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As a highly accomplished, executive-level development professional, I pride myself on leading organizations and clients to fundraising success through innovative strategies. My expertise includes: 📊 Fundraising & Revenue Growth: Driving capital, annual giving, and endowment campaigns. 🤝 Donor Relations: Building and nurturing lasting donor partnerships. 📝 Communications Strategy: Crafting compelling narratives to engage supporters. 🚀 Campaign Innovation: Launching initiatives that achieve significant revenue gains. 🎯 Strategic Leadership: Aligning development efforts with organizational goals. Let’s connect to take your fundraising to the next level!

I've secured more than $20 million in grants and campaigns for nonprofits, including a $250K Yass Prize award selected from 2,700 applicants. For 30 years I sat on your side of the desk, running the organizations that grant writers usually only write for. I founded a school in East Harlem and led a $14.5 million youth development organization with 350 staff, where I eliminated a seven-figure deficit and led a $20 million capital campaign. I've written for funders as an executive director, evaluated proposals as a board member, and built the funder relationships that turn a cold application into a warm one. When I write your grant, I'm not guessing what the program officer wants. I've been in the room. What I do for clients: Grant research and funder prospecting. I identify foundations whose 990s show they actually fund organizations like yours, at your budget size, in your geography. No padded prospect lists. Letters of inquiry and full proposals. Narrative, logic model, budget narrative, evaluation plan. Written to the funder's rubric, not to a template. Grant strategy and calendars. A 12-month submission pipeline matched to your capacity, so you stop chasing every RFP and start winning the right ones. Cases for support, appeal letters, and donor communications. The same skills that grew one organization's monthly donors by 120% and added $48K in recurring revenue. Fundraising and board strategy. Campaign planning, board fundraising engagement, and the internal systems that make development sustainable. Why clients hire me over other grant writers: I've run programs funders want to fund: youth development, education, juvenile justice, community food systems. I know what a program officer needs to see because I've delivered the outcomes they're buying. My clients get a writer who can pressure-test the program design itself, flag the weak spots a funder will catch, and fix them before submission. Princeton and Columbia Law educated. Author of three books, most recently The Antifragile Boy. Robin Hood Foundation Heroes Award honoree. How I work: Fixed-scope projects or hourly. Every engagement starts with a short call where I'll tell you honestly whether your organization is grant-ready, and what to fix first if it isn't. I'd rather turn down a project than take your money for a proposal that can't win. Send me your mission, your budget size, and the funding gap you're trying to close. I'll respond within one business day. Skills tags (Upwork allows up to 15) Grant Writing, Grant Research & Prospect List, Grant Application, Grant Proposal, Nonprofit Organization, Fundraising, Nonprofit Management, Budget Proposal, Program Evaluation, Letter of Inquiry, Capital Campaign, Donor Relations, Copywriting, Case for Support, Strategic Planning Portfolio items to add The Yass Prize application story (describe the win and your role; don't post the full application) A redacted LOI or proposal excerpt from Grant Partners work, with client permission The Antifragile Boy cover and one-paragraph description, as writing proof A one-page sample grant calendar or funder prospect scorecard, created fresh as a template SPECIALIZED PROFILE: AI Consulting for Nonprofits Title (no symbols allowed) AI Adoption Consultant for Nonprofit Organizations Alternate: AI Consultant and Former Nonprofit Executive Director Hourly rate $125/hour. Advisory work prices above writing work. Overview Most AI consultants have never run a nonprofit. Most nonprofit consultants have never implemented AI. I've done both, and that's the gap I fill. I spent 30 years leading nonprofits, including a $14.5 million youth organization with 350 staff, before building an AI advisory practice for the sector. I use AI daily in my own grant writing and fundraising work, so my recommendations come from implementation, not from a slide deck. What I do for clients: AI readiness assessment. I built a 60-question diagnostic that shows executive directors exactly where AI will save staff time and where it will create risk. We start there. Workflow implementation. Grant research, donor communications, board reporting, and program documentation are the four highest-return AI use cases for most nonprofits. I set them up with your team, with guardrails. Policy and governance. Funders and boards are starting to ask how you use AI. I draft the acceptable-use policy and the answer. Staff training. Practical sessions built for development and program staff, not for engineers. I hold the line on one thing: AI accelerates research, drafting, and analysis. Your mission, voice, and judgment stay human. Any consultant who promises otherwise is selling you risk. Book a readiness conversation, and I'll tell you within 30 minutes whether an engagement makes sense.

