Providing fractional and project-based solutions to organizations needing grant writing, grants management, fundraising strategy, and publications support.

About me

I’m a nonprofit consultant with nearly 15 years of experience in fundraising and writing for social impact. I excel at distilling complex subjects into clear, concise messages and telling compelling stories. I also have 5+ years of supporting and coaching frontline fundraisers to hone their strategy, build their pipeline, cultivate relationships, and build sustainable fundraising systems. I am committed to practicing the principles of community-centric fundraising and ethical storytelling, and my experience ensures the application of best practices in building funding partnerships based on mutual understanding and respect. 

I specialize in supporting small, often startup, organizations, including coaching leaders who are new to fundraising. I bring particular expertise in supporting education-focused organizations, including schools, education advocacy organizations, youth development, early education, and more. Before launching my consulting practice, I was a partner at the Wildflower Foundation, working alongside a team of colleagues across the mainland US and Puerto Rico to support the launch of small, teacher-led schools and coach regional fundraisers nationwide. My passion is serving as a trusted partner for my clients, helping them leverage their strengths to build their internal capacity for fundraising success.

Services

  • I excel at distilling complex subjects into clear, concise messages and telling compelling stories. I work with your organization to outline, draft, and finalize submissions and craft strong grants based on your goals and a deep understanding of the funder’s priorities.

  • I help organizations identify their most promising prospects, including foundations, corporations, and government grants, and understand the predicted value of their pipeline so they can make informed decisions about their fundraising goals. I also help build actionable relationship strategies to move prospects from names on a list into informed, qualified prospects and—ultimately—supportive partners.

  • I also offer coaching packages to help organizations take their fundraising to the next level, including reviewing past or current proposals to provide feedback, coaching your existing grant writers to hone their proposals, and relationship strategy to help you access and build relationships with your prospects. I also help organizations create sustainable operational tools to maximize their time and keep focused on their most important strategies and prospects.

  • I capture impact stories for strategic publications such as annual reports and anniversary publications. I excel at helping you bring your dream project to life, operationalizing a publication from start to finish, and working with internal and external stakeholders, designers, and printers to manage projects from start to finish.

Testimonials

  • Allison is an exceptional writer and collaborator who has brought many Wildflower publications to life. Her meticulous organizational skills ensure that each project runs smoothly from conception to completion. What truly sets Allison apart is her remarkable ability to capture the essence of our Teacher Leaders' experiences. She has a gift for distilling complex narratives into concise, powerful prose that resonates with our audience. Her writing not only honors the unique voices of our educators but also amplifies their leadership stories in a way that inspires and engages readers. Perhaps most importantly, Allison's reliability and professionalism make her an invaluable partner in our publishing process. She consistently meets deadlines, adapts gracefully to feedback, and brings a collaborative spirit to every project we work together on."

    Erica Cantoni, Development Partner

  • "Working with Allison transformed our approach to institutional funding and opened doors we didn't know existed. As a growing community health organization, we relied primarily on a few startup grants from key partners. Allison guided us through the complex world of institutional funding with patience and expertise. She took the time to deeply understand our mission and programs, helping us articulate our impact in ways that resonated with foundation partners. Through her strategic guidance, we secured our first private foundation grants, which has enabled us to expand our preventive care services to reach more families in our community.”

    Dr. Jessica Miehe, Founder and Director

  • “Allison very much understands the grant processes and was a lifesaver when I jumped into fundraising for my organization. She's a pro at navigating the sometimes wild world of grants, and her guidance was crucial as I took on our existing agreements, like the one with MN State Arts Board. Her enthusiasm and passion for uncovering new funding opportunities and keeping us on track with deadlines were game-changing for my org. Allison's skills and strategic approach make her the ultimate ally for any organization looking to rev up its grant strategy and bring in the big bucks for their mission."

    Jenny Case, Artistic Director

  • "When I stepped into a fundraising role for the first time, I felt completely overwhelmed navigating the funder landscape. Allison transformed my approach by breaking down exactly what to do–from structuring donor meetings to crafting compelling proposals. Her guidance helped me develop authentic connections with funders, shifting our interactions from transactional to truly collaborative. Now, I see my funders as colleagues and friends, and I’m successfully growing my base as Co-CEO of the Black Wildflowers Fund."

    Dr. Erika McDowell, Co-CEO