In the four previous blog posts, we’ve highlighted end-of-year tasks that every nonprofit should be doing or at least thinking about to prepare for the upcoming year. Now, as the year comes to a close, we want to emphasize the importance of creating a projected budget — a financial roadmap showing how you will finish the fiscal year or what you anticipate for the year ahead, with a clear overview of expected revenue and expenses. …
Securing government contracts and grants can be a game-changer for nonprofits. However, winning these opportunities involves writing compelling proposals and navigating a complex landscape of regulations and competition. In this blog, we dive into the benefits and challenges of government proposals and what nonprofits can be doing now to prepare for them. …
Nonprofit donors are inundated with asks at the end of the year, have their own planned giving, and are enjoying the hectic holiday time. The earlier in December folks read your appeal letter, the better the chances that they’ll make you a priority. Yet, as much as this is pragmatic advice about time management, it also has bigger implications for cultivating your donor base and engaging your Board and volunteers. …
Fall isn’t just about pumpkin spice lattes and cozy sweaters; it’s an opportune time to collect and analyze data that can shape your nonprofit’s future. With heavy programming schedules after the summer break, organizations have a captive audience and the opportunity to gather valuable insights about participants’ experiences, preferences, and needs. …
In working for nonprofits and collaborating with them as a consultant, I’ve repeatedly seen the same challenges pop up across a wide range of organizations. The good news is that a little strategic fall planning can help you avoid many of these challenges. Here are six things your organization should be doing this season to end the year strong…
Several years ago, a direct report turned to me in a meeting and asked a simple question: “Are you burned out?” In the context of our conversation, it felt like an ageist insult from a millennial. When she said “burned out,” I heard “played out.”…
On Friday, May 10th thru Sunday, May 12, 2023, Justice for Families hosted a board retreat for new and returning board members. Justice for Families (J4F), based in the Bronx, is a national network of family leaders impacted by the justice system, working to end mass criminalization and incarceration, particularly of youth in communities of color…
Nonprofit leaders are often very effective, and at times, superhuman, but they pay a price for overextending and ignoring their health needs. Thankfully, the concept of self-care is catching on, and there are professional services that can help busy people develop a plan to fit in time for their nourishment…
In my business development activities, I am well aware that I am modeling for my clients. This means I won’t ask them to do anything I wouldn’t do myself and am ready to demonstrate best practices for my clients when there is an opportunity. I am also willing to personally ask friends, colleagues, and family…
Spring is a terrific time to conduct a fundraising campaign. The emphasis on new beginnings and longer days offers organizations an opportunity to remind their supporters how important they are to the mission. It is also a way to follow up with donors that did not give at the end of the year or reach…
Sachin Prasad, Salesforce Consultant
Sachin Prasad is a Salesforce certified expert and app builder with more than eight years of IT consulting experience. He holds a Master’s in Business Administration from Sikkim Manipal University. He is an expert at Salesforce configuration and customization for non-profits. He currently helps organizations to set up Salesforce for project management, donations/grants management, and custom applications. His focus is on helping non-profits spend less time on administration and more time on what really matters – delivering high-quality programs to their constituents and making an impact in their communities. Sachin sets up client Salesforce
Andy Draheim, Senior Proposal Writer
Andy earned a BA in Metropolitan Studies at Michigan State University’s James Madison College and a MA in American History at Indiana University. Drawn to Lydia Sierra Consulting by the team’s deep-seated passion and desire to see youth, families, and communities thrive, he helps LSC’s inspiring roster of clients share their compelling stories and pitch their vital programs to charitable foundations, government agencies, and other grant funders. Andy brings more than two decades of proposal writing experience to LSC from his executive fundraising and development roles with major state and national nonprofits in the environmental and pro-democracy movements. An avid runner who has finished more than a dozen marathons, Andy enjoys family vacations on the amazing waters of northern Michigan where he grew up, visiting his three children who are scattered across the United States, and tailgating with friends at Michigan State University football games.
