Fundraising systems that turn loyal donors into major donors.
Helping nonprofits build the people, relationships, and systems that produce funding. From a $99 strategy session to a 90-day major gift program, you get systems your team can keep running.
18+ years in fundraising and executive leadership · Author of The Power of Digital Philanthropy · Forbes Nonprofit Council member
Funding doesn’t start with money. It starts with people.
For more than 18 years, I’ve raised money for causes I believe in, from a global anti-poverty organization to a university to one of California’s largest homeless service providers. Inside those organizations, I built what every growing nonprofit needs and rarely has: a way to find donors, thank them well, ask at the right moment, and keep them for years.
Then I started working with the leaders who never got that. Executive directors who are also the fundraiser, the HR department, and the last one to lock up at night. Strong missions. Loyal supporters. No system connecting the two.
That’s why Philips Nonprofit Consulting exists. I’m a nonprofit CEO myself, so I build things your team can actually keep running, long after I’m gone.
A donor is not a transaction waiting to happen. A donor is a relationship waiting to be noticed.Victoria M. Philips
Which of these sounds like your week?
If one of these made you exhale, you’re in the right place. Pick the one that feels closest.
It’s 9 p.m. The house is quiet, and you’re still rewriting the board report.
You are the fundraiser, the HR department, and the chief worrier. You need a thinking partner, not another to-do.
CEO Second Brain →Your donors have given for years. No one has ever asked them to do more.
Donors giving $1,000–$10,000 are your quiet growth engine. I build the program that thanks, asks, and keeps them.
Midlevel Giving Launch →A funder asked for your impact. You had the story, but not the numbers.
We check your program, budget, and fit first, so your next proposal is one you’re proud to submit.
Grant-Ready Review →A donor Googled you. Another asked ChatGPT. You don’t know what either said.
I show you what they see, fix what’s off, and hand you prompts you can use the same day.
Donor & AI Visibility Audit →Three volunteers, two staff, one board chair, and a day with eight hours in it.
Leading people is the hardest part of the job. We think through who needs what, and what you can finally let go.
CEO Second Brain →You know you should be asking for bigger gifts. You’re just not sure where to start.
Take two minutes to see where you stand. You’ll get your first fixes and a next step, free.
Take the free quiz →Nonprofits I’ve worked with
Built for nonprofits that are ready to grow their giving
Established nonprofits
$1M+ budgets, a donor database, and limited fundraising leadership. You have donors, but no reliable system for major gifts.
90-Day Major Gift Program →Growing nonprofits
100+ donors, and the executive director still does most of the fundraising. No program yet for donors giving $1,000–$10,000.
30-Day Midlevel Giving Launch →Founders and small organizations
In your first three years and building the basics. You want a clear plan and someone to think it through with.
$99 Funding Session →Four ways to work together
Start where you are. Every program has a fixed fee, a clear deliverable list, and a written timeline. I never charge a percentage of gifts raised.
Funding Session
- Live 45-minute session
- One-page action plan within 24 hours
- Three prioritized next steps
Donor & AI Visibility Audit
- Scored report on how donors see you online
- AI visibility snapshot: what ChatGPT, Gemini, and others say about you
- Five priority fixes
- Prompt pack for grant research and automation
- 30-minute walkthrough
Midlevel Giving Launch
- Named giving circle
- Your top 25 midlevel prospects
- 12-month stewardship calendar
- Ask script, email, and one-page proposal
- 60-minute ED and board training
Major Gift Program
- Prioritized major gift prospects
- Gift proposals written with you
- Coaching for every ask
- Follow-up system and handoff
Also available: Grant-Ready Review · Legacy Giving Launch · CEO Second Brain (1:1 mentoring) · AI Starter Kit
Be the CEO who isn’t carrying everything in your head.
Leading a nonprofit means being the fundraiser, the HR department, the program lead, the spokesperson, and the chief worrier, usually before lunch. You don’t need another consultant who hands you a binder. You need someone who has sat in your chair and will think it through with you.
That’s the CEO Second Brain: one-to-one mentoring where you bring the tangle and leave with a clear next step.
Book a conversation ↗See how it works →
Limited to about five CEOs at a time, so every session gets my full attention.
- A monthly one-to-one session to untangle your hardest decisions
- Fundraising and donor strategy, backed by 18+ years in the work
- Help getting ready for the board: agendas, reports, and the tough conversations
- Support leading volunteers and staff: what to say, what to delegate, what to let go
- A ready-to-use AI toolkit that turns your notes into board updates, volunteer messages, and donor thank-yous
You are my chief of staff. Here is my week: [paste your calendar, to-dos, and anything on your mind]. First, ask me 3 clarifying questions. Then give me: (1) my top 3 priorities and why, (2) what I can delegate and to whom, (3) what I should decline or postpone, and (4) one thing I am avoiding that I should do first. Keep it under 250 words. Do not include donor names or personal details.
