Ovation Fundraising Counsel provides professional fundraising expertise to nonprofits throughout Maine. We have worked with a broad range of nonprofits including, educational institutions, arts organizations, healthcare, human service agencies, libraries, community associations, land trusts, and environmental groups. We know Maine and its communities.
We are a small firm that prides itself on being responsive to clients. We have the knowledge and experience to provide the fundraising help you need. We partner with colleagues and other consultants as necessary to provide a scope of services, beyond fundraising, that clients may be looking for. Our professional relationships afford clients access to services like advice on fundraising software, board governance, strategic planning, and marketing and communications.
We have worked as nonprofit development professionals ourselves. We understand the stress of meeting annual fundraising goals. We have worked with Boards of Directors and countless volunteers to raise funds for organizations.
We have been the chief fundraising staff member for a capital campaign. We know the challenges of multi-tasking. We have a lot of passion for this work and want you to enjoy fundraising as much as we do.
We know that no two organizations are alike. Many internal and external factors impact success in fundraising. We work closely with our clients to tailor services specifically to their needs to position them for long-term success.
How to begin? Contact us to discuss your fundraising needs. An initial consultation is free of charge.
Lisa Jepson Wahlstrom, CFRE
Lisa Jepson Wahlstrom, CFRE, has 30 years of expertise in fund development. A native of Maine and graduate of Bates College, her professional experience includes annual fund programs, capital campaigns, development assessments, fundraising planning studies, donor stewardship, volunteer recruitment, training, management, community relations, special events, grant writing, and corporate sponsorships.
As a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) and a Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE), Lisa subscribes to the AFP Code of Ethical Principles, Standards of Professional Practice, and Donor Bill of Rights. She is a frequent presenter at fundraising workshops, a member of several professional organizations, and a community volunteer.
Memberships & Volunteerism
Association of Fundraising Professionals
Past Board Member AFP-NNE
AFP-NNE Conference Planning Committee
Maine Planned Giving Council
Past President
Past Chair of Leave a Legacy™
Good Samaritan Agency
Board of Directors
Chair, Fund Development Committee
Maine Philanthropy Center
Member
Maine Association of Nonprofits
Member
Rotary Club of Bangor Breakfast
Past President
Paul Harris Fellow
Bangor Symphony Orchestra
Past President, Board of Directors
Member of Development Committee
Redeemer Lutheran Church
Stewardship Team
High Praise From Our Clients
Contact us to learn more about the expertise & energy Ovation Fundraising Counsel can bring to your fundraising program.
Ovation Fundraising helped create a fundraising road map for our organization. Lisa listened to what we needed and took great care to create a unique plan that worked for our staff and Board of Directors. Our organization truly benefited from the knowledge and history she has worked with nonprofits of all sizes.
Dyan Walsh, Executive Director Eastern Area Agency on Aging
Lisa is a fundraising expert. She is deeply committed to helping others develop their fundraising skills. She worked with us to create an affordable consulting package that met our needs, including a fundraising assessment, plan, and training for our board that helped us leverage resources to see a real impact.
Andrea Irwin, Executive Director Mabel Wadsworth Center
Over the course of our $5M capital campaign, we worked with Lisa to build a new food distribution center. She provided invaluable insight into the campaign process, offered flexible support when and where we needed it, and helped us navigate the ups and downs that inevitably come during a campaign. Lisa was a constant resource and a valued member of our committee team that ultimately brought our campaign to a successful conclusion!
Erin Fogg, Vice President of Development and Communications Good Shepherd Food Bank
Lisa’s calm, sensible, courteous approach toward the tasks at hand, Capital Campaign Committee members, and potential donors was instrumental in bringing about a very successful campaign. Lisa has the demeanor, professionalism, and expertise to provide any organization with a well-run, successful campaign. Her experience, advice, and follow-through made us all look good!
Julie Hixson, Director of Marketing & Communications Downeast Community Hospital
We engaged Lisa to assess our development efforts to understand our current strengths and limitations and position us for the future. She was thorough, responsive, and ultimately provided us with a toolkit we continue to draw from in advancing our work.
Christine Stelling, Director of Development Maine Seacoast Mission
Lisa’s passion for fundraising is infectious. She provided us with expert guidance from the planning stage of our campaign through the community phase. Our volunteer Campaign Team loved working with her and looked forward to campaign meetings.
Mary Jane Auns, Chair, Board of Trustees Charles M. Bailey Public Library