Our Mission is to Advance Your Mission

Philanthropic Partners is led by Sarah Cortell Vandersypen, CFRE, a results-driven fundraising consultant. She specializes in building a development program from the ground up, diversifying your revenue streams, and enhancing a culture of philanthropy through board and staff training and coaching.

Who We Serve

From arts and culture to healthcare, we enjoy working clients that are passionate about their impact in the community. We have found that we are most effective working with middle to large sized organizations that can commit financial and staff resources.

Headshot of speaker Sarah Cortell Vandersypen

Who We Are

Sarah Cortell Vandersypen, CFRE is an experienced fundraiser and nonprofit professional. She is passionate about making meaningful connections for donors to achieve their philanthropic goals while building the capacity of organizations.

What We Do

Philanthropic Partners services nonprofit organizations to build their philanthropic capacity through board and fund development, strategic planning, and executive searches.

I am not your typical consultant; I have recently been in your shoes

I understand the daily challenges that nonprofits have with building effective board leadership, creating a culture of philanthropy, securing revenue to launch a new initiative, and ensuring that programs are having real impact.

Having being in a variety of roles – from development director to museum educator to grant maker – I bring multiple perspectives to the table.

White woman with red hair wearing peach colored silk blouse and grey blazer with gold necklace

In my practice, I promise the following:

  • Collaborative and Facilitative – I work with you achieve your goals. We will work to manage change and work around roadblocks to build a stronger organization.
  • Objective and Honest – I am skilled at listening to different stakeholders, finding common ground, and articulating solutions.
  • Results Focused – I want to be sure you receive enough return on your investment in my services. Whether it’s better organizational structures, a more engaged board, or an alignment of values and priorities, I will work to stay on time and in budget.