Organizations often need to test the waters before launching a major campaign. Al will analyze your capacity to carry out a capital campaign, and he will help you craft a persuasive case statement. Then Al will discuss that case statement individually with donors and funders and candidly assess the potential success of your campaign.
Campaign counsel
Al will design a structure for your capital campaign, help you prioritize your prospects, train and support your volunteer and staff solicitors, and put the pieces in place to support your success.
Strategic planning
Al helps staff and board leadership undertake strategic planning processes that promote a deeper understanding of institutional values, an appreciation for external challenges, and a focus on critical–and often overlooked–issues.
Staff and board training
Al provides training on a variety of subjects, including clarifying the roles of board and staff; attracting, cultivating, and keeping donors; understanding planned giving and creating an effective gift planning program; and building a culture of philanthropy. In his trainings, Al works to demystify fundraising and to change the development process from a subject of apprehension to one of excitement and opportunity.
Development assessments
Al helps organizations analyze their fundraising staffing, plans, methods, priorities, and infrastructure, and he recommends changes so they can better achieve their goals.
Planned giving services
Al assists nonprofit organizations with various aspects of charitable gift planning. These services include providing training to boards and staff, educating donors, building the infrastructure for accepting and managing gifts, and being on-call for confidential conversations with his clients’ donors regarding their personal gift planning.
Executive mentoring
It’s not easy being the CEO. Al can help nonprofit leaders gain perspective, reprioritize their responsibilities, manage and delegate, and move the organization forward toward ultimate success.
Al Cantor worked wonders at our board retreat.
"Al Cantor worked wonders at our board retreat. We had a challenging structural governance issue to address and we were able to resolve it effectively. Best of all, the board members felt comfortable with Al’s leadership. His sense of humor, enthusiasm and ability to keep the conversation on track made the experience of working through the problem a pleasure."
2019-01-28T06:13:57+00:00
Anne Galloway
Executive Director
Vermont Journalism Trust
https://www.alancantorconsulting.com/testimonials/355/
On the ‘new information’ scale, Al was a 10.
“Minnesota’s nonprofits are eager to address critical issues facing their organizations, and seek out learning opportunities that address both the how and why of their work. Al Cantor’s keynote address to our Nonprofit Finance and Sustainability Conference hit this objective perfectly: new information, hard numbers, ethical challenges, inspiring examples and a persuasive call to action. On the ‘new information’ scale Al was a ‘10,’ presenting an exceptional and singular perspective that is too rare in the fields of nonprofits and philanthropy, which actually goes back to the roots of why we do this work in the first place.”
2019-01-28T07:44:10+00:00
Jon Pratt
Executive Director
Minnesota Council of Nonprofits
https://www.alancantorconsulting.com/testimonials/on-the-new-information-scale-al-was-a-10/
His work is always meticulously researched and provocative.
“Al Cantor speaks fearlessly about key issues in the nonprofit sector. His work is always meticulously researched and provocative. His voice is critical to advancing the conversation about the future of nonprofits.”
2019-01-28T07:49:38+00:00
Brian Mittendorf
Chair, Department of Accounting & MIS, Fisher College of Business
Distinguished Professor The Ohio State University
https://www.alancantorconsulting.com/testimonials/his-work-is-always-meticulously-researched-and-provocative/
Would I hire him again? Yes! In fact, I already have!
“Al provided us with an excellent assessment that gave a new sense of direction to the board and the organization as a whole. He was always available, and he brought things forward that could only come from a third party. Above all, he took the topic of raising money (which scares people) and made what might be intimidating feel possible. Would I hire him again? Yes! In fact, I already have!”
2019-01-28T06:57:14+00:00
Maureen Beauregard
President
Families in Transition
https://www.alancantorconsulting.com/testimonials/368/
The end results have truly moved the organization forward.
“Al is really good at what he does. He has a great blend of leadership, knowledge, intellect, competence, and people skills, alongside humor and curiosity. It makes whatever task we’re doing fun – and the end results have truly moved the organization forward.”