25+ Years in Relationship-Centered Development Are you a nonprofit leader who knows you need to strengthen donor relationships and sharpen your message but aren't sure where to start? I help organizations move beyond transactional fundraising to build authentic, lasting connections with the people who believe in their mission—and I help you shape communications that inspire action. With over 25 years in nonprofit development and marketing, I've guided organizations of all sizes toward sustainable funding strategies and compelling narratives—from grassroots community groups to campaigns exceeding $20 million. My approach is built on my Cultivating Relationships (CR) framework—a donor-as-hero, gratitude-first philosophy that puts genuine connection before the ask. **How I can help you:** **Fundraising & Development Strategy** Fundraising strategy and campaign planning · Donor cultivation and stewardship strategy · Major donor and corporate partnership strategy · Board fundraising training and toolkits · Foundation and grant strategy · Case for support and messaging direction **Marketing & Communications Strategy** Storytelling and messaging strategy · Email and social media strategy · Integrated marketing strategy that supports fundraising goals · Brand and positioning guidance **Strategic Coaching & On-Call Support** Sometimes you don't need another deliverable—you need a thought partner. Through my coaching offering, you get a direct, ongoing line to me for the real-time moments: a donor conversation you're weighing, a decision before you hit send, a board ask you want to talk through. Available as a standalone package or built into a retainer. My clients include environmental conservation organizations, social justice nonprofits, youth development programs, and publications committed to amplifying diverse voices. I bring strategic vision and a partner's perspective. Whether you need a fundraising strategy, a communications approach that builds community, help preparing your board to fundraise confidently, or a thought partner to strengthen your overall direction, I'd love to learn about your organization and explore how I can help. Let's talk about what's possible for your mission.

I’ve reviewed 1000s of startup decks, 10+ years of experience in VC in USA in various roles: VC Partner, Head of Investor Relations, 2x founder. I think like an investor, structure like a consultant, write like a strategist, design like a pro. I work with VC, PE funds, startups and businesses of all stages on: 🔴 Sharpening and writing investor narratives that cut through the noise - pitch decks, memos, onepagers and investor materials 🔴 Design that is not decoration. It is hierarchy and intent, and a spark of magic ✨ - Branding, materials design, visual language My CORE PRINCIPLES in investor materials: - Sharp positioning, avoid generics. “Backing exceptional founders who drive innovation” 🤢 must go - Assume people don’t read, they scan. Cut text, use tight bullets, numbers, logos and highlights - Lead with traction, team track record, tangible insights. That is what actually sells My PROCESS: - Materials revision, discovery call with founders - Writing or refining content, iteration-review loops - Polish with professional design after content is set OR - Pitch deck review consultation with honest, practical feedback. Book in my profile 🔴 I maintain relationships with VCs, debt lenders, and family offices and selectively refer aligned deal flow. I am a registered broker-dealer in the USA. I can also lead your fundraising / investor relations if we align. About me: - founder at prophet.partners, investor relations studio - Ex-VC partner at Starta VC & accelerator in NYC ($50M AUM across fund I, fund II, 150+ portfolio companies) - Harvard University: Management in Innovation & Technology executive program - VC Lab: fundraising program for emerging VC fund managers Expertise in: VC, funds, B2C, B2B, SaaS, Consumer, DTC, hardware, apps, deeptech AI, PE deals, venture credit, real estate and more Let’s connect, I’d love to hear your story and see how I can add value.

