Ayda Sanver

Ayda Sanver is a Certified Fund Raising Executive with 25 years of experience as a nonprofit development officer, board member, nonprofit volunteer, corporate financial analyst, entrepreneur and university instructor. With an MBA in Finance from The American University, I understand the business world, too, as I was in the corporate world as a Financial Analyst with Marriott International and IBM.

After my daughter was diagnosed with autism in 1995, I was “bitten by the nonprofit bug” and began volunteering for and later working at nonprofits, and I’ve never looked back. In that time, I also grew two businesses, and sold them – but for me, nonprofit work was my calling.

I’m the author of “Tag, You’re It: Now Raise Us Some Money! – Lessons from The Small Shop Blog.”  (available on Amazon.com.)  I was the Chief Development Officer for CSAAC for 9 years – I was given a small budget- and raised over $3 million in that time. I was the quintessential “fundraising shop of one!” Prior to that, I was the Director of Information and Referral at the Autism Society of America, where I was responsible for program development and aligning fundraising goals with programmatic needs.

I started my own consulting practice in 2014 because my passion is to see growing nonprofits move to the next level in fundraising and get the training needed to make that happen.  I have a unique perspective and compassion for the needs of emerging nonprofits, because I’ve been there. I bring to the table my own experience of being a sole development director who has worn many hats: fundraising, donor relations, newsletter and e-mail marketing, public relations, grant writing and event conceptualization and implementation. Whew. That’s a lot of stuff!

My team and I are ready to help you in all aspects of fundraising, marketing, website development, board training and general fundraising coaching.