COLLABORATIVES, FUNDRAISING, STRATEGY AND IMPLEMENTATION
What we did: We were brought in by the Packard Foundation at the ground floor of what would become the Collaborative for Gender and Reproductive Equity—and have continued working with the collaborative team. We provide strategic counsel, fundraising acumen, and the organizational management and capacity to build and establish this Collaborative. It is about halfway to its goal of raising $100 million annually in new funding to the select, transformational opportunities.
“Susan, Jenn and team helped us take a concept – bringing new funding to the field of reproductive and gender equity – to reality. In the first year they helped us bring five leading funders to the Collaborative. In the second year they helped us see our way to a shared strategy. Now they are helping build the Collaborative team that will take this work forward. They provide smart, strategic counsel and the materials and bandwidth needed to execute quickly and with sophistication in complex situations. We would recommend them to anyone considering starting or strengthening a funder collaborative.”
– Carol Larson, Former President and CEO, The David & Lucille Packard Foundation
STRATEGY AND FUNDRAISING
What we did: We worked with the Water Policy Center at the Public Policy Institute of California to develop a strategic plan, communicate their work, and attract resources to support the Center.
“We hired Susan Bell & Associates when we had an opportunity to expand our work on water and start up a new policy center. We wanted to develop a smart and strategic plan for the Center’s first five years with the aim of securing it financially. Susan and her team helped us set clear priorities, explain clearly what we do and why, engage our partners, and secure multi-year funding. The energy and enthusiasm they brought to the work was a real joy.”
– Ellen Hanak, Vice President and Director, Water Policy Center, Public Policy Institute of California
COLLABORATIVE, STRATEGY AND MOBILIZING RESOURCES
What we did: We worked with the S. D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation and the Walton Family Foundation to form a new funder collaborative on freshwater: The Water Funder Initiative. Susan has lead this collaborative from its startup to the present day, including creating a Blueprint for Philanthropy that identified the strategies that make progress on water possible, bringing funders to the Table to align their funding, and attracting new resources to ready solutions.
“It took us one conversation with Susan to realize why we needed to work with multiple funders on water: the ability to focus and grow our resources for increased impact. At each stage of this work, from exploration, to pilot, to growing the collaborative, Susan has found the right people and resources to make grow our impact. Her leadership and knowledge of philanthropy are indispensable.”
-- Allison Harvey Turner, CEO, Water Foundation and Former Environment Program Director, S. D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation
Call us…
If you want help building a team, structure, or solutions…
If you want collaborators who aren’t afraid to take on the impossible…
If you want to change the world…
Let’s do this important work together!
What People Are Saying
“I have watched Susan put her formidable knowledge, network, and people skills to work on multiple boards. We served together on the European Climate Foundation Board where she led the executive, governance, and fundraising committees and led us through three CEO transitions over ten years. Our network of funders also asked her to help establish good board practices for our grantees in Mexico, Brazil and China. Her knowledge of statutes and standing rules, roles and responsibilities, set all these organizations on good footing.”
-- Kate Hampton, CEO Children’s Investment Fund Foundation
“Susan’s experience with moments of transition helped us be proactive in a moment of transition – enabling us to get to impact on the ground better and sooner.”
– [Paul Gray, Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost, Emeritus, University of California, Berkeley OR James C. Gaither, Partner, Sutter Hill Ventures] and Trustee, Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation
“Susan and Jenn helped us in the early days of the Pisces Foundation, when we were deciding where we would focus and how. They are both incredibly knowledgeable, thoughtful, and kind. If you are considering what to do with your philanthropy, we would recommend them.”
-- Bob and Randi Fisher, Trustees, The Pisces Foundation
Our Clients
