Our clients reflect our commitment to community and to changing the world for the better.
With offices in Bethesda, Maryland — just outside Washington, DC — Capacity Partners is ideally located to provide hands-on, customized consulting services to national and international nonprofits headquartered in the nation’s capital. We also serve a wide array of local and regional organizations in Greater Washington and beyond, including community services nonprofits, schools, arts organizations, and environmental groups.
We’re privileged to play a part in the positive impact our nonprofit partners have in the world — globally and locally. Our clients include:
A Farm Less Ordinary > Strategic planning; fundraising consulting
Abramson Foundation > Board retreat and strategic vision
Acorn Hill Waldorf Kindergarten and Nursery > Strategic planning
Affiliated Sante Group > Strategic planning
American Muslim Senior Society > Grant writing
American Secondary Schools for International Students & Teachers (ASSIST) > U.S. and international foundation and corporate grant analysis
American-Russian Cultural Cooperation Foundation > Special event guidance and support
Annapolis Film Festival > Board retreat facilitation
Appalachian Trail Conservancy > Board retreat facilitation
Ardmore Enterprises > Fundraising strategy development to build a constituency of support
Armed Services Arts Partnership > Individual giving consulting
Artivate > Board retreat facilitation
Arts for the Aging > Strategic planning, earned revenue feasibility study, grant writing, development
Arts on the Block > Strategic planning facilitation
Association for Psychological Science > Leadership coaching to develop advanced fundraising skills
Association for Reproductive Healthcare > Strategic planning facilitation and executive search
Avalon Theatre Project > Campaign feasibility study, campaign counsel, and strategic planning
Bethesda Cares >Strategic planning
Bethesda Green > Grant-making and development consulting
Bethesda Metro Area Village > Board development and facilitation
Big Learning > Board retreat facilitation
BlackRock Center for the Arts > Development consulting to build high-end individual giving program
Canal Towns Partnership > One-day stakeholder retreat
Central Pennsylvania Conservancy > Strategic planning facilitation
Centre for Development and Population Activities (CEDPA) > Major gift prospect analysis
Chesapeake Montessori School > Board governance training and strategic planning
Chevy Chase at Home > strategic planning
Chevy Chase Recreation Association > Membership Survey
Child Care & Learning Center > Campaign feasibility and strategic planning
Coalition for the Homeless (DC) > Donor survey
Committee for Montgomery > Board retreat facilitation
Communities in Schools (CIS) > Grantwriting and development consulting
Computer CORE > Interim executive director and development planning
Conflict Resolution Center of Montgomery County > Strategic fundraising planning and training
Congregation Beth El > Capital campaign feasibility study
Cornerstones (formerly Reston Interfaith) > Marketing/branding study, graphic design, and writing of annual report
Corporation for the National & Community Service > Design of strategic planning training guide (through Campaign Consultation)
Crossroads Community Food Network > Board retreat facilitation
Downtown DC Business Improvement District > Strategic planning and retreat facilitation
DC Volunteer Lawyers Project > Strategic planning facilitation
Dialysis Patient Citizens > Fundraising strategy development
Dumbarton House > Strategic planning facilitation
Earthrights International > Capital campaign consulting
Eurythmy Spring Valley > Development consulting
EveryMind > Strategic planning board retreat
Fairfax Futures > Board retreat facilitation
Families USA > Major gifts consulting
Foundation for Jewish Studies > Board retreat
Foxie G Foundation > Feasibility study for a capital campaign
Frederick Innovative Technology Center, Inc. > Corporate funding and capital campaign
Friends Committee on National Legislation > Strategic planning-implementation plan
Friends Community School > Strategic planning counsel, capital campaign counsel, software selection
Friends of the Library Montgomery County > Consulting on fundraising and special events for 30th-anniversary celebration
Friends of the Library Silver Spring > Development consulting
Gandhi Brigade Youth Media > Capital campaign counsel
Georgetown Business Improvement District > Strategic plan update
Golden Triangle > management consulting
Grace Episcopal Day School > Campaign feasibility study, capital campaign counsel
Graceful Growing Together > Capital campaign planning
Greater Bethesda-Chevy Chase Chamber of Commerce > Strategic planning facilitation
Greater Washington Community Foundation/Children’s Opportunity Fund > Campaign feasibility study; interim staffing and campaign consulting
