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Capital Campaign Design and Implementation

Carole Rylander is tops in her field as a fundraising consultant. She brings added value to any campaign because of her deep understanding of the non-profit world and how to work collaboratively with volunteers and staff. Carole has been key to the success of the $9.4 million campaign to build the Letot Girls' Residential Treatment Center. Her multiple skills include developing the case statement and printed materials, establishing a website for the project, preparing agendas and strategies for meetings with the campaign leadership, producing well designed donor prospect proposals and follow-up thank-you letters, participating in facility tours and events for donor prospects, and maintaining accurate campaign records. Carole's organizational skills and ability to work well with people makes it a pleasure to have her on the team. She cares deeply about the project and its mission, which has enhanced her effectiveness as an advocate and successful fundraiser.

Caren Prothro, President Emeritus, Letot Center Capital Foundation

I have worked with Carole Rylander for the past two and a half years on a somewhat complicated fundraising project, and Carole has proven to be a very reliable individual with excellent communication skills. Carole is well respected in the community along with having exceptional problem solving abilities. I am very happy to recommend Carole Rylander knowing she would be a solid addition to your project.

Craig Evans, President, Letot Center Capital Foundation

Carole Rylander is a consummate professional. She and her colleague, the late Scott Buchanan, undertook a feasibility study and subsequently provided counsel to Dallas Academy during its "Expand the Possibilities!" capital campaign. Among all the campaign activities, two specific areas of work stand out. Carole developed our case for support and provided invaluable knowledge to us as we created the overall professional look of our campaign materials. In addition, she helped us create and manage individual and foundation cultivation strategies. Our success was enhanced because of her counsel.

Jim Richardson, Executive Director, Dallas Academy

Carole and her colleague, the late Scott Buchanan, were outstanding partners in our first-ever Capital Campaign. Not only did we exceed our fundraising goal, but they created such an outstanding campaign plan that it seemed effortless on our part. Their customized approach was built off a real understanding of the organization, it's culture and donor opportunities. In short, they listened and they delivered.

Jan Pruitt, President and CEO, North Texas Food Bank

With education and creative leadership from Carole, and the benefit of her ongoing guidance, our capital campaign cabinet successfully raised $1.6 million during some of the toughest of economic times.

Sherry Little, Executive Director, Home Hospice of Grayson County

Case Statement Workshop

The Case Statement workshop is the best professional education course I have attended in my entire professional career!

Debbie Matalone, Chair, Development Committee, Mount Carmel Center

This was one of the best training sessions I have attended in the last several years. Absolutely fantastic!

Anonymous Participant on Seminar Evaluation

Fund Development Officer Coaching / Development Office Systems / Grantseeking

Metro Dallas Homeless Alliance was a relatively young nonprofit with a steep growth curve and a significant budget to raise when we engaged Carole. As the director of community development, I was the only staff member with development responsibilities. In addition, however, I had community relations and communications responsibilities. I needed a coach who could help me prioritize our development goals – and also work with me in a hands-on manner to build development office infrastructure and implement fundraising strategies.

Carole became part of our team from the ground up. A few of our accomplishments include putting in place procedures for gift processing, a library of gift acknowledgement letters, development policies, gift acceptance policies, event policies, and a comprehensive development plan. She helped me set up and manage a solicitation calendar to keep track of our foundation cultivation strategies as well as application and report cycles. One of the most valuable tools she helped us create was an income analysis to track gifts by type, size, and year with notations about pledges and anonymous gifts. Because our donor database was not fully functional, the analysis allowed us to know at a glance how much had been contributed or pledged by category (individual, foundation, corporation, etc) for any given year. Carole wrote clear, compelling grant proposals that presented MDHA's programs in a professional and credible manner. She helped us create plans to enhance the function of our Board of Trustees and to increase donor acquisition.

Over the 16 months we worked together, Carole helped me make the most effective and efficient use of my time. She was proactive in helping me stay focused on the long-term goals – and readily available for the quick turn-around projects. Her experience and knowledge about the most important development components and how to most effectively implement them made all the difference. As a result of working with Carole, I got the experienced assistance I needed and we created a development department that functioned with the experience and polish of a much larger and older organization.

Judy Noble, Director of Community Development, Metro Dallas Homeless Alliance / The Bridge (2009)

Donor-Focused Development Planning

Carole brings a lot to the table and is always willing to give you the extras.

Anonymous Participant on Evaluation, Development Planning Session, Dallas Area Habitat for Humanity

I was so busy and so distracted the morning of the workshop on Monday. Then Carole Rylander went to work! You energized everyone in the room; You definitely got our thinking "out of the box" and into some real creativity; You set our thinking on short term and long term goals; You left the session at the end of the day and we all felt a certain "teamwork" emotion. I loved every minute!

Staff Member, Anonymous School

Fund Development Workshops

As an attendee of your Saturday AFP session I would like to thank you for what you presented and shared. Your style was engaging and helped to move the day along. Having spent years standing before college students I appreciate the hard work and planning that is necessary to keep those before you engaged during such a one day marathon. Not only did you engage us but your insights were judicious with meat for both the novice and the more experienced fund-raiser. Again, thank for giving of yourself to help enhance my knowledge and skills.

