that gave us a $40,000 grant. A third contact, a former philanthropic leader, has been mentoring me pro bono every month for over a year. All of this is possible because of Mike. Later that year, Mike and I worked together again to continue building a list of prospective supporters for my nonprofit. The final list I received from Mike and his team at Hudson Ferris was comprehensive, but not overwhelming. Their list included the most promising individuals and institutions with a demonstrated commitment to the issue areas my nonprofit is addressing, along with key information about their giving history to show what level of support they may offer us. This research showed me the diversity of supporters there are in the youth leadership and social justice space, helping me feel more hopeful and confident as I lead my organization. Through all of our engagements, Mike has sprinkled in brilliant pieces of tactical advice on other ways to strengthen our development efforts, including suggestions for donor stewardship and advice on which CRM tools may be the most supportive to us an early-stage nonprofit. All in all, Mike was a joy to work with: a deep listener who takes time to understand your unique context and offer action-oriented guidance accordingly. And a kind, approachable individual to engage with, be it over email or Zoom. Without question, my nonprofit is in a better place because of Mike, and so am I.”
About
Mike is an independent fundraising consultant, mentor, and coach passionate about helping…
Contributions
Activity
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Privileged to be a part of this team and this work. Last week, Hearts Alive Village held our Tails of Hope gala where we raised over $225,000 and…
Privileged to be a part of this team and this work. Last week, Hearts Alive Village held our Tails of Hope gala where we raised over $225,000 and…
Liked by Mike Esposito, CFRE
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🎙 Ready to Keep Your Donors Coming Back? I recently sat down with Dr. Rob Harper to talk all things donor retention—and let me tell you, this…
🎙 Ready to Keep Your Donors Coming Back? I recently sat down with Dr. Rob Harper to talk all things donor retention—and let me tell you, this…
Liked by Mike Esposito, CFRE
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Tired of posting into the void? These 5 social media takeaways will help your content work smarter, not harder. I recently attended a fantastic…
Tired of posting into the void? These 5 social media takeaways will help your content work smarter, not harder. I recently attended a fantastic…
Posted by Mike Esposito, CFRE
Experience
Education
Licenses & Certifications
Volunteer Experience
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Fundraising Plan Assessment Consultant
Yes, M.I.S.S. Inc.
- 4 months
Economic Empowerment
• Conducted a comprehensive review and analysis of the organization's mission, financial status, fundraising activities, and website.
• Interviewed the Executive Director to gather insights, suggestions, and assessed roles, responsibilities, and capacity needs.
• Collected and analyzed past campaign data, and identified trends to inform strategic decision-making.
• Defined goals, target audiences, and diversified fundraising strategy; compiled a 10-page assessment with recommendations…• Conducted a comprehensive review and analysis of the organization's mission, financial status, fundraising activities, and website.
• Interviewed the Executive Director to gather insights, suggestions, and assessed roles, responsibilities, and capacity needs.
• Collected and analyzed past campaign data, and identified trends to inform strategic decision-making.
• Defined goals, target audiences, and diversified fundraising strategy; compiled a 10-page assessment with recommendations and presented findings to the Executive Director and Board. -
Fellowship Application Evaluator
Echoing Green
- Present 1 year 3 months
Civil Rights and Social Action
• Review and Evaluate: Read and assess fellowship applications based on Echoing Green's criteria, such as innovation and leadership potential.
• Score and Provide Feedback: Score applications and offer constructive feedback to support the selection of high-potential social entrepreneurs. -
Volunteer
Habitat for Humanity International
Poverty Alleviation
• Partook on a week-long voluntary service trip to Wilmington, DE.
• Organized and cleaned the Wilmington, DE headquarters’ warehouse.
• Helped construct the foundation of a house by installing several firewalls.
Languages
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English
Native or bilingual proficiency
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Spanish
Limited working proficiency
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Latin
Elementary proficiency
Recommendations received
4 people have recommended Mike
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