GreenSPACE National Capital Region > Development consulting for corporate, foundation and in-kind giving
Greenwell Foundation > Board retreat and campaign presentation
Group Care Global > strategic planning and board development
Historical Society of Frederick County > Strategic planning retreat
Housing Unlimited, Inc. > Major gifts consulting
Interfaith Network of Montgomery County – Interfaith Works > Development consulting
Interfaith Works > Interim director of development
Jane Goodall Institute > Electronic database screening analysis, major gift prospect identification
Jefferson County Development Authority > Strategic planning
Jefferson County Farmland Protection Program > Strategic planning
Jemicy School > Capital campaign solicitation training
Jewish Democratic Council of America > Strategic planning facilitation
Latin American Youth Center (LAYC) > Strategic planning consulting
LAWS – Loudoun Abused Women Shelter >Strategic planning
Legacy Farms > Development consulting
Literacy Council of Frederick County > Development assessment and planning
Loudoun Commission on Women and Girls > Strategic planning
Loudoun Youth, Inc. > Strategic planning
Manna Food Center > Capital campaign counsel
MANNA Homes > Strategic planning
Many Voices > Organizational strategic planning and fundraising strategy
Mercy Centre Corporate and foundation research, and direct marketing proposal
Montgomery Coalition for Adult English Literacy (MCAEL) > Strategic planning facilitation; grant writing
Montgomery County Food Council > Board meeting facilitation
Montgomery Housing Partnership > Capital campaign
Montgomery Women (pro bono) > Strategic planning facilitation
National Arts Strategies > Leadership Course Facilitation
National Bonsai Foundation > strategic planning
National Society of Colonial Dames of America > Strategic planning facilitation and interim director of development
National Theatre Foundation > Grant writing
Next Step Public Charter School > Grant writing
National Theatre >Grant writing
NextStop Theatre > Development plan
Nonprofit Village > Board retreat facilitation
Open Arms Housing > Board retreat facilitation
Open World Leadership Center > Interim senior staffing to develop a comprehensive fundraising plan
Opportunities Inc. > Development consulting
Passion for Learning > Board retreat facilitation
Physicians for Social Responsibility > Analysis of major gifts potential and counsel for leadership giving programs
Potomac Crescent Waldorf School > Feasibility study and campaign counsel
Pratham USA > Major gifts and board governance workshop
Primary Care Coalition > Board retreat facilitation
The Puppet Company > Feasibility study for campaign to launch new arts nonprofit
Quality Trust for Individuals with Disabilities > External development study and campaign planning
Rockville Area Village Exchange > board governance training
School for Friends > Campaign feasibility study, strategic planning, major gifts consultation
Shepherd’s Table > Board retreat facilitation
Sheridan School > Analysis of giving potential in preparation for a capital campaign
Shoreshim Congregation > Marketing study
Siena School > Prospect research and development of annual fund ask amounts
Silver Spring Village > Board governance training
Soorp Khatch Armenian Apostolic Church > Campaign Feasibility Study
Southern Maryland Community Network > Grant writing
St. Coletta of Greater Washington > Strategic business planning
Stevenson University > Electronic database screening analysis
Temple Sinai > Staff retreat
Textile Museum > Organizational strategic business plan with 3-year fundraising plan
Trinity Mission > Retreat facilitation
Urban Alliance Foundation > Market study and strategic analysis, foundation prospect identification
VFW Foundation > Major gifts assessment, board development and feasibility study
Village to Village Network > strategic planning
Village Youth and Family Center > Board orientation training
Virginia Women’s Equality Coalition > Strategic planning
Washington Metro Oasis >business planning
Washington Waldorf School > Campaign counsel, interim staffing, website design, events management
Washington Yu Ying Public Charter School > Annual Fund and Corporate Giving Plans
Western Fairfax Christian Ministries > Capacity-building consultation: strategic planning, development planning, creation of new marketing materials
White Flint Downtown Advisory Committee > Focus groups and retreat facilitation
Wiregrass > Campaign consulting
Women Business Leaders of the U.S. Health Care Industry (WBL) > Strategic planning facilitation
Worksource Montgomery > Philanthropic funding strategy with an emphasis on corporate funding
The Writer’s Center > Board/Executive Director Assessment of Relationships
“Dear Sara, thank you so much for leading an excellent training, and providing all of these great resources! We’re excited to dive in, and grateful for your expertise to guide us!”
