About Gravity Collective
We built the fundraising consultancy we wish we'd had.
Fundraising challenges rarely exist in isolation. Donor strategy, leadership, board engagement, storytelling, team capacity, infrastructure, and culture all shape what a nonprofit can raise.
We built Gravity to work differently. Not to hand a nonprofit a strategy and leave its team to figure out the rest, but to bring experienced judgment and honest counsel, then stay close to the work, from the big decisions down to the details required to put them into practice.
Shannon began sharing that idea with other experienced fundraisers. They didn't just believe in it. They wanted to be part of it.
The name came to Shannon on a walk. Gravity is weight, but it's also pull: the force that draws people toward something bigger than themselves. That's what great philanthropy can do, and what Gravity Collective was built to help make possible.
About Shannon.
Twenty years inside the work.
Shannon has worn nearly every fundraising hat: major gift officer, campaign director, Chief Philanthropy Officer leading a 30-person team, and board president. She has made the major and mega gift ask, directed a $150 million capital campaign, and sat across the table from some of the nation's most influential philanthropists.
That experience shapes how she works with clients today. Shannon sees how donor strategy, leadership, storytelling, teams, boards, culture, and fundraising infrastructure work together. She moves between the big questions and the donor-by-donor decisions that determine whether the strategy works.
Today, Shannon leads Gravity Collective and works directly with nonprofit leaders, fundraising teams, and boards on their most consequential fundraising work.
No single consultant is an expert in every part of fundraising. We don't pretend to be.
Gravity Collective brings together experienced consultants with advanced expertise across fundraising, communications, research, and operations. We build each team around the scope of the engagement, the expertise it requires, and the people we'll be working alongside.
You get the expertise your work calls for.
Why we’re a Collective
-
Sarah Stults
Operations Consultant
-
Janelle Nuñez
Senior Consultant
-
Jennifer Chen
Grants and Institutional Funding Strategist
-
Maria Prato
Communications Strategist
-
Danielle Smith
Communications Strategist
From time to time, we bring on fundraising consultants with deep experience in major gifts, capital campaigns, or board fundraising. If that sounds like you, we'd welcome your resume and a brief note about your work at info@gravity-collective.com. We review every submission and will reach out when there's a fit.
What it's like to work with Gravity.
We respect the expertise and institutional knowledge already inside your nonprofit. We start by understanding what you have built and where our experience can help you go further.
We also know that the most consequential fundraising decisions don't always come with an obvious answer. A major donor may be ready sooner than expected. A campaign may need to change course. A board may disagree about what comes next. Leadership may have competing views about the ask, the timing, or where the team should focus.
That’s when having the right experience matters.
We help you read the signals, challenge assumptions, balance urgency with readiness, and decide what to do next.
And we stay in the work. We don't hand over recommendations and leave your team to figure out the rest. We work alongside your team through implementation, from the big decisions down to the donor-by-donor details.
Our goal is for your fundraising to be stronger because we were there, and to stay stronger after we're gone.
What clients say
-
![Black and white photo of a young man with dark hair and a smirk, wearing a light-colored shirt.]()
“Shannon transformed how we approached our capital campaign. She helped us turn our vision into a narrative that resonates with donors, and gave us the skills and confidence to ask for big gifts. The strategic focus she brought has been invaluable.”
— Alexi Zubiria, Artistic Director, Western Ballet
-
![A smiling woman with short blonde hair, wearing a maroon top and hoop earrings, in an indoor setting with a blurred background.]()
“After Katy and Shannon's Board Moves Method training, board members started reaching out, telling their stories, and making introductions without having to be nudged. It's night and day and has taken our effectiveness to the next level.”
— Laura Selig, Board Member, CASA of San Mateo County and Stanbridge Academy
-
![Thrive logo with stylized star-like design]()
"We were so excited to partner with Shannon and Katy to share knowledge with our nonprofit members and partners. Shannon and Katy are the kind of speakers who make a large group feel like a small conversation. The content is sharp and practical, and their ability to hold a room, draw people in, and keep the energy alive throughout is something to see. Our members left the workshop excited with ideas to implement at their organization."
— Thrive Alliance
-
![A woman with red hair, wearing a pink shirt, standing outdoors with a slight smile and one eye winking.]()
“Shannon's guidance reshaped Army Pink's fundraising strategy from the ground up. She helped me see where we were positioned and what funders would need to trust our model. With her counsel I reworked my outreach and started getting traction with funders and major partner organizations. It made everything click.”
— Robin Bement, Founder, Army Pink
-
![A woman with shoulder-length brown hair smiling and sitting at a table in a busy indoor setting that appears to be a classroom or workshop with other people working at tables in the background.]()
“Working with The Gravity Collective gave us the clarity we needed to advance our fundraising. They brought a sharp, focused perspective that helped us align our vision with a practical yet bold fundraising strategy. The process was efficient, thoughtful, and delivered real value quickly.”
— Linda Johnson, Executive Director, Creativity Explored
-
![A middle-aged man with a beard and short gray hair, wearing a dark denim shirt, smiling with arms crossed against a plain light gray background.]()
“Shannon gave us the tools and strategy we needed for major gift work. She's a fundraising expert who positioned us for 6- and 7-figure discussions and major growth. I'd recommend her to any leader serious about scaling fundraising.”
— Jeff Feinman, Chief of Partnerships, National Summer School Initiative
Let's talk about what you're working through.
Whether you're considering a capital campaign, trying to engage your board in fundraising, or working through a fundraising team challenge that doesn't have an obvious answer, let's start with a conversation.
In our complimentary 30-minute introductory call, we'll talk through what you're trying to accomplish and whether Gravity Collective is the right partner for your goals.