Sybil Ackerman-Munson
Nonprofit Professional and Foundation Advisor
With over 20 years of experience as a nonprofit professional and foundation advisor, I work with philanthropic institutions and foundations interested in successful, high-impact grant making, so you can make a true and lasting positive contribution to the world on your terms.
My Story
I know what it’s like to be a grantee. I spent over ten years working at environmental nonprofits before transitioning to foundation advisor.
In my early career, I chose to work in the nonprofit sector because I saw it as a place where I could make a positive impact on the world. I raised money for programs and directed major campaigns to safeguard and steward our land and water resources.
I decided to transition to working as a foundation advisor when the Trustees at Lazar Foundation, a supporter of my work as a nonprofit professional, recruited me to be their Executive Director. Over time, more and more donors asked for my assistance so I started my own business to help donors give money away effectively. Lazar Foundation is now a client and I still serve this family to this day.
I didn’t see this as a change but rather a natural extension of doing good in the world. There is no better career than helping donors give to the nonprofits they care so much about.
Services
Foundation Advisor
Experienced direction can help your organization maximize your effectiveness.
Grant Administration
Extensive knowledge in all aspects of grant making; letter of inquiry, proposal, fund disbursement and final reports.
Strategic Review
Determine the best use of your funds with a review of your programs and goals.
Meeting Facilitation
Achieve your desired outcome with our meeting facilitation services.
Campaign Design
We offer custom campaign design to provide the edge for a winning strategy.
My Qualifications
I have helped donors give away over $45 million in donations large and small, and I have worked with over seventeen philanthropic institutions over a career that spans more than two decades.
I have a special understanding of effective giving because I was a nonprofit professional prior to becoming a donor advisor for pathfinding philanthropists.
Education
- J.D. from Lewis and Clark Law School
- Masters Degree from the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies
- B.S. from Scripps College
My Work
I have worked with some amazing clients over the years, such as the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, Resources Legacy Fund and The Jubitz Family Foundation, but there are a few campaigns that stand out.
I helped the Oregon Community Foundation develop their natural resources and environment work, which included a new pooled fund called the Climate Change and Health Habitats Giving Circle.
I also very much enjoy helping the Hovde Foundation create a new funder collaborative focused on ending injustice around the world and promoting survivor-driven change, called Renewal Philanthropy.
When I served on the Oregon Board of Forestry as a volunteer I helped to navigate some of the most challenging forest policy rules of the time, geared toward improving riparian function. This role helped me understand what it truly takes to listen to diverse viewpoints in order to get agreement on a common goal and outcome.
I love working with donors who genuinely care about making the world a better place, and talking with amazing nonprofit leaders every day who are doing the good work on the ground. It makes me a wildly optimistic person and happy to wake up every day to do the work I do every day.