Candace Famiglietti, Senior Prospect Researcher/Proposal Writer
Candace is an experienced nonprofit consultant with expertise in grant research, research methods, micro and social enterprise, gender, environmental justice, wildlife conservation, and sustainable development. Since joining the team in 2021, Candace has performed deep grant research with nonprofit leaders in social and environmental justice, youth development, sustainable economic development, reentry, juvenile justice reform, and more. Prior to LSC, Candace worked in Donor Relations at Stony Brook University and was co-owner of a social enterprise focused on helping children in war torn countries get access to peace-based education. Candace is also currently finishing a PhD in Global Governance and Human Security with a focus in Global Environmental Governance at the University of Massachusetts Boston where she is also a National Science Foundation IGERT Fellow and also has taught multiple sustainability courses at Babson College She also has an MS in International Studies with a concentration in International Human Development, Society, and Education and a BS in Finance with minors in French and Accounting from Oklahoma State University.
Megan Sweat Lopes, Fund Development Manager
Megan holds a Masters of Public Health in Social and Behavioral Health from Virginia Commonwealth University and has 15 years of multisector work experience in education, health, and nutrition. Megan’s expertise includes program design and evaluation, learning and professional development, and grant writing and management. For 9 years, Megan was Maryland’s Team Nutrition Training Grants Director, where she worked with diverse teams from community-based organizations, universities, and state/local agencies to provide training and nutrition education to school nutrition professionals, teachers, administrators, and children across the state. She has written federal and private grants, managed funds in excess of 1 million dollars, and established and managed funding opportunities for schools, child care centers, universities, and community-based organizations. Megan started her career as a Peace Corps HIV/AIDS Community Mobilization Volunteer in Namibia, and she worked closely with a local government and community based organizations to apply for HIV funding opportunities. Megan currently resides in Portugal with her husband and daughter where they
Megan Rozzero, Director of Accounts and Administration
Megan earned a BA in Business Communication from Assumption College. She helps form the backbone of Lydia Sierra Consulting, providing a high level of support and performing essential administrative functions that keep LSC’s day-to-day operations running smoothly. From developing proposal outlines to packaging and submission, Megan is a professional administrator, providing oversight, guidance, and capaci-ty for team members of her department and company-wide operations. She is an expert in project and systems management (including government databases, Salesforce, and other cloud-based management software), as well as event planning and customer service. Prior to working at LSC, Megan worked in development at Brown University and Providence College where she was responsible for coordinating administrative activities associated with gift solicitation, processing, and donor cultivation, including interfacing with donors of all levels. She also has a passion for the arts and enjoys taking a variety of dance classes, particularly jazz and tap.
Jamie Andersson, Director of Fund Development
Jamie earned a Master’s of Fine Arts degree in Writing from Bard College and has 20 years of experience providing strategic fund development services for organizations at a variety of scales (from new organizations with operating budgets under $100k to established multi-million dollar institutions). In addition to private foundation and corporate grant procurement, Jamie’s expertise includes proposal development for a wide variety of federal, state, and local government agencies. Jamie served as Managing Director of a non-profit technical assistance provider in NYC for over a decade before joining LSC in 2019. She now manages a talented team of LSC writers and grants managers to provide highly effective services to our vibrant roster of clients. Jamie works closely with organizational leadership, gaining deep knowledge of each client’s programs, systems, needs, goals, and funding gaps, allowing her to become a collaborative partner in visioning the most effective and efficient path to mission-driven growth. She’s also served on the Boards of several non-profit organizations in her home state of New York. Currently, she lives in Sweden with her husband and son.
Lydia Sierra, Founder and Principal Consultant
Lydia earned a Master’s degree and completed two years of doctoral studies in Human Services Administration. She has over 30 years of experience in the nonprofit sector in areas such as youth development, juvenile justice, arts education, community organizing, immigration services, community development, community health and more. Prior to establishing Lydia Sierra Consulting, she was the founder and director of a community-based organization that served as the social service arm of a Bronx church. As a Bronx native, her unique aptitude and passion for understanding and addressing the needs of underrepresented urban communities have led to her raising tens of millions of dollars to support vital community work. She is an organizational development specialist and a fundraising expert who has developed assessment tools, toolkits, and a treasure chest of strategies to help community-based nonprofit organizations grow to the next level. When not hard at work for her clients, you might find Lydia spending time with her five adorable grandchildren, hiking in nature, buried in a book, or writing in her journal.