conscious

consults

nonprofit services

Our nonprofit team specializes in supporting and enriching nonprofit organizations through periods of challenge or change. We partner with organizations to provide steady guidance and fresh perspectives; explore solution-based opportunities; and help nonprofits advance their mission and maximize their social impact in a sustainable way.

You may benefit from our services if you are a nonprofit of any size seeking to increase your capacity to deliver on your mission and values; or, if you are a foundation or individual donor wanting to ensure that your investment results in vitality and resiliency, while preserving and building the capacity of organizations you care about.

areas of specialty

Start-Up Support: Our consulting services for nonprofit start-ups provide tailored guidance and support to help you navigate the complexities of launching and scaling your organization. From crafting your mission statement to developing sustainable funding strategies, we're here to ensure your vision reaches new heights of impact.

Capacity Audits: Conduct a point-by-point analysis of an organization’s capacity to meet its mission and carry out its strategic plan. Areas addressed include staffing and human resources; board development; marketing and public relations; fundraising; finance; and impact. This process will result in a better understanding of current obstacles to success, and provide a customized plan to improve capacity going forward. 

Strategic Planning: Lead Board and staff through an intentional process of identifying and confirming values, building consensus, setting organizational priorities, and developing an actionable and measurable plan to build capacity and achieve intended outcomes. Our comprehensive approach results in a well-defined, workable vision and strategy for a thriving future. 

Interim Leadership: Fulfill the role of Executive Director during transitional periods; maintain stability for funders, staff and board; keep fundraising and finances on track; evaluate existing service strategies; and support continuity of mission. Our Interim Leadership services are designed to build on strengths and illuminate areas for development, creating a solid foundation for the next ED.

Nonprofit Mergers + Acquisitions: Guide a nonprofit organization through the process of launching or acquiring a for-profit entity, or of merging with another nonprofit. Our combined expertise in relationships between nonprofit and for-profit entities, as well as business ownership changes, provides specialized support for a smooth transition.

Mentorship: Serve as experienced counsel and mentor for senior Board or Staff leadership that is new to the position, or is facing organizational challenge or change. We also mentor Boards as a whole, particularly early-stage Boards or those in transitional moments or undergoing rapid organizational growth.

Board or Staff Retreat Facilitation: Facilitate team-building events for Board and/or Staff designed to clarify goals; increase engagement; improve communication; encourage deep thinking on critical topics; build specific skills; and/or determine next steps. The result is increased alignment with your organizational plans, and a deepened connection to one another. 

our team

Conscious Consults’s nonprofit team includes Gordon Walker, Kate Zuckerman and other seasoned professionals who are selected to join the project team based on the needs of each client. Kate and Gordon have 50+ years of nonprofit and 30+ years of for-profit leadership experience combined. They have lived and raised families in this area, forging strong connections across the local community. In addition to their executive-level leadership experience, their unique skills include a deep knowledge of local nonprofits, the philanthropic landscape, and the business community in Central Virginia. Gordon and Kate met in 2008, when they were both Executive Directors of nonprofit organizations, and collaborated on opening the Jefferson School City Center. They enjoyed working together, and have developed ways to keep collaborating ever since.

team bios

  • Gordon Walker was CEO of the Jefferson Area Board for Aging (JABA) from 1982-2012, an organization providing a continuum of local services for seniors. During his leadership, JABA received national awards for its planning designs and innovative multi-generational initiatives. Gordon has been an adjunct professor in the School of Nursing and the School of Education at the University of Virginia; twice represented the State of Virginia at the White House Conference on Aging; and was Chair of the Albemarle County School Board.

    Prior to JABA employment, Gordon was Associate Director of the Gerontology Center at Georgia State University, the Deputy Director of the Vermont Office on Aging and a Legislative Aide to the U.S. Senate Committee on Aging.

    Currently, Gordon serves on several nonprofit boards including Twice is Nice; Here to Stay; the Local Food Hub; and the Crozet Development Initiative. He is co-founder of the Lindsay Institute for Innovations in Caregiving; is on the editorial team of two esteemed publications on aging; and is a trainer for the AARP Virginia Livable Communities Initiative. He has guided many nonprofit organizations with strategic planning, resource development, service delivery design, leadership training and program evaluation. Gordon has an MA from San Diego State University in City Planning and Urban Studies; a BA in Public Administration; and a Graduate Certificate in Gerontology from Georgia State University.

  • Kate Zuckerman served as Chief Cultural Officer of Blue Ridge Bucha, a local beverage company that she and her husband co-owned and operated for 11 years. From start-up to successful exit, Kate was responsible for every aspect of the organization’s strategy and operations, with a focus in human resources, marketing, public relations, administration, and business development. Under her strategic leadership, the company grew to a team of 20+ people, regional distribution across 9 states, 300+ accounts, and $1M in annual sales. The company also saved over 1 million bottles through its refillable bottle program, and was honored with Whole Foods Market’s Regional Supplier of the Year Award.

    Kate also founded and served as Board Chair, then Executive Director, of Common Ground Healing Arts. She guided the nonprofit through its start-up phase, and continued to serve on the Board after her transition out of the ED role. Additional nonprofit experience includes 2+ years in Visitor Services Management at the Getty Museum in Los Angeles.

    Currently, Kate is the founder and principal of Conscious Consults, a small business coaching and consulting firm. She also supports the small business community through her volunteerism for the Community Investment Collaborative (CIC), serving on their Loan Committee, and as a volunteer mentor to graduates of their Entrepreneurship Workshop. Kate is fluent in Spanish, holds a BA in Latin American Studies from Pitzer College, and earned a Graduate Certificate in Social Justice from Harvard University’s Extension School.

We work with nonprofit organizations of all sizes and budgets. To see if we might be a match for your organization’s needs, reach out to us today to schedule a confidential discovery call at no charge. This exploratory meeting with a prospective client will ensure compatibility and clarity of purpose, leading to a mutually beneficial proposal and fee schedule. Our fees are designed to be an excellent value for the level of expertise and service that we provide.  We will not turn away an organization in crisis due to inability to pay our fees in full.

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