Third Sector Consulting

Find More Funders
Win More Grants
Raise More Money

Founder & Principal

Laura Rhodes, CFRE
Nonprofit Consultant | Speaker & Trainer
"HI, I'M LAURA! And I want to help you find more funders, win more grants and raise more money for your nonprofit. Are you ready?"

Laura Rhodes is a Certified Fund Raising Executive and fundraising trainer who has 20+ years of experience working with – and for – nonprofits.

Laura started her nonprofit career in development and communications. She later served as an interim executive director. As a volunteer, Laura has been a board member, board chair, marketing committee chair and resource development committee chair. And prior to starting her consulting business, Laura was a regional program officer with the American Express Foundation, which awarded $30 million to nonprofits each year.

Having been both a grantmaker and a fundraiser, Laura uses her unique perspective to help nonprofits find more funders, win more grants and raise more money for their cause.

Laura has helped nonprofits raise millions of dollars from grants, events, direct mail and workplace giving campaigns. She also provides prospect research and grant writing support for organizations that want to write their own grants.

She is a popular nonprofit conference speaker and leads workshops and trainings for nonprofit staff and boards across the U.S.

Certifications & Professional Affiliations

 

What nonprofits say about Laura...

Laura taught a basic grant writing class in which I was enrolled. The class was well thought out and presented. Course material was reinforced by thought-provoking writing exercises. I was impressed with Laura's depth of understanding, critical thinking and ability to convey technical information.

Larry Shotland, Board Member, Public Land/Water Access Association

It is so time consuming to research grants, and having Laura put together a full report on each prospect was extremely valuable to our organization. We also appreciate Laura's expert advice and suggestions on grant proposals that we have submitted.

Neelie Burman, Executive Director, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Gallatin County

Laura's quest for excellence never fails to inspire all - whether Board of Directors, staff or volunteers - to move mountains to achieve our mission. She has a unique blend of intelligence, understanding of the broader community, humor and good common sense that combine to support the work of others.

Jennifer Gore, Executive Director, Reading Connections

I couldn't be more pleased with the fundraising training offered by Laura. Laura's training has had a significant impact on the success of our organization. She played a very important part in allowing me to feel more confident in fundraising. I know that is shared by others at GVF2S who have participated in her workshops as well.

Sam Blomquist, Executive Director, Gallatin Valley Farm to School

Featured Blog Post

"Let's Talk Nonprofit" is a blog by Third Sector Consulting that addresses common questions that nonprofits have. Ready? Great! Let's Talk Nonprofit.

4 Often Overlooked Pieces of Your Fundraising Letters
Before you sit down to write your next fundraising letter, think about this. It's more than a "letter" - it's a package. Yet there are key elements that many nonprofits overlook when writing their appeals and putting the package together. I've written before about small things that can make a big difference in your next fundraising appeal. This post will look at four big things that can make an even bigger difference in your campaign results this year. (read more)