Counsel and Advising

Services: Strategic Counsel and Philanthropic Advising

 

Feeling stymied comes with working on complex issues in complex environments; we all need space to name challenges that impede doing our best work. Candid, confidential, and supportive conversation with a trusted thought partner enables creative problem-solving. Tailored to a client’s preferred learning style and capacity, our strategic counsel and coaching services can be highly structured or flexibly adaptive; short-term or ongoing. Hallmark practices include listening deeply, asking good questions, testing assumptions, applying field knowledge, crystalizing action steps, and drafting practical resources to accelerate moving forward. 

Strategic counsel services include:

  • Iterative conversation to diagnose challenging dilemmas 

  • Root cause analysis to help clarify what’s driving what 

  • Identifying key assets and catalysts of change 

  • Elucidating low-hanging fruit and feasible actions

  • Conducting or curating field research relevant to presenting challenges

  • Crafting practical resources to support implementation

Philanthropic advising services include: 

  • Guiding field learning and networking to clarify giving areas of interest 

  • Elucidating mission, vision, and values

  • Identifying and vetting prospective grant partners

  • Facilitating grantmaking processes

 
 

Select project examples:

  • Coached a community foundation CEO in building buy-in for social justice grantmaking priorities among donor community, board, and staff.  

  • Counseled a board chair in facilitating a board development process centering racial equity across organizational culture, operations, practice, and partnerships.  

  • Counseled a program director addressing institutional impediments to advancing the program’s systemic change objectives. 

  • Guided family foundations in refining shared values and mission; joining funder collaboratives and affinity groups; and addressing ongoing learning needs.

 

Melinda is an intellectual powerhouse and wonderful collaborator. In leading a theory of change process for my program docket, she pushed me to reexamine my grantmaking assumptions and develop a very clear logic frame for my strategies. Though Melinda did not have specialized content expertise in my grantmaking area, I found her to be a quick learner who identified and integrated field needs and challenges to help move my work forward. I learned an immense amount from her. Last but not least, I appreciated having a person whom I enjoyed spending time with to partner with me on this difficult work.

~ Catherine Townsend | Former Senior Program Officer, Wellspring Philanthropic Fund