Founded in 1987, the Finance Fund works to connect resources with low-income communities to enhance the quality of life for Ohioans. In 2013, as the leadership was finalizing a strategic plan, Benefactor Group was engaged to assess the potential for raising charitable contributions.

Internally, our consultants evaluated current revenue sources, explored the role of the governing board in fundraising, analyzed development resources (including data management capabilities), and identified opportunities for growth. Externally, we conducted 12 interviews with selected board members and community constituents, and benchmarked the Finance Fund against four similar organizations.

Our comprehensive assessment identified the strengths of existing revenue sources, areas for growth, and donors’ perceptions of the Fund. Based on these insights, we provided recommendations for future fundraising efforts, which included a proposed human resources structure for development involving both staff and board members.

We previewed our findings and recommendations with the leadership team and subsequently presented the final written memorandum to the Fund’s Board of Directors. Benefactor Group also prepared a five-year revenue model, outlining the potential for major gifts, grants, and social venture philanthropy funds.