Roots & Legacies Consulting, Inc.

06/18/2026

Roots & Legacies Field Notes | The Fundraising Starting Line

Recently, our team was in a conversation with an organization preparing for a major fundraising effort. Their first question wasn’t about donors. It wasn’t about goals. It was, “Where do we even start?” They’re not alone.

The organizations we hear from are doing incredibly important work. Some are led by lean teams where fundraising is one responsibility among many. Others have established development operations but need additional capacity, specialized expertise, or support for a significant initiative. Regardless of size or structure, they often share one thing in common: tremendous potential.

What we see in the field: fundraising success is less about organizational size and more about having the right strategy, structure, and support.

The challenge for organizations often boils down to aligning priorities, resources, and action. Whether building a fundraising effort from the ground up or strengthening an existing one, they need a framework that creates momentum and moves the work forward.

That might include:

· Developing a clear case for support
· Building a realistic fundraising plan
· Evaluating donor engagement strategies
· Structuring campaign leadership and accountability
· Establishing systems that create consistency

From feasibility studies to stewardship, and every step in between, we help organizations build fundraising capacity that fits their mission, goals, and stage of growth. Some of our clients are making the leap from an annual giving program to launching their first significant fundraising effort, while others are leading complex, multi-year capital campaigns.

Every organization's path to fundraising success looks different. That’s why our work starts with listening. We take time to understand where an organization is today, where it hopes to go, and what resources already exist to help get there. From that foundation, we build a roadmap tailored to their team, not someone else’s. A plan for assessing readiness. A plan for engaging donors. A plan for making the ask. A plan for stewarding the people who say yes.

Because fundraising isn’t as simple as asking. It’s about building relationships, creating momentum, and advancing a mission. And every organization deserves a strategy designed for where they are today, and where they go tomorrow.

As we enter this summer season, how's your fundraising going?

05/28/2026

Roots & Legacies Field Notes | Sneaky Event Challenges

This week, partner Taylor Fry Adcock shares a few of the event planning "horror movies" that may not seem like a big deal... until they are.

Events come with a lot of balls to juggle, and some of the most important details are also the easiest to overlook. These are often the things that can make or break the guest experience or the sanity of the people executing the event.

Here are a few sneaky event challenges we always plan for:

1. Rain
Most outdoor events are concerned about weather, but in the Midwest, it can become a game-time decision quickly. If you are planning an outdoor event, make sure you have a risk management plan and think through what happens if guests need to move indoors. Can people still move comfortably? Is the indoor occupancy equal to or greater than the outdoor setup? Will noise levels, such as band or program audio, overpower guests in a tighter space?

2. Parking
The venue might have parking, but are those spots actually available for your guests? How far is the walk from the parking area to the entrance? If the lot fills, where should guests go? Have directions and expectations been clearly communicated ahead of time? Parking is often the first impression guests have of an event, so it is critical to your success.

3. Batteries
A few AA and AAA batteries can almost always be found in our bags. AV is one of the most finicky parts of any event, and microphone batteries seem to die at the worst possible time. You hope the venue has backups, but when testing microphones before the event starts, switch them out when in doubt.

4. Plates and Silverware
Nothing is worse than sitting down for a nice dinner and realizing the plate or fork in front of you is dirty, water-stained, or not event-ready. Once tables or buffets are set, take a quick walk-through to check for any unpleasant surprises. And while you are there, check the linens too.

5. Outlets
How many times have you set up a registration table only to realize there is no power outlet nearby for your computer, check-in system, name tag printer, or other event essentials? When planning your event layout, make sure you are thinking about outlet placement for registration, AV, bands, marquee letters, photo booths, and anything else that needs power.

With the right planning, these event "horror movies" do not have to break your stride! 😉

What event "horror movies" have you experienced?

05/25/2026

This , many of us will gather around grills and picnic tables with plates full of burgers, watermelon, apple pie, and our favorite summer traditions.

In these moments, we are reminded of the freedoms we enjoy, the peace that allows our communities to gather, and the privilege of being part of an agricultural system that helps feed families here at home and around the world.

