“I love not-for-profits. They are incredible and the more I do this work the greater my love grows, especially when they master the balance of doing ‘the good work – the big, real-life stuff that matters – and connecting with their communities well.”

At the heart of TFA and the work it does is Sarah, who has led every project the agency has delivered over the past 14 years.

With a background in corporates and small business, Sarah somewhat stumbled into working in the not-for-profit sector in 2008 via a cause she’d known throughout her youth, and never left. What has kept her here is the discovery of the power and beauty of not-for-profits, and especially their ability to offer people the joy that comes from giving well.

From TFA’s initial life as Barrer & Co until now, Sarah has infused her vision, belief and expertise into over 250 fundraising strategies, 40 capital campaign strategies (ranging from $2 – 50 million) and 15 capital campaign implementations.

“I’ve sat down one-on-one with more than 500 donors, listening carefully to how they think about giving, what matters to them, and what holds them back.”

Sarah has led TFA’s development of 65+ major gifts, bequests (gifts in wills), and corporate partnerships programmes, and worked directly with hundreds of donors and stakeholders, and over 250 not-for-profit Boards.
 
Over an 18-year career she has personally facilitated over 50 Think Tanks and focus groups of highly engaged supporters to test ideas, pressure-check programmes, and help organisations move forward with clarity and confidence.
 
It’s insights like these which enable Sarah, and the people she draws to this work alongside her, to help clients understand what motivates people to give, and how to meet those needs through strategic giving programmes.

Sarah believes that fundraising sustainability and growth starts with the Board. As guardians of their charity’s constitution, they influence and guide how it will fund the things necessary to achieve its purpose; that makes fundraising an organisation-wide responsibility, and offers an opportunity to look at this essential work holistically. 

“I realise how incredibly powerful being a not-for-profit is, but how misunderstood philanthropic fundraising, and fundraising in general, is here in New Zealand. It feels reactive and really hard for many of our NFPs, so, we’re here to teach the joy of fundraising.”

“Fundraising is the gentle art of teaching the joy of giving.” Hank Rosso