2019-01-28T08:00:24+00:00
Barry Gaw
Board Member
Squam Lakes Association
https://www.alancantorconsulting.com/testimonials/the-end-results-have-truly-moved-the-organization-forward/
Al approaches complex issues with thoughtfulness, moral clarity, and ardor.
“There are few individuals writing and working in the philanthropic sector today who approach complex, controversial issues with more thoughtfulness, moral clarity, and ardor — qualities that are rarely found sympathetically aligned — than Al Cantor. In particular, his work raising alarms about the rise of donor-advised funds has been a vitally important civic service.”
2019-01-28T07:54:44+00:00
Ben Soskis
Research Associate in the Center on Nonprofits and Philanthropy
The Urban Institute
https://www.alancantorconsulting.com/testimonials/al-approaches-complex-issues-with-thoughtfulness-moral-clarity-and-ardor/
Al Cantor has helped our organization level up.
"With remarkable insight, Al Cantor has helped our organization level up. Al understands scale, and was able to survey our key stakeholders, assess our operations, and recommend organizational improvements that have worked like a charm."
2019-04-26T17:23:24+00:00
James Sturm
Co-Founder
The Center for Cartoon Studies
https://www.alancantorconsulting.com/testimonials/al-cantor-has-helped-our-organization-level-up/
I never fail to learn something new.
“Al Cantor is one of the most insightful commentators on philanthropy today. I never fail to learn something new and interesting when I read his columns.”
2019-01-28T07:45:53+00:00
Ray D. Madoff
Professor
Boston College Law School and Author of "Immortality and the Law"
https://www.alancantorconsulting.com/testimonials/i-never-fail-to-learn-something-new/
Our only regret is that we didn’t start working with Al earlier.
"We're grateful for Al's support and guidance. Our only regret is that we didn't start working with Al earlier."
2019-04-25T20:26:34+00:00
Michelle Ollie
Co-Founder
The Center for Cartoon Studies
https://www.alancantorconsulting.com/testimonials/our-only-regret-is-that-we-didnt-start-working-with-al-earlier/
His work, both in preparing for the retreat and in conducting it, was outstanding.
“Al facilitated a critically important two-day board retreat, where we wrestled with two very big issues. His work, both in preparing for the retreat and in conducting it, was outstanding. My board members were delighted. All are experienced, having served on many boards, and all shared their happiness with the planning retreat and its outcomes. One expressed that this was the single best meeting he had attended in all his years of board service.”
2019-01-28T07:38:14+00:00
John Molinaro
President and CEO
Appalachian Partnership for Economic Growth
https://www.alancantorconsulting.com/testimonials/374/
Al did a stellar job on his keynote.
“Al did a stellar job on his keynote, a perfect and entertaining mix of irreverent, but true. And clearly a success by the energy and conversation it engendered in the room and afterwards!”
2019-01-28T08:07:37+00:00
Barbara Edmond
President
Maine Philanthropy Center
https://www.alancantorconsulting.com/testimonials/al-did-a-stellar-job-on-his-keynote/
Al has become my go-to guy for sage advice delivered with kindness and humor.
"Al has become my go-to guy for sage advice delivered with kindness and humor. Last year, we bolstered 'all things' planned giving, and we couldn’t have done it without him! Recently, a donor approached a board member by surprise about establishing a large estate bequest. With our newly completed planned giving guidelines in hand, the board member felt comfortable and confident during this meeting. Al guided us through the process, and we ended up right where we needed to be."
2019-04-25T20:23:09+00:00
Erin Fernandez
Executive Director
Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports
https://www.alancantorconsulting.com/testimonials/al-has-become-my-go-to-guy-for-sage-advice-delivered-with-kindness-and-humor/
[Our] planning session couldn’t have gone better.
“Al led our Board of Trustees and staff in a strategic planning session that couldn’t have gone better. Because he is so personable, we all felt comfortable in our discussions. Not only did we come together as a group under Al’s leadership, we have a very workable plan going forward.”
2019-01-28T06:16:35+00:00
Ann Thompson
Executive Director
Oklahoma Humanities
https://www.alancantorconsulting.com/testimonials/357/