Today, our team pauses with gratitude to remember the men and women who gave their lives in service to our great nation.

Across every field, every table, and every generation, their sacrifice lives on.

Thank you for your service.

05/19/2026

Roots & Legacies Field Notes | Rethinking How Work Gets Done

This week’s Field Note comes from partner Emily Lehning: More organizations are rethinking how work gets done and breaking out of traditional mindsets.

A recent example from our own household: We invested in a robot lawnmower. This sparked a surprisingly spirited debate at our house. My husband keeps pointing out, “It took the robot four hours to cut that section of the lawn. I could have done it in two.”

And he’s right.

But I keep coming back to the same point: The robot’s time on task is not the same as his time on task.

While the mower is working:
✔️ The work is still getting done
✔️ He’s available for other priorities
✔️ Time and energy are being redirected elsewhere

That conversation feels very similar to what we are hearing from organizations right now.

What we see in the field: The traditional mindset is that work gets delivered by:
• full-time employees
• part-time employees
• volunteers

Increasingly, organizations are building blended workforces that also include:
• consultants and contract labor
• virtual assistants
• automation tools
• AI supports

Not because leaders care less about people.
Because they are trying to:
⚖️ increase capacity
📈 improve impact
🔥 avoid overextending already stretched teams

One question I often ask leaders in coaching conversations and team development sessions is: “What is the highest and best use of your time?”

That question usually creates a pause.

Because many talented leaders are spending significant time on work that has to get done, but may not require their specific expertise, leadership, or energy.

The conversation is shifting from: “Who has time to do this?”

To: “What is the best use of our people’s time, energy, and expertise?”

And then: How do we create systems, supports, partnerships, or tools that allow more of that highest-value work to happen?

Sometimes that means:
• bringing in outside support
• leveraging automation or AI
• restructuring workflows
• redistributing responsibilities

Not to remove people from the work, but to free people for the work that matters most. Because sometimes the biggest gain is not speed. It’s creating more capacity for leadership, creativity, strategy, relationships, and decision-making; the work only humans can do.

05/14/2026

Roots & Legacies Field Notes | Self-Awareness and Team Growth Tools

This week, partners Emily Lehning and Taylor Fry Adcock highlight a few tools we regularly use to add value for the individuals and teams we work with, including CliftonStrengths, DISC Training, and The Six Types of Working Genius.

Each tool offers a different lens:

💪 CliftonStrengths helps identify natural talents.
💬 DiSC helps explain communication and behavioral styles.
🏃‍♀️‍➡️ Working Genius helps clarify where people find energy, fulfillment, and frustration in their work.

When used well, these tools create a better starting point for individual growth and build stronger team dynamics.

We have several field notes from seeing these tools in action and hearing about the continued results afterward.

- A nonprofit organization used CliftonStrengths to look across the top strengths of its team. The exercise helped leadership better understand where the team was naturally strong and where gaps existed. As they hired for open roles, they were able to look beyond job duties and consider how to build a more well-rounded team.

- A company used DiSC to compare individual results across a team. The conversation helped team members understand why some people naturally worked better together than others. In most cases, the challenge was not in the work itself but in the approach and communication style. Each person receives, processes, and explains information differently.

- An individual used Working Genius to better understand why they were coming home exhausted every day. Their results helped clarify that the types of work that gave them energy were largely missing from their day-to-day role, while much of their time was being spent in areas that required more effort and created frustration.

These examples are why assessments and facilitated exploration can be so valuable.

Which tool has been most helpful for your own self-awareness or team growth?

05/10/2026

Today, we're celebrating the moms who help us grow.

At Roots & Legacies Consulting, Inc., we're grateful for the mothers, grandmothers, mentors, and caregivers across our team and clients.

We see and appreciate the hard work and long hours they pour into their families, their work, and the people counting on them each day (the little ones, the grown ones, and everyone in between!).

Happy Mother's Day from Roots & Legacies Consulting, Inc.

