Ways to Improve Your Fundraising Success by Using Consultants

A joint Nonprofit Association of Oregon & WVDO workshop

Registration begins at 4:30 p.m.
Presentation from 5:00 to 6:30 p.m.
Networking from 6:30 to 7:00 p.m.

Consultants bring the kind of specialized knowledge, fresh perspective, and experience that translates into fundraising success. But if you have never worked with a consultant before (or even if you have), the process of finding and evaluating outside counsel can be confusing. During this moderated session, a panel of top Portland-area consultants serving the nonprofit community will provide tools and strategies to help you evaluate and select the right consultant for your organization.

During this session, you will learn:

• How to identify when you are ready to work with a consultant
• What a consultant brings to fundraising success
• Successfully managing expectations and the consultant relationship
• How to demystify the consultant process
• How to effectively evaluate consultants
• When and where to find consultants
• How and where to find the money to hire a consultant

About the Presenters

Jonathan Abramson, Partner, avenue2possibilities, LLP
Jonathan offers coaching services to nonprofit organization leadership and staff motivated by his desire to see this significant sector excel in providing for the needs of our communities. He is also co-creator, with Randa Cleaves, of Inspired Giving NOW!™ and Inspired Giving NOW! Interdisciplinary Technical Assistance Training™. Over 270 participants representing 132 organizations have completed the training in the United States and Singapore.

Judy Anderson, President, Power Productions
Judy offers fundraising event and auction management training and consulting. She has served as director of several of the largest fundraisers in the state including the Classic Wines Auction raising over $1 million annually, the Sagebrush Classic in Bend, and Portland State University's Simon Benson Awards Dinner. Judy holds a Certificate in Festival & Event Management from the University of Oregon and is the author of two books, Event Management Simplified and Auction Management Simplified.

Sara T. Behrman, Freelance Writer and Consultant
Sara has worked with all types of nonprofit organizations and government entities throughout the United States. She offers her multimillion-dollar grant writing expertise on a contractual basis, tapping more than thirty years of experience as a former librarian, creative writing instructor, and published nonfiction writer. To date, Sara has raised more than $70 million in grants for her clients.

Helen Kennedy, CFRE, Partner, Lewis Kennedy Associates
Helen has over 25 years of fundraising experience. She excels at using strategic analysis and business insight to develop integrated campaigns for individual giving. She has an MBA from UCLA and is a frequent speaker at national and regional fundraising conferences.

Holly Paige, Principal, Wave One Group
Holly helps nonprofit organizations bring their purpose and mission to life by developing video marketing strategies and producing short films and videos for fundraising and marketing campaigns. Holly is a former broadcast news reporter and a graduate of the University of Michigan.

Brenda Ray Scott, CFRE, Principal, Adept Diva Consulting
With more than 18 years of experience, Brenda proudly works with established and emerging organizations providing grantwriting expertise, corporate and foundation relations, sponsorship management, and planning services. A sought after speaker, Brenda speaks locally and regionally on the craft of grantwriting including utilizing social media for research and other facets of fundraising.

Event Fees

A free co-sponsored program for the nonprofit community. WVDO and Nonprofit Association of Oregon members will receive priority registration before opening to the general nonprofit community.