Good intentions don't build anything. We do.

You've been grantmaking for years and you’re comfortable with it. But something has started to feel insufficient. The foundation is doing what it’s required to do, but the problem is still growing. Or your kids want to get involved - and the questions become more complex. We help bold foundations ask those hard but generative questions: about strategy, about the endowment, about what spend-down could actually look like, and about who leads it all forward.

This can include: fractional Executive Director, spend-down strategy, grantmaking design, DAF buildout, board and IC representation, stakeholder and next-gen education, investment committee strategy.

For foundations and DAFs ready to go further.

Wealth without a clear thesis can pull in a dozen directions at once. We help families find the through-line — and then build the strategy, structures, and investment approach to match it.

This can include: impact investing strategy, investment policy development, advisor search and vetting, values clarification, next-gen education, estate and philanthropic structure alignment, trustee services in select situations.

For families putting capital to work.

For families, funds, and firms ready to build something beyond the portfolio.

Some of our clients are families and family offices who've realized that their capital, relationships, and point of view are worth more when the world knows about them — attracting the right deals, the right partners, the right next generation of talent. Others are funds and firms trying to reach and serve those families better — building the brand and community that makes their work visible to the people they're trying to reach. They all see their position as part of the solution, not just the funding.

This can include: brand and growth strategy, market positioning, investor and donor narrative, event and community programming, and partnership development.

How We Engage

We don't have a standard package. The first thing we want to understand is where you're actually trying to go. Everything else — the structure, the strategy, the team — follows from that.

Some clients need sharp strategic thinking at a critical moment — an educational process, a spend-down plan, an investment policy, a framework for the next generation. Others need someone inside the organization for the long haul — running the foundation, building the platform, hiring the team, doing the work.

Engagements typically take one of three forms: a focused strategic sprint, an ongoing advisory relationship, or a fractional operating role where one of us is effectively part of your team. Most of our best work starts as one thing and becomes another as you grow and evolve.

Selected Work

  • Helped a family foundation align its investment portfolio with its philanthropic mission — turning two separate strategies into one coherent vision

  • Advised a global NGO on launching a low-interest debt fund to extend their mission beyond grants

  • Built the growth and positioning strategy for a private wealth firm serving women and next-gen impact investors

  • Designed and hosted a two-day retreat for 100 clients and prospects — turning a brand into something people wanted to be part of.

  • Worked with families to build real fluency in impact investing — so their capital reflects their values across every structure

  • Helped mission-driven organizations sharpen their narrative and investor story ahead of a major growth moment

Start a Conversation

We work with a small number of clients at a time. If you're ready to explore, so are we.