Morales Consulting

08/12/2026

We recently shared that 39% of lean funders align their approach with Catalytic Leadership in Philanthropy (CLIP).

But what exactly is a lean funder?

Lean funders are foundations and philanthropic organizations that operate with small teams and limited internal infrastructure relative to the resources they steward or grant. Their size often requires them to be especially intentional about how they use not only grant dollars, but also their relationships, networks, knowledge, and influence.

That is where CLIP comes in.

Developed by Exponent Philanthropy, the framework offers lean funders a practical way to think about how they can create lasting impact through four connected areas:

🌱 The Roots: Leadership virtues grounded in humility, passion, curiosity, and patience.

🍃 The Leaves: Skills such as deep listening, relationship-building, and understanding the communities you serve.

🌿 The Stem: Core practices including clear purpose, equity-centered grantmaking and operations, and flexible, multiyear funding.

🌸 The Petals: Catalytic actions such as connecting grantees, collaborating with peers, using influence, and advocating for systems change.

For lean funders, impact is not only about the size of the grant. It is also about how you show up, who you listen to, what relationships you build, and how you use the assets beyond the check.

Explore Exponent Philanthropy’s Catalytic Leadership in Philanthropy framework and additional resources:
https://exponentphilanthropy.org/our-mission/catalytic-leadership-in-philanthropy/

08/11/2026

Aging with dignity should be a promise every community can count on.

Morales Consulting is proud to partner with the Center for Better Aging on Fairways for Better Aging, their inaugural golf fundraiser supporting older adults on Chicago's South Side.

This is not just a day on the course. It is an investment in whole-person care, wellness programs, and the services that let people age with strength and independence, not isolation.

Whether you are teeing off or joining the celebration at the 19th hole, your presence helps expand access to care where it's needed most.

Sponsorship packages are available for organizations ready to put their name behind senior wellness and equity on the South Side.

Register today and help write the next chapter for the generation who paved the way.

Join us for Fairways for Better Aging, the Center for Better Aging’s inaugural golf fundraiser, an elevated day of golf, connection, and purpose set on one of Chicago’s premier courses. We encourage early participation as momentum builds for this inaugural event.

08/06/2026

Recent data on equity grantmaking deserves attention.

Exponent Philanthropy's 2026 Foundation Operations & Management Report reveals a striking gap: 56% of foundations believe their board reflects the racial and ethnic makeup of the communities they serve, yet only 39% say the same about economic background. This disparity suggests that representation looks different depending on which lens you use, and that difference matters.

There's encouraging news as well: 39% of lean funders report their approach already aligns with Catalytic Leadership in Philanthropy, centering relationships and trust as core drivers of impact.

New to Catalytic Leadership in Philanthropy (CLIP)? You'll hear more about this valuable framework for lean funders later this month.

Read the full report here: https://exponentphilanthropy.org/blog/whats-new-in-the-2026-foundation-operations-and-management-report/

If your board's representation does not match your mission yet, you are not alone. You do not have to close that gap on your own.

07/30/2026

Math Circles of Chicago (MC2) served 8,600 children last year through math festivals, weekly math circles, and summer camps built entirely around enrichment, not tutoring or test prep.

That scale is recent, and it did not happen by accident. Before partnering with our team in 2024 on its third strategic plan, Executive Director Doug O'Roark was managing a plan with more than 100 milestones on it, a checklist so long it left him feeling like he was failing his board no matter what MC2 accomplished.

The plan we built together built clear and measurable goals the entire staff could name.

The results speak for themselves:
• Fundraising exceeded goal by 50%.
• Staff size nearly doubled.
• Summer camp enrollment grew 70% in a single year.
• A 2028 equity growth target was surpassed by more than 40% — years ahead of schedule.

We sat down with Doug to reflect on what changed after partnering with Morales Consult, how implementation has unfolded, and what advice he has for executive directors trying to turn a strategic plan into real organizational progress.

Read more: https://moralesconsultingllc.com/insights/fewer-goals-bigger-growth-math-circles-of-chicago-enrichment-at-scale-and-the-strategic-plan-behind-it

07/28/2026

The social sector is rapidly evolving.

The Morales Snapshot is curated to empower leaders committed to building stronger, more resilient organizations.

Morales Consulting delivers concise insights, practical resources, and community updates to help leaders stay informed as they navigate today’s complex landscape. We have been grateful to hear positive feedback about the resources and insights shared.