-Christie Balch, Executive Director, Crossroads Community Food Network
“Capacity Partners organized and focused us on both the possibilities and impossibilities of our development program, directing our energies in places that would be most productive, and we’ve been using Julie Crudele’s well-documented road map for the past year and a half.”
-Ambassador John O’Keefe, Executive Director, Open World Leadership Center
“Given the wide range of nonprofits, it was really a testament to your expertise and experience that your presentation was so relevant and useful. Your explanation of the funding models was spot on; it helped put into focus where to direct most of our development efforts. The workshop was not only extremely informative for each of us who were lucky enough to have attended but also energizing. After the event, the parking lot was buzzing with conversation and plans.”
-Linda Madden, Director of Development, MobileMed
“Sara Watkins is knowledgeable, collaborative, and creative. She is both grounded and inspirational, bringing a wealth of knowledge to the process. Sara does not use boilerplate; instead she tailors her work to meet the particular needs of an organization. She gave us a process that’s in progress to improve the effectiveness of our board of directors.”
-Elaine Amir, President, Foundation for Jewish Studies
“Mary and Sara put into place a comprehensive schedule and worked closely with staff and board members. They were excellent at listening to different points of view and incorporating them into the process. It is hard to describe the innate ability that both Mary and Sara have to facilitate an inclusive discussion, handle differing points of view, and synthesize comments into actionable steps. I think the entire board felt included and able to share their opinions.”
-Kathy Stevens, Executive Director, MCAEL
“Julie did a wonderful job of helping our Board to become more philanthropic, and she has a plenitude of real-world experience with nonprofit organizations and capital campaigns. She was very competent in developing an excellent fundraising plan for the National Bonsai Foundation — and very dedicated in carrying it to fruition.”
-Felix Laughlin, President, National Bonsai Foundation
“After the film festival’s inaugural year, we brought in Capacity Partners to facilitate a board retreat. Sara Watkins was especially good at keeping the group on track while capturing key points, and she enabled us to make a lot of progress. Since the retreat, our board meetings have been more organized and more constructive.”
-Rick Foster, Board President, Annapolis Film Festival
“We felt daunted by the idea of raising 50 times our annual giving fund in our first capital campaign, but Capacity Partners’ expertise and leadership empowered our volunteers to exceed the fundraising goal.”
-Mary Kate O’Neill, Grounding Our Future Campaign Chair, Friends Community School
“Mary Robinson’s brilliant guidance carried us to an unexpected and exciting outcome, and we now have much greater clarity about where we are headed and how to move forward.”
-Ann Thompson Cook, Co-Director, Many Voices
“Capacity Partners was invaluable in helping us to assess our strategic position relative to our financial plans — and in setting us on the right path to revise our strategic vision.”
-Mary Menell Zients, Board Chair and Founder, Urban Alliance Foundation
“We hired Capacity Partners to provide Board solicitation training for our capital campaign. Mary Robinson quickly picked upon our unique culture, and she was responsive to all our needs in a timely fashion. We highly recommend her services.
-Jane Evans, Director of Development, Jemicy School
“The Capacity Partners team is always very responsive and hands-on. They conducted a feasibility study that was incredibly helpful to our Board as we decided how to move forward, and now they are helping insure the success of our fundraising campaign for the Japanese Pavilion.”