Paste it into ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini. Leave out donor names and anything confidential.
Is your nonprofit ready for major gifts?
Answer eight questions and get a readiness score, your first fixes, and a suggested next step.
90-Day Major Gift Program
You have a donor database and a strong mission, but no reliable way to find, cultivate, and ask your best prospects. In 90 days I build the system and coach your team through the first asks.
Investment: $12,000–$20,000 depending on scope, paid in installments. Fixed fee, never a percentage of gifts.
Book a conversation ↗See the full program →Donors Google you. Now they ask AI.
Not just what’s off. What to do about it, starting tomorrow.
Before giving, people search your name, read your website, and increasingly ask ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, or Google’s AI answers what your organization does and whether it can be trusted. The audit shows what they see, and what to fix.
Your prompt pack: grant research and automation, ready to use
Every audit ends with a pack of tested prompts for the work that eats your week. Here are three to try today. The full pack comes with your audit.
Act as a grant researcher for a nonprofit. Our mission: [mission]. Our programs: [programs]. Geography served: [city, county, state]. Annual budget: [budget]. Suggest 10 types of funders (foundations, corporate, government, local) likely to fund us. For each, explain why it fits, a typical award size, and the questions I should answer to confirm eligibility. Do not invent specific grants. Instead, tell me exactly what to search for on Candid, Grants.gov, and my state portal.
Here are a funder’s guidelines: [paste]. Here is our program summary: [paste]. Score our fit from 1 to 10. List 3 points where we align, 3 gaps, and the 5 questions I should ask the program officer before applying. Be honest, and tell me if I should skip this one.
Turn these notes into a one-page board report: [paste notes]. Include highlights, finances in plain language, risks, and decisions the board needs to make. Keep it under 350 words. If anything is unclear or missing, list it at the end instead of guessing.
Use them in ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini. Leave out donor names and anything confidential, and always check the results before you use them.
No one controls what AI says. The audit shows what it says about you today and the fixes most likely to improve it: clear fact pages, consistent profiles, and structured data. No tech team needed.
Three steps to a working program
18+ years raising money for causes that matter
I’ve led fundraising at ActionAid International, the University of San Diego, and Father Joe’s Villages, where I built the midlevel and principal gifts offices. I also served as an executive director, and I founded Philips Nonprofit Consulting to help organizations across the U.S. build donor programs that last.
I’m the author of The Power of Digital Philanthropy: Using Technology to Grow Major Gifts, a member of the Forbes Nonprofit Council, and a nonprofit instructor at Southwestern College and San Diego Community College. I hold an M.A. in Nonprofit Leadership Studies, am completing the Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy® (CAP®) program, and am earning my Ph.D. in Nonprofit & Leadership Management at the University of San Diego.
My approach is simple. I build fundraising systems your team can actually keep running, long after I’m gone.
Read Victoria’s story ↗
The Power of Digital Philanthropy
Using Technology to Grow Major Gifts. A short, practical guide for nonprofit leaders who want to bring digital tools into major gift fundraising.
What nonprofit leaders ask first
Who are these programs for?
The Funding Session and Visibility Audit fit nonprofits of any size, including new organizations. The Midlevel Giving Launch fits organizations with 100 or more donors. The Major Gift Program fits established nonprofits with a donor database and limited fundraising leadership.
How much of my team’s time does it take?
I do the build. For the Launch, plan on four 45-minute working sessions and a donor data export. The Major Gift Program adds regular check-ins and your leaders’ time for the asks.
Can you promise how much we’ll raise?
No, and be cautious of anyone who does. Results depend on your donors and on your team making the asks. What I commit to is the deliverables, the timeline, and the coaching. Professional fundraising ethics also prohibit fees based on a percentage of gifts, so my fees are fixed.
What is AI visibility, and why does it matter?
More people now ask AI assistants about organizations before they give. If the answer is missing, outdated, or wrong, you lose trust before a donor reaches your website. The audit checks what the assistants say about you and gives you practical fixes.
How do payments work?
All fees are fixed and agreed in writing. The Launch can be split into two payments of $2,750. The Major Gift Program is paid in installments tied to the three phases.
We’re a small organization. Where should we start?
Start with a $99 Funding Session. In 45 minutes you’ll get a clear plan and a written one-page summary, and we’ll decide together whether a larger program makes sense.
Practical fundraising ideas on NonprofitsDaily
Short lessons on donors, fundraising, and nonprofit leadership.
Explore the channel ↗Help donors find and trust your nonprofit
Get the free Donor Visibility Quick-Check. In 15 minutes, take a closer look at how your nonprofit comes across online and identify a few ways to build trust with potential supporters.
Enter your email and confirm your subscription. We’ll send the checklist to your inbox.
Not sure where to start? Let’s talk.
A short conversation is enough to tell whether your nonprofit is ready for a major gift program, or what to fix first.
Book a conversation ↗