David J. Sears, Divisional Director of Development, The Salvation Army, National Capital & Virginia Division

I can't tell you what a pleasure it was to have you here last week . . . What a great info day for all of us who benefited from your experience and wisdom. I know our agencies benefited but our heads are still reeling over the potential impact for us here at the Volunteer Center. So much to think about and so many great tools to make a stronger path . . . I know we have to get you back here!

Sharon Bass, Executive Director, Volunteer Center of Lubbock

You are the greatest! You have an easy, engaged and professional demeanor that screams for respect. You understand the most inarticulate question. You answer with respect and wisdom. Thank you.

Faculty Member, Anonymous University

Thank you so much for the gift of your experience and knowledge at the First Course! Your presentation was wonderful – as usual. Many commented that it was the best of all the sessions. I have no adequate way to express my appreciation for your help and for your friendship!

Larry Wickham, 2008 President, AFP Dallas Chapter

Having you as a true professional as a partner to the Center [for Nonprofit Management] is a highly valuable and much appreciated relationship. You are one of our greatest assets and we are thankful for who you are and what you do. Looking to the future, we will ensure ongoing success with you as the Center's friend.

Cynthia Nunn, President, Center for Nonprofit Management, Dallas

Trustee and Volunteer Engagement / Governance and Fund Development Workshops / Trustee Recruitment and Engagement

Thank you for facilitating a productive workshop this past weekend for the three Boards of Kappa Alpha Theta. There were many “aha” moments for the women in the room and a real excitement to move forward in a collaborative manner. You helped create an atmosphere of synergy and shared vision. I look forward to our continued work together to maximize the opportunities for impact.

Mary Ellen Fitzsimonds, President, Kappa Alpha Theta Foundation

…Everyone gave your presentation high marks! [Our Board President] was very elated, very effusive! …I saw [our trustees] turn huge corners just in an hour and it was very, very wonderful to me. …It was nice to hear you come in and interject things - without even knowing - that helped [our development efforts]…I appreciate so much your time. I appreciated the hands-on exercises especially, because mostly they are usually just listening to somebody, so that got them excited. When they went home we sent them [prospects and donors] to call. Now they know how to call them and find out what motivates their giving. Thank you again, so much!

Executive Director, Anonymous Foundation

We appreciated your facilitation of the Board Retreat very much. You did your usual outstanding job, and we all got a lot out of the day. We are now looking at everything that came out of the retreat with an eye toward implementation.

David Thomas, Executive Director, Bryan's House

Carole's extensive knowledge of fundraising has been invaluable to our organization. She has served as a resource on fund raising strategies and has worked extensively with our board of trustees on strategic planning and on board development and governance. We highly recommend her services.

Janiva Toler, Executive Director, and Janee Shaw, Development Director, Chestnut Hill Benevolent Association, Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts

I just wanted to thank you so much for your outstanding presentation on Monday. The board . . . was extremely positive and impressed with everything you said and, in fact, to my surprise, wished that you had presented more on fundraising! I hope we can have you come back again and make that presentation. There is so much to process . . . All of the board members left feeling very positive about getting more involved and taking on new responsibilities. We immediately rearranged our committees and task groups, as you recommended, and now have a governance committee…

Diane Stanton, Executive Director, Uganda Christian University Partners

Strategic Planning Facilitation

Carole used her expertise to help DSM develop a long-term strategy and action plan. Through a series of volunteer and staff planning sessions, she guided us through a series of steps that led to a crystal clear vision for the future. She was a pleasure to work with and is gifted at engaging all participants into a spirited, fast moving experience.

Stan Gardner, Chair, 2009 Strategic Planning Committee and Former Chair, Dallas Summer Musicals

Carole, I didn't get a chance to talk with you after the meeting, but please accept my compliments on a great job. For the first time, I'm seeing a light at the end of the tunnel on this whole process. Your experience and facilitation skills are everything we had hoped for and more.

Alan Kinsella, Strategic Planning Committee, All Saints Catholic Community

Thanks for your leadership this past weekend! The process was exciting, sobering, challenging, hopeful & needed. I can see the work ahead – but also the vision becoming fulfilled! Thanks!

Joel Pulis, Executive Director, The Well Community

Just wanted to tell you that I thought the strategic planning was SUPERB. You do such an excellent job -- you are able to facilitate beautifully and keep the discussion on track without seeming like a dominating or intruding personality (not the case in other planning sessions I've been in). And I also was SO impressed that we actually had a plan in place by the end of the session. Never, ever have I been in a planning session where that has happened. I found the whole process very exciting and energizing -- the vision we got to really jazzed me and made me really want to dive in and work much harder. (Not that I was slacking off to begin with!) So thank you, from all of us. It was a really, really productive two days. All the best, Alice P.S. You have cool toys. I will tell you -- they kept some of our members, who sometimes have a tendency to get drowsy, wide awake. As I say, cool toys.

Alice Hummer, President, Chestnut Hill Benevolent Association, Massachusetts & Editor, Wellesley Magazine

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