-Johann F. Klodzen, Executive Director, National Bonsai Foundation
“Mary Robinson was very effective in moving us forward. She channeled our group’s enthusiasm to keep us on track and help us create a cohesive strategic plan. With her guidance, we were able to identify some powerful new strategic goals that are furthering our mission and expanding our membership.”
-Jennifer Russel, Chair, Montgomery Women
“Capacity Partners enabled us to map the landscape of possible foundations attuned to our mission, and their deftness at massaging large foundation and corporation databases is impressive.”
-Meg Milne Moulton, VP for Advancement, ASSIST
“Capacity Partners organized and focused us on both the possibilities and impossibilities of our development program, directing our energies in places that would be most productive, and we’ve been using Julie Crudele’s well-documented road map for the past year and a half.”
-Ambassador John O’Keefe, Executive Director, Open World Leadership Center
“Working with Capacity Partners was a really good decision. Mary Robinson helped us deliver a new strategic plan on a tight timeline, but the process was never superficial or formulaic. She pushed us to be very specific and intentional, and she pulled out underlying themes we might have missed.”
-Lori Kaplan, President & CEO, Latin American Youth Center
“Capacity Partners provided insightful guidance that drew on extensive experience working with schools — but that also reflected a clear understanding of our school’s unique strengths and challenges.”
-Joanna Tobin, Board of Trustees, Chesapeake Montessori School
“When our school faced a major financial crisis, Capacity Partners worked hand-in-hand with the Board, staff and parents to craft a plan that mobilized our community and ensured the school’s survival.”
-Alden Meyer, Former Board Chair, Washington Waldorf School
“In the infancy of our campaign, Capacity Partners provided analysis and strategic direction. They became part of our team and gave us the confidence to move forward with our ambitious goals.”
-Lindsay Hance Kosnik, Former VP, Jane Goodall Institute
Our clients reflect our commitment to community and to changing the world for the better.
With offices in Bethesda, Maryland — just outside Washington, DC — Capacity Partners is ideally located to provide hands-on, customized consulting services to national and international nonprofits headquartered in the nation’s capital. We also serve a wide array of local and regional organizations in Greater Washington and beyond, including community services nonprofits, schools, arts organizations, and environmental groups.
We’re privileged to play a part in the positive impact our nonprofit partners have in the world — globally and locally. Our clients include:
Acorn Hill > Study to evaluate long-term fundraising potential and short-term strategies
American Secondary Schools for International Students & Teachers (ASSIST) > U.S. and international foundation and corporate grant analysis
American-Russian Cultural Cooperation Foundation > Special event guidance and support
Annapolis Film Festival > Board retreat facilitation
Appalachian Trail Conservancy > Board retreat facilitation
Ardmore Enterprises > Fundraising strategy development to build a constituency of support
Armed Services Arts Partnership > Individual giving consulting
Artivate > Board retreat facilitation
Arts for the Aging > Strategic planning; earned revenue feasibility study
Arts on the Block > Strategic planning facilitation
Association for Psychological Science > Leadership coaching to develop advanced fundraising skills
Association for Reproductive Healthcare > Strategic planning facilitation and executive search
Avalon Theatre Project > Campaign feasibility study, campaign counsel, and strategic planning
Bethesda Green > Grant-making and development consulting
Bethesda Metro Area Village > Board development and facilitation
Big Learning > Board retreat facilitation
BlackRock Center for the Arts > Development consulting to build high-end individual giving program
Canal Towns Partnership > One-day stakeholder retreat
Central Pennsylvania Conservancy > Strategic planning facilitation
Centre for Development and Population Activities (CEDPA) > Major gift prospect analysis
Chesapeake Montessori School > Board governance training and strategic planning
Coalition for the Homeless (DC) > Donor survey
Committee for Montgomery > Board Retreat Facilitation
Computer CORE > Interim executive director
Conflict Resolution Center of Montgomery County > Strategic fundraising planning and training
Cornerstones (formerly Reston Interfaith) > Marketing/branding study, graphic design, and writing of annual report
