About Nonprofit Development Strategies

Who We Serve

Nonprofit Development Strategies works alongside large and small established nonprofits, think tanks, cultural institutions, city governments, and mission-driven organizations of all kinds with a desire to grow, explore new opportunities, shore up practices, or address concerns related to development, fundraising, partnerships, and operations. We most commonly work as grant writers and reviewers, advisors and researchers on fundraising matters, large campaign managers, or surge staffing support.

While working as a sole proprietorship, current and past clients included the Belmont Mound State Park, Bookworm Theatrics, Care International, The Caring Foundation of Texas, the City of Arlington Texas, Cwiny Nia Initiative, The Gbleehai Foundation, The Texas Boys Choir, Texas Center for Arts + Academics, and The National YWCA of Armenia, among others whose subject areas span a wide range of causes and whose yearly budgets range from $7,000 to $32 million, but who are all 501(c)(3) organizations focused on service delivery with a past history of positive outcomes for beneficiaries.

We do not specialize in forming nonprofits, or advising organizations under three years old without a history of performance, family foundations, faith-based institutions, lobbying or political groups, 501(c)(4) organizations, hospital groups, or universities. Each of these groups have special considerations and approaches that would be best served by a specialist in those fields.

Nonprofit Development Strategies was formally founded in 2026, following six years of founder, Emily Brandt’s, work as an independent consultant. Emily has been active in the nonprofit sector since 2009, driven by a passion for community-based solutions and the transformative power of philanthropy.

She began her career in direct client services at a domestic violence nonprofit, where she saw firsthand how consistent funding shapes program stability and impact. She later expanded into volunteer management and fundraising at a homeless shelter and health clinic, building experience in donor relations and strategic development.

In 2013, Emily served as a Community and Economic Development Volunteer with the Peace Corps in northern Armenia. There, she led grant writing and fundraising efforts, securing funding for education, nutrition, and workforce initiatives, and played a key role in merging three organizations into a unified national entity.

After returning to the US, Emily continued to professionally lead fundraising campaigns, coordinate events, and write grants. She also served on a nonprofit board overseeing grant evaluation, monitoring, and strategy. At an arts institution, she revitalized development operations—doubling donor retention, significantly increasing campaign performance, and securing over $1 million in grant funding within 18 months.

Over the next five years, she led business development efforts across foundation and government sectors, helping secure grants ranging from $100,000 to $49 million. She later expanded her expertise at a think tank, focusing on major gifts, corporate partnerships, and financial and operational strategy. She worked as an independent fundraising consultant from 2020-2026, when she founded Nonprofit Development Strategies to meet the need for organizations to access expertise in fundraising and development.

Emily holds a PhD in Public Administration and Public Policy from the University of Texas at Arlington, an MA in International Studies from the University of North Texas, and multiple certifications in nonprofit management, accounting, and program design.