Development Consulting

Our Clients

Caruso Consulting Corporation provides fundraising counsel to nonprofit organizations in transition.  Change can be brought about by the need to expand programs, the loss of senior fundraising staff, the launch of a capital campaign, or a combination of factors.  Recent clients include Sesame Workshop (Sesame Street), the Wildlife Conservation Society, the Trust for Public Land, and The After-School Corporation.

Our Approach

The firm’s founder and president, Karen Caruso, provides personalized attention and service to every client.  Using targeted questions and skillful listening and drawing upon her more than 20 years in development, Ms. Caruso can quickly assess a client’s particular needs and tailor her approach accordingly.  With her guidance, clients successfully navigate challenging transitions and emerge stronger and more stable in their financial and organizational capacity.

Our Services


Interim Director of Development Engagements

An Interim Director of Development or other interim senior development staff member can enable a nonprofit organization to meet its fundraising goals during periods of transition.  Services include:

  • Strategic planning for the short and long term to establish priorities and track progress.
  • Maintaining key donor relationships by ensuring that proposals, reports, and stewardship activities are executed on a timely basis.
  • Writing case statements, grant proposals, funding reports, web copy, blogs, and other communications to position an organization to its various constituencies.
  • Developing strategies for the identification, cultivation, and solicitation of major gifts from foundations, corporations and individuals to provide new revenue sources.
  • Training board members, senior executives, and development professionals to carry out major gift solicitations.
  • Advising senior management on short-term and long-term staffing needs to provide sufficient coverage of the workload.
  • Coaching staff to further their skill development and bolster employee morale, and orienting new hires to bring them up to speed more quickly.
  • Facilitating meetings and retreats for board and staff members to provide a forum for brainstorming and strategic planning.
  • Conducting a feasibility assessment to determine an organization’s readiness for a capital or endowment campaign. 


Click here for more detail and downloadable marketing piece.
 

Writing Assignments

Good writing is integral to every step of the fundraising process, and enables an organization to reach and position itself to its various constituencies.  A well-written piece conveys the organization’s passion for its mission and inspires others to join in supporting its important work.  Our services include:

  • Grant proposals to foundations, public agencies, and corporations, including corporate sponsorship opportunities
  • Case statements, major gift proposals, and related campaign materials, including pieces on donor recognition opportunities
  • Funding reports to apprise donors of the impact of their generosity
  • Brochures or fact sheets to provide a concise overview of the organization and its key programs
  • Web site copy to provide information on an organization’s mission, services, accomplishments, leadership, finances, staff, and supporters
  • Blogs and articles to keep donors and constituents abreast of recent developments, upcoming events, important trends, etc.


Click here for more detail and downloadable marketing piece.

Caruso Consulting Corporation is registered with the Office of the New York State Attorney General.