Work With Kari
You do not have to navigate nonprofit leadership alone. Whether you are facing a transition, strengthening your board, hiring key staff, building a funding strategy, or figuring out where to start, I bring practical experience, honest guidance, and deep nonprofit knowledge to help you move forward.
People
Your mission moves forward when your people are clear, supported, and aligned.
That includes boards that understand how to govern, staff who have what they need to lead and contribute, and volunteers who stay engaged because they feel connected to the work. When the people side of your organization is working well, everything else gets stronger.
Some ways we can work together:
Leadership development isn’t about piling more onto an already full plate. It’s about creating the space, structure, and confidence to focus on the decisions that matter most.
Think of it as having an experienced nonprofit colleague in your corner: someone who can help you see around corners, sort through complexity, and lead with greater clarity.
There’s no universal playbook for running a nonprofit. Every organization has its own culture, pressures, personalities, and possibilities.
With more than two decades of nonprofit leadership experience, 500+ satisfied clients, and deep sector knowledge, I help executive directors, leadership teams, and staff navigate change, uncertainty, and growth. Together, we’ll tackle the big strategic questions and the everyday challenges that keep you up at night.
The wrong hire can set your organization back for months. The right hire can strengthen your team, culture, and mission for years.
I’ll help you look beyond the résumé to identify candidates who not only can do the job, but will thrive in your organization’s unique environment and grow with your mission.
Leadership transitions do not have to become organizational chaos.
As your interim executive director, I help keep the mission moving, support staff and board leadership, and create the stability your organization needs while preparing for what comes next.
A strong board does not happen by accident. It takes intention, clear expectations, meaningful roles, and ongoing development.
We’ll work together to recruit the right people, clarify responsibilities, strengthen governance practices, and build a board culture rooted in purpose. Because a board without purpose is just a group of people in a room.
A well-supported board is a well-functioning board.
I help boards better understand their role, strengthen financial oversight, ask better questions, and focus their energy where it matters most: advancing the mission of the organization.
Volunteers are essential to nonprofit impact, but keeping them engaged takes more than goodwill.
Through volunteer engagement training, I’ll help you build the practices, communication, and culture that make volunteers feel valued, connected, and committed for the long term.
Revenue
Sustainable revenue does not happen by accident. It comes from clear strategy, strong relationships, and systems your team can actually use.
Whether you are strengthening annual giving, preparing for a capital campaign, improving donor stewardship, or building a more reliable funding mix, we'll create a practical revenue approach that supports your mission now and into the future.
Some ways we can work together:
One funding source is not a strategy.
I help nonprofit leaders assess current revenue streams, understand sector best practices, and develop practical, organization-specific approaches to long-term sustainability. The result is a fund development plan that gives your team clarity, focus, and direction.
Before launching a capital campaign, you need to know whether your organization and community are ready.
We’ll assess the broader landscape, gauge potential support, identify risks and opportunities, and clarify what needs to be addressed before you invest time, energy, and relationships into a major campaign.
Big goals require focused strategy, strong systems, and active management.
Capital campaigns are complex, with many moving parts that can easily get lost without clear leadership. I help organizations keep the work organized, aligned, and moving forward from planning through execution.
Effective donor cultivation begins with strong stewardship.
I help organizations revisit the fundamentals of donor relationships, evaluate what has helped or hindered current efforts, and build stewardship practices that increase giving, deepen engagement, and improve donor retention.
Sponsorship can be an important source of nonprofit revenue, but setting levels, benefits, and recognition can get complicated quickly.
I’ll help you benchmark sponsorship opportunities, define clear giving levels, and communicate value to sponsors in a way that honors major gifts without diminishing the contributions of others.
Strategy
It is hard to plan for the future when the day-to-day keeps demanding your attention.
Strategic work creates the space to step back, assess what is working, name what needs to change, and build a clear path forward. Together, we'll create the framework your organization needs to make better decisions, align around shared priorities, and move toward sustainable impact.
What that might look like:
Not sure where to start? Start with a clear-eyed look at where you are now.
An organizational assessment helps you reflect on your systems, policies, practices, culture, and mission alignment. I provide detailed findings, staff-wide presentations, and one-on-one conversations to help your organization understand what’s working, what’s getting in the way, and where to focus next.
Leadership transitions are inevitable. Panic does not have to be.
Succession planning helps your organization prepare for what comes next before you are forced to react. Together, we’ll identify key roles, assess internal talent, clarify future leadership needs, and create a development strategy that strengthens your team over time.
The goal is not just to name a replacement. It is to build confidence, continuity, and stability so your organization can keep moving forward when leadership changes happen.
A strong board needs time to step out of regular meeting mode and focus on the bigger picture.
I’ll work with you to design and facilitate a board retreat that is purposeful, engaging, and grounded in the real work of governance. From agenda design to group discussion and activities, I’ll create a structure that helps your board trust, strengthen alignment, and leave with clear next steps.
You bring the board. I’ll guide the day.
Upcoming Events & Webinars
Kari's Calendar
Follow Kari’s calendar to see where she is traveling next for client meetings, board meetings, facilitating retreats, speaking engagements, and conferences. Explore upcoming events and webinars, and register to join.
The Nonprofit Success Blog
Stop Being Busy: Prioritize What Matters in Your Nonprofit
If you work in a nonprofit, you probably know the feeling. Your calendar is full. Your inbox is overflowing. Your team is doing their best.
Your Workflows Are Leaking Time: Fix Them With Systems
If you work in a nonprofit, you already know the feeling. Your day starts with a plan. Then the email hits. A donor needs something.
From Chaos to Capacity: Fix Your Nonprofit Infrastructure
If your nonprofit feels like it’s held together by late-night heroics, a few overextended staff members, and a board that is trying hard but spinning