We are also eager to amplify the work of our colleagues and partners across the social sector. Please reach out to share resources, opportunities, tools, or updates that may benefit our broader community.

🔗 Join the Morales Consulting community by subscribing to our newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/67c870d3c234/newsletter

07/23/2026

"Morales Consulting always knew where we were, where we needed to be, and when we needed to put in a little extra work."

Doug O'Roark, Executive Director of Math Circles of Chicago, described what it was like working with our team on MC2's strategic plan.

We can't think of a better way to describe what a strategic planning partnership should feel like: honest, trusted, and genuinely useful, not just another deliverable to file away.

Next week, we will share the full story: how MC2 went from a checklist in their previous plan to clear and strategic goals, and what happened to their fundraising, staffing, and program growth once they finalized their plan with Morales Consulting.

07/22/2026

Morales Consulting is excited to become an ambassador for Ad Grants Pilot.

Did you know qualifying nonprofits can receive up to $10,000 per month in free Google Search advertising through Google Ad Grants? However, many organizations lack the staff capacity or technical expertise needed to set up, manage, and optimize their accounts effectively. Ad Grants Pilot makes that opportunity more accessible by supporting nonprofits with account setup, compliance, campaign management, and optimization.

For our clients and nonprofit partners, this feels like a no-brainer: an opportunity to reach more donors, volunteers, participants, and community members by taking fuller advantage of advertising resources already available to the sector from Google. That is why we are excited to promote Ad Grants Pilot and formally join its ambassador network.

Organizations connected to Morales Consulting can also receive a 10% discount by using our promo code: MORALESCONSULTING

https://adgrantspilot.com/

If you would like an introduction to their team and a demo, please let us know. We are happy to provide an introduction.

Disclosure: As part of the Ad Grants Pilot Ambassador Program, Morales Consulting receives a commission for each referral when an organization enrolls through our referral link. We want to be fully transparent about this relationship. The referral commission is not why we chose to become an ambassador. We are highly selective about the organizations and products we endorse, and we genuinely believe this platform can be a game-changing tool for nonprofits seeking to expand their online visibility, reach new audiences, and increase their fundraising potential.

07/21/2026

The Community Memorial Foundation (CMF) was looking for a partner who understood their values, not just their goals.

Morales Consulting was honored to lead a comprehensive compensation and benefits study for CMF, helping the foundation assess its practices against a carefully selected peer group of private foundations across the Chicago region. The engagement provided the organization with clear, data-informed recommendations to strengthen internal equity, remain competitive, and support the long-term retention of its team.

“Not only did the team at Morales Consulting share our values, but they also worked closely with us to understand our foundation’s goals and tailor solutions specifically for our needs.”
— Charlie Corrigan, President, Community Memorial Foundation

Shared values are an essential starting point in choosing the missions and organizations we support. We are deeply grateful to Charlie and the Community Memorial Foundation team for trusting us to walk alongside them, and we remain energized to bring this same level of care, rigor, and partnership to every client we serve.

07/16/2026

68% of nonprofits expect rising demand this year, while staffing and funding are not rising at the same rate. Closing that gap is not about working harder. It's about deciding, clearly and in advance, which programs and people get resources first.

A capacity-driven plan puts people at the center. As social sector organizations work to maximize every dollar, a thoughtful human capital strategy has become essential to sustaining impact and strengthening performance.

Source:https://independentsector.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Health-of-the-U.S.-Nonprofit-Sector-Report-2025.pdf

07/15/2026

Did you know that more than $326 billion is currently held in over 3.5 million donor-advised fund accounts nationwide?

As grants once viewed as dependable are reconsidered, and government funding continues to experience volatility, social sector organizations must pay attention to how philanthropic capital is moving. Giving has not disappeared, but more charitable dollars are being held and distributed through donor-advised funds, or DAFs.

This shift makes a thoughtful DAF strategy increasingly important. Organizations can position themselves by making DAF giving easy, cultivating relationships with donors and philanthropic advisors, clearly communicating urgent and long-term funding opportunities, strengthening donor stewardship, and reminding supporters that they can recommend grants from their DAFs.

The dollars are still available. Reaching them may require different relationships, messages, and fundraising strategies than organizations have relied on in the past.

A solid strategic plan does not assume any single funding source holds steady. It builds in a plan A, B, and C before the gap shows up.

What does your funding diversification actually look like in your strategic plan? Do you have a DAF strategy?

Source: https://www.dafresearchcollaborative.org/research/annual-daf-report