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Strategic Advisory

Strategic Advisory & Capital Growth

A single monthly retainer covering grant strategy, contract pursuit, governance and operational consulting, and direct executive education. Three tiers matched to organizational scale. Entry begins with the Funding Readiness Assessment.

The engagement model

Phase 1

Funding Readiness Assessment

Complimentary diagnostic. Surfaces your current capacity, infrastructure gaps, and which retainer tier fits. If you're not yet ready for retainer-level work, we'll say so directly and recommend the right path forward.

Phase 2

Monthly Retainer

Bundles grant writing, contract pursuit, nonprofit consulting, and executive education into a single monthly fee.

Tier determines quarterly funding cap, education hours, and scope.

Bundling reflects how funding actually works — strategy, writing, relationships, and capacity are interdependent, and separating them produces worse outcomes.

Retainer tiers

Four monthly retainer tiers matched to organizational scale. Click any card to see full tier detail.

Opportunity
$1,000 / month

Foundational advisory for small but established organizations.
Quarterly funding cap: $50,000
Target budget: Up to $250K

Includes

  • Nonprofit consulting (governance, operations, process design)
  • Federal funder registration support (SAM.gov, UEI setup)
  • Grant writing execution within quarterly cap
  • One hour every two weeks of direct strategy education and mentorship
  • Assigned advisor with ongoing relationship

Designed for

Small but established organizations stabilizing their operations and beginning to pursue grant funding consistently. Best fit when the priority is building the strategic and operational foundation needed for larger pursuits down the line. The focus is grant-funded growth; contract procurement support is not included at this tier.

Not the right fit if: Your annual operating budget is above $250K, you need more than $50K in funding pursuits per quarter, or your funding strategy includes pursuing government contracts. The Standard tier covers contract procurement and a higher quarterly cap.
Standard
$4,000 / month

Core advisory for organizations building consistent funding capacity.
Quarterly funding cap: $250,000
Target budget: $250K to $600K

Includes

  • Grant writing execution within quarterly cap
  • Contract procurement support within quarterly cap
  • Nonprofit consulting (governance, operations, process design)
  • Certification readiness and acquisition support
  • One hour per week of direct strategy education and mentorship
  • Assigned advisor with ongoing relationship

Designed for

Organizations with established operations, seeking to move from ad hoc funding activity to consistent quarterly pipeline. Typical clients have staff capacity to execute alongside our team but need strategic direction and writing capacity.

Not the right fit if: Your annual operating budget is under $250K (the Opportunity tier is structured for that scale), or you need more than $250K in funding pursuits per quarter.
Growth
$7,000 / month

Expanded capacity for scaling organizations pursuing larger awards.
Quarterly funding cap: $500,000
Target budget: $600K to $1.5M

Everything in Standard, plus

  • Large grant procurement support (federal, major foundation)
  • Funder relationship mapping and introduction strategy
  • Quarterly C-suite strategy sessions
  • Two hours per week of direct strategy education and mentorship
  • Expanded topic depth in education (large grant strategy, federal compliance, multi-funder portfolio management)

Designed for

Growing organizations with revenue trajectory supporting larger pursuits. Clients at this tier typically manage multi-funder portfolios, pursue federal opportunities, and have executive teams that benefit from structured strategic input.

Not the right fit if: Your annual operating budget is below $600K or above $1.5M for an extended period; the tier on either side will fit better.
Comprehensive
$10,000 / month

Full-spectrum partnership for organizations managing complex growth.
Quarterly funding cap: $1,000,000
Target budget: $1.5M and above

Everything in Growth, plus

  • Dedicated two-person team
  • Fundraising and business credit guidance
  • Organizational management knowledge transfer (operations, governance, finance)
  • Up to three hours per week of direct strategy education and mentorship
  • Expanded topic scope (succession planning, board development, enterprise risk)

Designed for

Established organizations managing complex growth, transitions, or scaling phases. Clients at this tier often have mature boards, multi-site or multi-program operations, and leadership teams investing in long-term organizational capacity.

Not the right fit if: Your annual operating budget is under $1.5M. A lower tier will match your actual activity without overshooting capacity.

Retainer clients span budget scales from foundational small operations to organizations managing $4M+ in annual operating budget across the nonprofit, civic, and mission-driven enterprise sectors. Our principals have delivered over $107M across federal agencies (NSF, NIH, HHS, HUD), major private foundations, and state and local programs. See our publicly disclosed funding track record

Tier assignment policy

How tier is set

Tier is determined by organizational budget and confirmed through the Funding Readiness Assessment. Budget sets the minimum tier floor; the FRA may recommend a higher tier based on pursuit activity, infrastructure, or capacity.

Edge cases

For organizations on the edge between tiers, we recommend the lower tier and upgrade on demonstrated throughput rather than starting high. This is deliberate — retainer fit is measured over quarters, not weeks, and right-sizing the engagement at entry produces better long-term outcomes than aspirational placement.

Additional services

Project-based services available alongside or independent of the retainer.

501(c)(3) Formation

Service Flat fee
501(c)(3) Express Formation 1023-EZ eligible organizations $1,750
501(c)(3) Full Formation Standard Form 1023 $4,500

Eligibility note. Form 1023-EZ eligibility is generally limited to organizations projecting under $50,000 in annual gross receipts (in any of the next three years) and under $250,000 in total assets. We verify eligibility during intake and recommend the correct filing path.

What's included

  • Articles of incorporation drafting
  • Bylaws development
  • IRS Form 1023 or 1023-EZ preparation and filing
  • EIN acquisition
  • State-level registration coordination (additional fees may apply based on jurisdiction)
  • Filing fee guidance (IRS filing fees are separate and paid directly to the IRS)

Typical timeline. Express formation: 4 to 6 weeks from intake to IRS submission. Full formation: 8 to 12 weeks, driven by organizational complexity and document development.

Frequently asked questions

What is the Funding Readiness Assessment?
The FRA is a complimentary diagnostic instrument, not a sales tool. It establishes your organization's current funding capacity, surfaces infrastructure or governance gaps, and identifies which retainer tier matches your scale. Completing the FRA is the first piece of real work we do together. If the assessment shows your organization is not yet ready for retainer-level engagement, we will say so directly and recommend the right path forward, whether that is project-based work, infrastructure development, or a different engagement entirely.
How do you assign tiers?
Tier is determined by your annual operating budget, with the Funding Readiness Assessment confirming whether the budget-based floor is the right match or whether pursuit activity, infrastructure complexity, or capacity needs suggest a different tier. For organizations on the edge between tiers, we recommend the lower tier and upgrade on demonstrated throughput rather than placing high. Right-sizing at entry produces better long-term outcomes than aspirational placement.
How does the quarterly funding cap work?
The cap sets the maximum total dollar value of funding opportunities we pursue for you in a rolling quarter. It exists to protect quality on both sides: clients get clear expectations on capacity, we maintain our standards on each pursuit rather than spreading too thin. Caps reset at the start of each quarter.
What's the minimum commitment?
Three months to start. Most engagements extend beyond that because strategic work compounds across quarters: pipeline development, funder relationships, and infrastructure improvements need multiple cycles to produce results. Six-month and twelve-month engagements are common and they unlock better planning on both sides.

Need a single grant application rather than ongoing support?

See Grant Writing

Pursuing a specific government contract opportunity?

See Contract Procurement

Ready to take the next step?

Start with our complimentary Funding Readiness Assessment (FRA). We'll review your submission and follow up within 3 business days.

Take the FRA

Not yet funding-ready? The strategy call path exists for organizations exploring whether a retainer makes sense for earlier-stage strategic support.