Corporation for the National & Community Service > Design of strategic planning training guide (through Campaign Consultation)
Crossroads Community Food Network > Board retreat facilitation
DC Volunteer Lawyers Project > Strategic planning facilitation
Dialysis Patient Citizens > Fundraising strategy development
Dumbarton House > Strategic planning facilitation
Earthrights International > Capital campaign consulting
Eurythmy Spring Valley > Development consulting
EveryMind > Strategic planning board retreat
Fairfax Futures > Board retreat facilitation
Families USA > Major gifts consulting
Foundation for Jewish Studies > Board retreat
Foxie G Foundation > Feasibility study for a capital campaign
Friends Committee on National Legislation > Strategic planning-implementation plan
Friends Community School > Strategic planning counsel, capital campaign counsel, software selection
Friends of the Library Montgomery County > Consulting on fundraising and special events for 30th anniversary celebration
Friends of the Library Silver Spring > Development consulting
Gandhi Brigade Youth Media > Capital campaign counsel
Georgetown Business Improvement District > Strategic plan update
Grace Episcopal Day School > Campaign feasibility study, capital campaign counsel
Graceful Growing Together > Capital campaign planning
Greater Bethesda-Chevy Chase Chamber of Commerce > Strategic planning facilitation
GreenSPACE National Capital Region > Development consulting for corporate, foundation and in-kind giving
Greenwell Foundation > Board retreat and campaign presentation
Historical Society of Frederick County > Strategic planning retreat
Housing Unlimited, Inc. > Major gifts consulting
Interfaith Network of Montgomery County – Interfaith Works > Development consulting
Interfaith Works > Interim director of development
Jane Goodall Institute > Electronic database screening analysis, major gift prospect identification
Jemicy School > Capital campaign solicitation training
Jewish Democratic Council of America > Strategic planning facilitation
Latin American Youth Center (LAYC) > Strategic planning consulting
Literacy Council of Frederick County > Development assessment and planning
Manna Food Center > Capital campaign counsel
Many Voices > Organizational strategic planning and fundraising strategy
Mercy Centre Corporate and foundation research, and direct marketing proposal
Montgomery Coalition for Adult English Literacy (MCAEL) > Strategic planning facilitation
Montgomery Women (pro bono) > Strategic planning facilitation
National Bonsai Foundation > Feasibility study and capital campaign management
National Society of Colonial Dames of America > Strategic planning facilitation
Next Step Public Charter School > Grant writing
Nonprofit Village > Board retreat facilitation
Open Arms Housing > Board retreat facilitation
Open World Leadership Center > Interim senior staffing to develop a comprehensive fundraising plan
Passion for Learning > Board retreat facilitation
Physicians for Social Responsibility > Analysis of major gifts potential and counsel for leadership giving programs
Potomac Crescent Waldorf School > Feasibility study and campaign counsel
Pratham USA > Major gifts and board governance workshop
Primary Care Coalition > Board retreat facilitation
Quality Trust for Individuals with Disabilities > External development study and campaign planning
School for Friends > Campaign feasibility study, strategic planning, major gifts consultation
Shepherd’s Table > Board retreat facilitation
Sheridan School > Analysis of giving potential in preparation for a capital campaign
Siena School > Prospect research and development of annual fund ask amounts
Silver Spring Village > Board governance training
St. Coletta of Greater Washington > Strategic business planning
Stevenson University > Electronic database screening analysis
Textile Museum > Organizational strategic business plan with 3-year fundraising plan
The Puppet Company > Feasibility study for campaign to launch new arts nonprofit
Urban Alliance Foundation > Market study and strategic analysis, foundation prospect identification
Village Youth and Family Center > Board orientation training
Washington Waldorf School > Campaign counsel, interim staffing, website design, events management
Washington Yu Ying Public Charter School > Annual Fund and Corporate Giving Plans
Western Fairfax Christian Ministries > Capacity-building consultation: strategic planning, development planning, creation of new marketing materials
White Flint Downtown Advisory Committee > Focus groups
Women Business Leaders of the U.S. Health Care Industry (WBL) > Strategic planning facilitation