You've built an organization that matters. Now you need the roadmap to grow it.
Philanthropy and advancement strategy for established nonprofits ready for the next level of growth.
"Miriam brought strategic clarity to a complex and time-sensitive campaign. She designed the roadmap, led the feasibility study, and produced the research and donor intelligence that gave our team a real foundation to work from. She took something overwhelming and made it actionable."
Sarah Archer
Executive Director: Development and Alumni Departme- UCT
You've built something substantial.
But as you approach your next milestone — a celebration, major expansion, a leadership transition, a revenue pivot, a funding disruption — you know your fundraising model needs to shift.
It often sounds like:
"We have donors, but we're not keeping them, growing our pipeline, or maximizing gifts"
"Our revenue depends on a few big donors."
"We're doing a lot, but it's not as focused or strategic as we'd like."
"Our organization runs on one person. That's not sustainable and we know it."
"We're gearing up for a big campaign and we need to know it's going to land."
"I need someone senior enough to trust with our donors — not just someone to execute tasks."
Meet Em Elle ConsultingCo.
Fundraising and advancement strategy for organizations that are ready to do the work to grow.
I help established nonprofits navigate the pivotal moments that define their future — so they move forward with confidence, clarity and the revenue they need to make a difference.
Special projects. A major capital campaign. A leadership transition. A revenue pivot. A funding disruption. A growth stage the current model can't support.
The organizations I work with are established, capable, and serious about growth. They don't need a generic fundraising framework. They need someone who can look at all the pieces and figure out what to do next with the resources they have.
That's what I've been doing for 20 years — across fundraising, advancement, and campaign architecture. In-house, inside agencies, and now independently across three continents. After dozens of engagements, I've learned that real growth is never about one thing. It's about looking at all of it together. That's the only way to find where the real leverage is.
And then I stay. Through the implementation, the detours, and handoff. I teach as I go, so when I leave, you don't just have a plan. You have the systems, the confidence, and the capabilities to keep growing.
Who I Work With
Established nonprofits across:
Getting to the next level isn't about having bigger or better ideas.
It's about laser-sharp clarity on what moves the needle — and having the roadmap, systems, and accountability to execute it in the right order.
01 | I turn complexity into clarity.
This is my superpower. At this level, there are too many priorities and too much noise. I come in, ask the right questions, and figure out where the real leverage is. You walk away knowing where you're going and what to tackle first, second, and third.
02 | I ride shotgun until launch.
I build the strategy and stay through implementation. Not handing over a plan and wishing you luck — staying embedded through the early messy phase to make sure the plan becomes a reality.
03 | I'm rooted in reality.
Every recommendation is designed around your real bandwidth, needs, and constraints. Not a 47-step strategy that looks great on a slide but falls apart on Monday morning.
04 | I measure success by how well you run without me.
My goal is your organization's independence. I'm there for every heavy lift, but the intention is to make sure your team eventually doesn't need me anymore. Greater impact. More money. Engagement that sticks
How we work together
Every engagement begins with the Strategy Sprint. From there, we choose what’s needed next. You can stop after step one and walk away with something valuable — or we keep going. Every stage compounds value and impact.
01
The Strategy Sprint
Before you build new things, see what you already have. It's usually richer than you realize.
In several focused sessions — in person or online — I map your full fundraising, marketing, and events reality from the ground up. What's working, what to stop, where the real opportunities are. Everyone who does this leaves with more clarity — and more confidence — than they came in with.
Within 10 business days you receive a written report with specific findings and a prioritized set of next steps. Valuable as a standalone, and even more valuable as the foundation for everything that comes next.
02
Mission & Vision Clarity + Case for Support
I clarify your organization's next stage of growth and sharpen the case for support or narrative that will anchor everything — your campaign, your donor conversations, your leadership alignment. The story you tell has to be the one your donors need to hear. This is where we get that right.
03
Feasibility Study & Recommendations
For those planning a major campaign, feasibility research before a major campaign isn't a nice-to-have. It's what separates initiatives campaigns that land from ones that fall short.