Featured in The Wall Street Journal, Entrepreneur and Nutrition Business Journal. CFA Charterholder. Worked with companies such as Jefferies, Bank of America, Saputo, Hormel, Humble Brands, TestingMom, Ancient Harvest-Pamela's, Aerflo, Uncaged, Mondra & Bute Island Foods. Have executed $300M+ in deal value and capital raises, reviewed 1,000+ pitch decks, and deployed ~$20M in invested capital. Are you raising capital? Thinking about funding your next round of growth? Need to communicate your value clearly to your board or investors? My goal is to help you close your round faster, at better terms, with materials that move investors from "interested" to "yes." My name is Bakley, and as a CFA Charterholder and fractional CFO I help founders and operators raise capital, forecast their financials, and run sharper investor relations — combining traditional capital markets expertise with AI-powered workflows that make the whole process faster, more thorough, and more responsive than working with a traditional advisor. Here are the areas I cover: ✔️ Fundraising strategy & guidance to maximize your raise ✔️ High-converting pitch decks that move you into the next phase of diligence — and ultimately get you the money ✔️ Targeted investor & backer databases for outreach ✔️ Financial models, forecasts, and KPI dashboards that drive investor interest ✔️ AI Automation for Finance & IR Workflows I can help you with your raise — from positioning and narrative through model build, investor outreach strategy, diligence support, and post-close investor reporting. Here are a few things I've done for past clients: 1) Raised over $300M in client capital 2) Awarded best-in-class for financial modeling 3) Drove 50% revenue growth and 1,000 bp margin improvement at a TestingMom 4) Automated 90% of recurring financial reporting and IR processes Technologies & Tools - Claude & Anthropic API (AI / natural language processing) - n8n (workflow automation) - Airtable (investor CRM & data ops) - Microsoft Power BI (dashboards & investor reporting) - Microsoft Excel & Google Sheets (financial modeling) - QuickBooks (accounting & reporting integration) - Microsoft PowerPoint & Google Slides (pitch decks & investor materials) Send me a message and let's talk about your raise.

I help founders and small business owners tell their story compellingly and get it funded. Most consultants do one or the other. I do both — and the combination is what makes the difference between work that goes nowhere and a funded deal that moves your business forward. What I bring that most freelancers can't: I've been the banker. I was a C-suite banker and led one of the top SBA lending operations in my state, which means I know exactly how underwriters think, what kills a deal before it starts, and how to position your business for approval. I've also been the founder — three times — and led due diligence for one of the largest angel syndicates in the US. I currently led the GTM strategies for a $12B company. I know what investors and lenders want to see because I've been on both sides of the table. Today I run a capital and go-to-market advisory practice helping businesses access debt and equity capital and launch market dominating products through top-notch GTM strategies. What I deliver: Documentation - Lender-ready business plans built around how banks actually underwrite - Investor pitch decks that lead with what capital allocators care about - SBA loan packaging and deal structuring for 7(a) and 504 programs - Financial projections that hold up under scrutiny - Executive summaries and investor memorandums for equity raises - Go-to-Market audits and actionable playbooks Capital Advisory - SBA 7(a) and 504 deal origination and placement - Commercial loan brokering and lender matching - Equity raise strategy and investor positioning for growth-stage founders - Debt structuring and lender negotiation - I have a network of over 200+ investors and lenders GTM Advisory - Market sizing and segmentation (TAM/SAM/SOM analysis) - Ideal customer profile (ICP) definition and buyer persona development - Competitive landscape mapping and differentiation strategy - Product-market fit validation and messaging frameworks - Pricing and packaging strategy Who I work with: Small business owners who need SBA financing. Founders preparing for a debt or equity capital raise. Growth-stage businesses that need someone who has done this before, not someone figuring it out alongside them. Why clients come back: I work fast, I think at the executive level, and I don't pad engagements. You get the thinking you need, documentation that performs, and where relevant, the capital relationship that closes the deal. If you are looking to grow, need a funded business, and not just a finished document — let's talk.