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Dear NNCG Community -

In our work as consultants, we often find ourselves in a unique position—partially in the weeds of implementation, while simultaneously hovering above the field, making connections across the broader landscape. It’s a dual vantage point that allows us to serve as what we like to call “pollinators”—moving between funders, organizations, and communities, cross-pollinating ideas, insights, and innovations.

This role is more than metaphor. It’s a responsibility.

This is a tumultuous time, and there hasn’t been a lot of talk about consultants and our role as partners to grantmakers, nonprofits, and communities as they respond to it. Consultants have the privilege—and the challenge—of helping funders not only understand the latest philanthropic trends, but also move through the messy, iterative process of change that results in meaningful, actionable practice. We see firsthand how organizations need support to navigate the vast space between strategy development and implementation. Whether it’s participatory grantmaking, trust-based philanthropy, or equity-centered strategy, our support, hard questions, and essential expertise can help funders translate their intentions into real change.

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In a time of significant societal change, donors and advisors are navigating new priorities and evolving roles.

To better understand these shifts, 21/64 and the National Network of Consultants to Grantmakers (NNCG) partnered in 2024 to launch a national study exploring the donor-advisor relationship and uncover key trends shaping our field.

Some key findings you will notice inside the study:

• Consultants and funders are aligned on numerous topics and issues. And despite the changes/upheavals of the current time, these issues will be present and relevant for some time to come.

• Both donors and consultants experienced similar shifts during the past four years, acknowledging that many of these changes are permanent. But some differences remain in a few key areas, especially with issues surrounding equity.

• Consultants of all experience levels are being hired by funders. Key functions, such as strategy development, are typically being done by more senior level consultants. Few consultants, at any level, are being hired to undertake equity and DEI work.

• There was strong alignment between funders and consultants on the following broad shifts: trust-based philanthropy, racial equity, general operating support, remote work/virtualization.

There is much insight to be gleaned from the changing practices and trends in philanthropy consulting and advising.

NNCG will continue to be at the forefront of trends and promising practices in our sector, to share more in-depth knowledge about the insights from this study, and to make sure that consultants have what they need to support foundations and the communities, movements, and systems they aim to serve.

We are excited to announce our latest partnership with Daylight! Daylight is a global professional platform built by advisors, for advisors.  The Impact Philanthropy Advisor certification is a state-of-the-art learning program crafted with decades of experience in philanthropic advising, wealth management and philanthropic education. As an added value to your membership, we are thrilled to offer NNCG members $250 off IPA registration. 

Daylight, through its Impact Philanthropy Advisor (IPA) Program, offers a powerful opportunity to elevate and advance your practice and expand your network within a global community of like-minded professionals. We encourage you to take advantage of this unique offering and invest in your practice—starting today.

Register for an NNCG Webinar Today!

The NNCG network is setting bold goals to drive real impact in philanthropy and grantmaker consulting!

From enhancing access to quality, diverse consulting options to fostering professional development and knowledge creation, we’re focused on improving the practice and addressing emerging issues.

🔗 Register + Share

Transforming Philanthropy Together: An Ask Me Anything with PEAK Grantmaking

On June 24, join us for a session designed with your work in mind—bringing you direct access to PEAK’s Lita Ugarte Pardi and Sara Richman Sanders as they share practical ways to embed equity and values into your grantmaking support.

🕒 3–4 p.m. EST

📍Virtual | Open to members & non-members

🔗 Register + Share

NNCG Member Listening Tour – Your Voice, Your Impact 📣

This free, members-only series of focus groups is your opportunity to help shape what’s next for our programming and support for philanthropic consultants.

Your insights as an NNCG member are essential, and there are still upcoming sessions available where your voice can be heard!

Join us for a 90-minute interactive session to share your feedback, hear draft ideas, and co-create the future of NNCG.

🔗 Register + Share

New Members

Tracey Allard

Eva Chavez

Jennifer Heymoss

William Moore

Victoria Prevatt

Catherine Schreiber

Genevieve Smith

Marlyn Torres

Renewing Members

Athena Adkins

Shana Buxsar

Monique Childress

Melodie Garcia

Brittany Kienker

Nima Krodel

Carlyn Madden

Jason McGill

Kirsten Scobie

Tuti Scott

Suzanne Smith

Renewing Firms

Blue Garnet

Cause Communications

Learning for Action

Marga

TCC Group

The Philanthropic Initiative

Thank you to all the members who sent in a submission!

We had so many entries we created a landing page for all of them.

View it here and find a preview of all submissions below.



• Sharmila Rao Thakker - SRT Advising & Consutling - Workshop Offering
• Brittany Kienker - Kienker Consulting - Recent Publications
• Emma Beeston - Recent Publications
• Yvonne Moore - Moore Philanthropy - Recent Publications
• Lisa Jackson - Insights Solutions Consulting - New Initiative
• Lauren Sogor - Advocacy & Communication Solutions - Announcement
• Elizabeth (Liz) Peck - EP Strategies - Announcement
• Mike Berkowitz - Third Plateau - Recent Publications
• Angela Frusciante - Knowledge Designs to Change - Webinar Offering
• Tuti Scott - Changemaker Strategies - Workshop Offering
• Marshall Ginn - Capital Philanthropy - Recent Publications

Shoutout to NNCG Steering Committee Chair Jessica Bearman for sharing these great snapshots of NNCG colleagues in the wild! 📸

Member Reposts on LinkedIn

• A huge thank you to NNCG member Tosca Bruno-van Vijfeijken for sharing this thought-provoking piece by Adama Coulibaly 📰, exploring how the USAID work stoppage could accelerate a vital transition already underway. Read More

• Congratulations to NNCG member Stefanie Borsari, CAP on the new season of her Giving Voices Podcast! 🎙️🎉 Read More

• NNCG member Athena M. Adkins for sharing an insightful resource by BetterWorld Partners on how writing a grant is just the tip of the iceberg in fundraising. 📣 Read More

• Shoutout to NNCG member, Suzanne Smith who has written an insightful article, "How Nonprofits Are Leading Efforts to Lift Women Out of Poverty." 👏🏾👏🏽👏🏿 Read More

• Huge congratulations to Emma Beeston and Professor Beth Breeze OBE for co-authoring a chapter in the new STEP – Advising Families Across Generations Handbook on “Providing advice on philanthropy.” 🌐✨

• Kudos to NNCG member Angela K. Frusciante, PhD co-hosting the Traveling Together Conference — an incredible gathering 📸 that brought together students, scholars, community residents, nonprofit leaders, grants professionals, and more. Read More

Learn More about NNCG Members Spotlighted on LinkedIn

The National Network of Consultants to Grantmakers (NNCG) is a learning community and forum for open discussion among consultants dedicated to strengthening philanthropy and increasing its impact.

Learn More at nncg.org.