Working with the Development Committee of the Board and the Development staff, our team conducted a fundraising effectiveness analysis to understand the strengths and weaknesses of the current fundraising program. Equipped with the analysis, we then led the Development Committee through a strategic planning process to create a comprehensive development plan.

The strength of this work and the relationship that was built led to partnerships in several other areas including:

• Executive Transition Management when the CEO announced his retirement during this work.
• National search for a CFO.
• New Development Director onboarding, coaching, plan implementation, and interim fundraising support
• National search for CTO

One of the things we identified in our analysis was an opportunity to build and grow a major gifts program. While the team had built momentum through events and direct mail requests, Legal Aid NC had not taken the next step to establish a major gift program. It was also clear that the board and staff team lacked experience in this type of fundraising. They needed to build infrastructure, add expertise, and engage in training to execute this strategy.  

Legal Aid NC did just that.  

They hired a dynamic CEO and seasoned Director of Development who brought experience building and executing a comprehensive development plan, including major gifts and capital campaigns.

They began building a major gift pipeline and moves management system. For the first time in organization history, they engaged a team of volunteer leaders to help with major gift fundraising. They launched their first in a series of asking events. They began soliciting gifts outside of their traditional vehicles.  

They began to grow the number of donors and dollars raised. Legal Aid has started to establish themselves as a place where North Carolinians and other advocates for justice make major investments. They are building a fundraising program that more closely aligns in scope with the impact they have in making North Carolina a more fair and just state to live and work.