05/08/2026

Roots & Legacies Field Notes | Carrying More Water

This week’s Field Note comes from partner Emily Lehning.

Consultants aren’t just extra hands. At their best, they expand your team’s capacity and help move priorities forward.

We don’t work with many teams that are sitting around with extra time and extra budget. It’s the opposite. Small, capable teams. Full plates. Big expectations. And a consistent question: How do we increase impact without burning people out?

What we see in the field:

The most effective organizations use consultants as an extension of their team, not a replacement, not an add-on, but a force multiplier.

They bring in support to:
- Create focus when everything feels urgent
- Add capacity without adding headcount
- Move work forward that would otherwise stall
- Provide structure, accountability, and outside perspective

An example:
Following a strategic planning process, one organization launched a task force to carry forward a key priority.

The intent was strong. The people were committed. But like many teams, they didn’t have extra capacity to run the work.

So we stepped in to help lead alongside them by:
- Convening the group and keeping momentum
- Translating big goals into focused, usable agendas
- Bringing forward research and context to support decisions

The work didn’t sit. The team didn’t stall. And internal leaders didn’t have to absorb one more role on top of everything else.

When used well, consultants don’t just “help.”

They:

🚰 Increase the amount of work a team can meaningfully carry
🧭 Bring clarity and direction to important initiatives
⏱️ Protect time and energy for internal leaders
📈 Help organizations move faster without sacrificing quality

Because the goal isn’t to do more work.

It’s to do the right work and to do that work well, consistently, and without burning out the people responsible for it.

05/08/2026

The search is on!

Learn about the role and how to apply at https://www.wheatfoods.org/careers/

A unique leadership opportunity.

The Wheat Foods Council is entering its next chapter and looking for a leader who can build partnerships, strengthen communications, and elevate the voice of wheat farmers.

This is a builder role for someone ready to turn strategy into action.

🌱 Explore the role:
https://www.wheatfoods.org/careers/

04/29/2026

Roots & Legacies Field Notes | Coaching as a Growth Investment

This week's Field Note comes from partner Emily Lehning: Coaching is showing up less as a “fix” and more as an investment in what’s next. 🌱

What we see in the field:

1. Individuals investing in themselves
People are seeking coaching at transition points - a new role, a possible career move, or a desire to level up in their current environment.

Example: One client came to coaching as she was finishing her degree and anticipating a shift in her role. She wanted a sounding board to think through career decisions, clarify what she wanted next, and step into that transition with intention.

2. Organizations investing in individuals
We see organizations supporting high-potential employees, emerging leaders, and strong individual contributors preparing for more responsibility.

Example: A client was promoted into a new role with an expanding team and broader scope. The organization invested in coaching to help them build confidence and competence. This helped bridge a strong individual performance into effective team leadership.

3. Organizations investing in teams
Some organizations are bringing coaching and assessment work to entire teams, building shared language and stronger ways of working together.

Example: A long-standing client invests in quarterly “team tune-ups.” These sessions create space to align priorities, explore team dynamics, build leadership skills, and plan ahead, keeping the team sharp and connected as the work evolves.

Where this really matters:
Across all three, the pattern is clear: Coaching helps people move from insight to practice.

It gives individuals and teams space to:
🧭 understand their strengths and patterns
💬 increase influence and communication
🎯 apply new skills in real situations
🌱 prepare for what’s next before they’re fully in it

The best coaching investments are not about checking a development box. They reflect a commitment to continuous improvement or the belief that capable people can become more effective with the right support, reflection, and practice.

04/22/2026

Roots & Legacies Field Notes | Communicating Impact

Communicating impact is one of the most strategic tools an organization can leverage.

But delivering that impact in a meaningful way depends on the ability to ask the right questions and track the right data to uncover both the qualitative and quantitative sides of the story.

Our team has helped shape impact in several ways, from impact report publications to grant writing narratives, fundraising decks, and other tools that help organizations communicate their value with greater clarity.

When done well, communicating impact fuels momentum and supports growth across the organization.

How does communicating impact fuel your work?