Key Takeaways

• Kansas University, a client of GG+A raised $1.6 billion during a 2016 engagement.
• ACB (30%), GG+A (16%), Kennari Consulting (14%), and MGI Fundraising Consulting (5%) all provide significant crowdfunding services to non-profits according to review site Wimgo.
• Non-profit crowdfunding campaigns raised an average of $9,237 in 2020, with individual donors donating an average of $66. 
• Donors were primarily Millennial, while 28% of all donors were repeat donors.

Introduction

• In the report below a brief firm overview along with information regarding the fundraising services and two client GG+A, Big Duck, Heller Consulting, BWF, Pursuant, ACB, Kennari Consulting, MGI Consulting Inc., The Munshine Group, Schultz & Williams, NextAfter, and Whole Whale fundraising consulting firms.

Top Crowdfunding/Fundraising for Non-Profit Firms

1. Grenzebach Glier and Associates (GG+A)

• Founded in 1961, GG+A is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, and services nonprofits in arts and culture, civic organizations, healthcare and academic medicine, higher education, and independent schools.
• In addition to fundraising services counsel, GG+A also provides annual giving support, business process improvement, database management and integrity, gift administration, grateful patient systems, performance metrics systems, policy and procedures, prospect management and research, and reporting systems.
• Clients of GG+A are Kansas University which raised $1.6 billion after a 2016 engagement, and the University of Sheffield which raised giving revenue from £250,000 in 2015 to £500,000 in 2020 and increased donor numbers by 82%.  

2. Big Duck

•  Big Duck was founded in 1994 and is headquartered in Brooklyn, New York City. The company services non-profits in the arts and culture, associations and foundations, education, environmental, faith-based, family and community, health, international, and social justice sectors.
•  Services offered by Big Duck include capital campaign communications, donor communication strategies, digital fundraising plans and campaigns, brandriasing services, brand strategy, and messaging.

• Big duck clients include Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy (annual income of $11 million) and the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (planned target of $100 million in funds raised).
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3. Heller Consulting

• Heller Consulting is headquartered in San Francisco, California, but offers its services across the Canada and United States. The firms service nonprofit and higher education clients.
• Services offered are grouped under strategy and planning, implementation, and change management. Strategy and planning services include planning for a CRM and technology road map, comparative analysis, CRM fit assessment, technology selection, and technology fit and selection workshops. Implementation services are offered for Salesforce, Microsoft, and Blackbaud. Change management services include implementation readiness and user adoption planning, user adoption and launch planning, stabilization and enablement, and project assessment and recovery path.
•  Clients of Heller Consulting are the Canadian Cancer Society and the Jewish Social Service Agency.

4. Bentz Whaley Flessner (BWF)

•  BWF was founded in 1983 and is headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The company offers its fundraising services in the arts and culture, education, environment and animals, faith-based, health, and public and human services sectors.

• Solutions offered are grouped under strategic planning and campaigns (campaign planning, internal readiness, strategic planning, workforce planning and talent management, leadership development, and staffing), philanthropy operations and analytics (CRM analysis and conversion, prospect development, business intelligence and reporting, business process optimization, and data science and analytics), and giving programs and donor engagement (front line giving, dynamic constituency programs, building the base, digital marketing and fundraising, marketing and communications, corporate and foundation strategy, and grant writing and donor engagement).
• Clients of BWF include Holt International and Stony Brook University.

5. Pursuant

• Founded in 2001, Pursuant is a full-service direct response agency providing fundraising and marketing services to non-profit organizations.
• The company offers direct response services (storytelling, direct mail, digital, media, and acquisition and annual fund), analytics and insights (motivation based research, strategic engagement, personalized segmentation, customized and actionable reporting), and the Giving DNA platform.
• Clients of Pursuant include Texas Christian University ($1 billion goal) and Dartmouth University (advancement).

6. American City Bureau (ACB)

•  Incorporated in 1913, the ACB is headquartered in West Dundee, Illinois. ACB services are provided to the arts, culture and community, education, healthcare, human services, religious, and YMCA fundraising sectors.
•  Services offered include feasibility studies, capital campaign direction, development office audit, major donor development, strategic planning, and board development.
•  Clients of the ACB include Thomas University and Saint Joseph College.

7. Kennari Consulting

•  Kennari Consulting was founded in 2007 and is headquartered in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The firm offers its services to faith-based, education, arts and culture, healthcare, recreation and green space, social services, and education non-profits.
• Consulting services are offered under annual giving, capital and comprehensive campaigns, and endowment building. Direct services are offered for board development. Database evaluation, conversion, and training services, grant writing, and project and program development are also offered.
• Clients include Flint Public Library (ongoing $18 million fundraising campaign) and Grand Rapids Center for Community Transformation ($4 million fundraising target achieved in 2020).
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8. MGI Fundraising Consulting Inc.

• Founded in 1981, MGI Fundraising Consulting Inc. has offices in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and Minneapolis, Minnesota in the United States. The company offers its services in the education, healthcare, arts and services, and non-profit sectors.
• Planning studies and analysis, capital and endowment fund management, giving programs, case management, marketing, creative, and communication services, giving counsel, audit, and training and seminars are some fundraising services offered by the company.
• Clients of MGI Fundraising Consulting Inc include York University and Trinity College School.

9. The Munshine Group

• Founded in 2013, The Munshine Group is headquartered in Springfield, New Jersey. The company offers its services to arts and culture, associations, education, environment, faith-based, healthcare, human services, and military and veterans.
• Non-profit fundraising services include feasibility/planning studies, capital campaign management, major gifts programs, endowment and planned giving, annual funds and multichannel appeals, corporate giving, grant research and writing, and wealth and philanthropy research.
• Among The Munshine Group clients are Mount Saint Mary College and The Lewis School of Princeton.

10. Schultz & Williams

• Founded in 1987, Schultz & Williams is headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Sectors served are arts and culture, community foundations, conservation and environmental, education, health and sciences, social justice and community services, and zoos and aquariums.
•  Services provided include development, direct response, strategic planning, staffing solutions, digital campaigns, data analytics, and marketing.
• Clients are Schultz & Williams ($20 million fundraising effort) and Saint John's Hospice ($52,000 raised at the outbreak of COVID-19).

11. The Phoenix Philanthropy Group

• Founded in 2004, the Phoenix Philanthropy Group is headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona. The firm offers its services in art and cultures, corporate, foundation, and government, education, healthcare, human and community services, and social justice.
•  Services include campaign funding, volunteer leadership, executive coaching, mergers and acquisitions, operational fundraising, relationship management, interim management, philanthropy, strategic planning, alumni relations, evaluations, and advancement academy.
• Clients of the Phoenix Philanthrophy Group include California State University Maritime Academy and Laguna College of Art and Design (196% increase in revenue), among others.

12. NextAfter

•  NextAfter is a digital first fundraising agency founded in 2012 and headquartered in Plano, Texas. The company's work has been recognized in the Inc. 500, as a Google Partner, as a HubSpot Platinum partner, a Microsoft partner, and by the Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE).
• Services provided include understanding donor data, revenue growth, strategic planning, and results optimization.
•  Clients include the Make-A- Wish Foundation, Hillsdale College, and EWTN Network.

13. Whole Whale

• Whole Whale was founded in 2010 and is headquartered in Brooklyn, New York, with offices in San Francisco, California, and Germany. Whole Whale is a Certified B Corporation.
•  Fundraising services offered include analytics, list building, digital infrastructure, peer-to-peer and crowdfunding, donor retention, and measurement services.
• Clients include Rebuilding Together and the Great Barrier Reef Foundation. 

Research Strategy