Q&A with Founder & Principal Laura MacDonald, CFRE 

Let’s start with the origin story. The year is 2000. What inspired you to launch Benefactor Group? 

I’d been a frontline fundraiser and enjoyed the long arc of building relationships. But I felt my skills and interests were better suited for the consulting world.  

The sector was also transitioning. When I started my career in the mid-1980s, most nonprofits did not have true development offices, and campaigns were often completed in a year or two. As such, most consulting firms focused on resident campaign management: running campaigns on behalf of nonprofits. But as fundraising became more professionalized, the need shifted to strategic counsel. I felt this emerging model—one of partnership and guidance—was a good one. 

So I said yes to the business. I pushed our dining room table against the window, purchased a laptop, developed a business plan, and set up shop. Benefactor Group officially began February 1, 2000.  

Who was Benefactor Group’s first client? 

Our first notable client was the World YWCA. I remember it clearly. One rainy morning in March, my phone rang. The woman on the other end asked, “Is this Laura MacDonald?” with such authority that I immediately stood at attention! She introduced herself as Jane Lee Wolfe, president of the World YWCA. After speaking for a while, she connected me with another individual—the General Secretary of the World YWCA, Musimbi Kanyoro, a now long-time friend of the firm. That started a seven-year journey with the World YWCA, and a 25-year journey with mission-driven organizations like theirs. 

Benefactor Group has grown and changed since those early days. Tell me about that evolution.   

The team has grown, from an informal, creative collective to a firm of 25 individuals with diverse talents. The location has changed, from a small office above Stauf’s Coffee to team members across the country. But throughout it all, we have been driven by a few constants. A strong sense of values. A commitment to do good work for impactful organizations. And an understanding of the importance of a team approach.  

Tell me some of the client successes and stories that have stayed with you. 

Every opportunity to serve those who serve the common good has been meaningful. Perhaps I can share a few themes. 

• Advancing women’s philanthropy. Our clients have ranged from global women’s rights organizations—which created opportunities to learn about generosity, resourcefulness, and vision from women around the world—to a girls’ preparatory school, where we helped build a campaign led and fueled by women.  

• Completing “brain surgery” projects that demand deep thinking. I recall the children’s hospital that invited us to rethink middle giving. The university that challenged us to change their culture of generosity, starting from a student’s first days on campus. And the many others who we have worked with to accelerate philanthropy in creative ways.  

• Witnessing the resilience of philanthropy. I think of the theatre association that successfully completed a bold endowment campaign during the Great Recession, or the outpouring of support for our foodbank clients during the pandemic. It was a privilege to write about cultivating resilient causes in The Endowment Handbook.  

Looking ahead, what excites you about the future of Benefactor Group and philanthropy more broadly? What gives you hope? 

So much excites me. I’m inspired by the next generation of smart, inspired professionals who are continuing this work with energy and care. I’m also encouraged by a growing recognition that generosity is a universal human impulse. The first recorded capital campaign dates back to the Bible: David gathering the tribes of Israel in the Book of Numbers. To me, this is a reminder that tools and technologies will evolve, but generosity is part of who we are. 

Beautifully said. Do I sense a “but…” coming? 

Just a small one. When I began my career in the 1980s, most nonprofits didn’t have development departments. People were largely asked to contribute through their houses of worship. Americans gave about 2% of GDP to charity. Now, decades later—with professional fundraisers, advanced technology, and countless new strategies—we still give just 2% of GDP.  

That’s the next big question: How do we move the needle?  

What three words would you use to summarize the past 25 years? 

A great journey.

It has been our privilege to serve those who serve the common good over the past decades. To read more about the stories, themes, and moments from our interview—client successes, creative opportunities for accelerating philanthropy, the resilience of American generosity—explore our blog here.