I define scope, identify participants, conduct the research, and deliver a report with specific insights on donor readiness, community appetite, and realistic goal-setting. You'll know what's achievable — and what isn't — before you commit to anything publicly.
04
Campaign Design & Roadmap
Everything we've learned, turned into a plan you can execute.
Gift tables, segmentation frameworks, campaign architecture, donor journey mapping, communications strategy, timelines. Built around your community, your culture, and your real capacity. Not a version of your organization that doesn't exist yet.
05
Embedded Fractional Advancement
For organizations that want senior leadership through to the finish line.
I stay embedded through execution — project managing the campaign, adapting when things shift, keeping the team accountable, and moving. I teach as I go, so your team doesn't just follow the plan — they understand it. When I leave, the engine keeps running.
06
Speaking & Special Projects
I love working with smart people doing interesting things.
Available for workshops, leadership retreats, board sessions, and on fundraising strategy and advancement. And if you have something that doesn't fit neatly into any of the above — a book, a film, a module, an idea that's hard to categorize — let's talk. Some of the most interesting work doesn't have a name yet.
Not sure where to start?
A 30-minute conversation is usually enough to figure out what you actually need — and whether we're the right fit. The best engagements start there.
Helping 50+ organizations grow across North America, Africa & beyond.
IMPACT BY THE NUMBERS
What stronger looks like:
100%
goal attainment across completed crowdfunding engagements
15M+
raised across peer-to-peer fundraising campaigns
20–30%+
year-over-year growth in public campaigns
60%
of campaign goals raised before launch day
$136M+
in capital and institutional funding positioned or assessed
47%
growth in monthly giving
66%
increase in average crowdfunding gift size
102%
of matched donations raised
The numbers matter.
But what matters most is that you've got the clarity and confidence to keep growing long after I leave.
Hi, I'm Miriam.
After working in this space for over 20 years across three continents, I know you don't need an outside consultant handing you a plan. You need a partner who can find the clarity in the chaos, create your roadmap with you, and stay through implementation and iteration to make sure it actually happens.
So, while I'm warm and honest, I care too much to let things drift. I'll hold your feet to the fire (, and then invite you to dinner).
This rare combination — sharp strategy, clear roadmaps, and steady follow-through — is why the organizations I work with don't just raise funds for their next goal. They gain confidence and clarity to achieve meaningful growth in every area: fundraising, community, and the organization itself.
A 3rd generation New Yorker, I split my time between the USA and glorious Cape Town. When I'm not working in a trendy coffee shop, I’m hiking, traveling, cycling
Client Voices
"Miriam brought strategic clarity to a complex and time-sensitive campaign. She designed the roadmap, led the feasibility study, and produced the research and donor intelligence that gave our team a real foundation to work from. She took something overwhelming and made it actionable."
"Miriam balances patience with strategic rigor — pushing me to grow while making the work practical. Her guidance has given us clarity, a sustainable path forward, and the confidence to strengthen our focus on essential outcomes."
"Miriam got us thinking about programming in a completely new way. The blueprint she provided was invaluable. She is particularly skilled at stepping into the shoes of every stakeholder and anticipating needs while providing a 360-degree holistic view that pulls everything into one overarching logistical plan. Her visualization skills are only matched by her ability to educate while guiding you to success."
"Miriam is an incredible strategic partner and is someone I call on time and again. She is someone I trust with anything fundraising related as her work is consistently high quality.” . For the first time, the grantmaker required zero edits."
"Miriam combines her expertise in fundraising strategy and project management, and the results speak for themselves. She has helped our clients raise millions of dollars and hit campaign objectives that have made these clients more sustainable and grow year over year. It also doesn't hurt that she is an incredible team player, and everyone enjoys collaborating with her on these campaigns."
"We would like to express our sincere gratitude for the invaluable guidance we've received from Miriam. Her insights have been truly eye-opening. Perhaps the most significant takeaway has been the realization that we already have so many of the necessary tools, skills, and resources in-house to run a successful campaign. This has given us a renewed sense of confidence and clarity as we move forward."
The foundation is there. Let's build what comes next.
A 30-minute conversation is the best way to find out if we're the right fit.