Welcome to Kris Willcox Consulting.

I provide nonprofits with the tools and inspiration to advance their mission through thoughtful, effective fundraising.

As a former front-line fundraiser and planned giving officer, I understand the workings of a busy development office. As a consultant, volunteer Board member and mother of two, I know what it’s like to balance fundraising responsibilities with many other priorities. I’ve been in the nonprofit fundraising field for over 15 years, and I love my work.

My practice has two primary focus areas: development writing and planned giving (described below). Whether your project is to create an outstanding appeal letter, launch a new planned giving program, write a proposal or assess your fundraising efforts, my work is guided by the same core principles:

• The best fundraising brings clarity to your mission and opens the door to people who want to join you in fulfilling that mission. Fundraising should help you and your donors focus on what’s most important.

• I believe that success comes from selecting the right strategies for your organization, implementing them with care, and honestly evaluating your results. One size does not fit all.

• I think that joy and humor are vital ingredients in fundraising, along with practicality, efficiency and—most of all—an abiding respect for donors.

• Each new project is an opportunity for me to learn, and to contribute something of value. I am grateful for work that brings me in contact with new organizations and people in the nonprofit sector each year.

Below you’ll find additional information about the particular areas of my consultancy and a partial list of my clients.

Thank you for visiting. I look forward to talking with you.

Kris

Writing for nonprofits

Development writing is a craft that requires creativity and insight as well as pragmatism and a solid grounding in fundraising principles. I take pride in creating fundraising materials reflective of each client’s style, mission and fundraising needs—narratives that speak compellingly to your audience of donors and prospects.

Planned giving support and training

Planned giving can be a natural part of any fundraising strategy and I have a special interest in helping small and mid-sized organizations make planned gifts accessible and appealing for their donors. Whether you are new to planned giving or want to enhance your current program, I can help you turn planned giving possibilities into gifts that increase your revenue.

Recent projects include:

• Appeal letters and companion materials such as e-appeals and acknowledgements
• Brochures, campaign materials, newsletters and other donor-focused narratives
• Written proposals for specific gift asks, including planned gift proposals
• Development audits and customized fundraising plans
• Coaching in fundraising practice and implementation
• Grant narratives and reports
• Planned giving support for programs ranging from well-established to newly launched.

Past and present clients include:

• Tufts University
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Union of Concerned Scientists
• Simmons University
• Roger Williams University
• National Wildlife Federation
• Episcopal Divinity School
• Cotting School
• UU Mass Action Network
• Science and Environmental Health Network
• The Institute for Current World Affairs
• Church of the Larger Fellowship (Unitarian Universalist)
• Public Conversations Project