MY STORY - TANJA SARETT, CFRE

I launched my consultant career, inspired by my varied work with many organizations in the United States, Germany, and Israel:

Consultant

As a nonprofit and fundraising consultant and expert in cross-border giving and philanthropy, I activate team-centered innovation and creative and synergistic solutions for visionary companies, organizations, and philanthropies.

I have worked in the nonprofit and foundation field for more than 25 years with organizations in the U.S, Europe, and Israel, including U.S. affiliates (“American Friends”) of European and Israeli charities. 

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I provide counsel in building fundraising capacity, increasing financial and programmatic viability, expanding visibility, and managing growth. My fundraising experience has focused on major gifts, institutional giving, advanced prospect research, wealth screenings, moves management, campaigns, fundraising events, and donor cultivation and stewardship. 

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My expertise (and passion) includes helping foreign-based NGOs and charities create a successful presence in the U.S. and adapt to the unique culture of philanthropy in North America, and engage with global and US-based donors and funders. 

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Facilitator and Trainer

As an onsite and virtual facilitator, trainer, and executive coach, I help clients visualize complexity and bring their concepts, projects, and products to life. I specialize in optimizing outcomes in the virtual space and the 21st century distributed workplace. I bring to my work a wide range of collaborative and creative techniques, platforms, and tools from IDEO Design Thinking, Liberating Structures, the Technology of Participation, and the Agile community. 

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I lead and design virtual training sessions for fundraising professionals and organizational leaders from all over the world on how to engage donors in the virtual space. I have presented at the N.J. Nonprofit Conference, the German Fundraising Conference, the European Fundraising Association, the Polish Fundraising Association, and Association of Fundraising Professionals events. 

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Foundation Professional

Prior to beginning consulting, I served as a Program Officer at the Harold Grinspoon Foundation, a major international Jewish foundation. I helped maximize Harold Grinspoon’s multi-million-dollar investment and spearheaded growth, fundraising and communication strategies to strengthen the foundation and its flagship program PJ Library. In particular, I reshaped the structure of the NYC program and built the programmatic and fundraising capacity of programs in New Jersey. My years at the Harold Grinspoon Foundation gave me perspective about the role of a major funder, change agent and grantmaker, and the unique partnership between an institutional funder and nonprofit organizations. From conversations with major funding partners, I gleaned important insights about the grantmaking field, how to position programs and funding proposals, and how to create synergies. 

Executive and Fundraiser
I had the privilege of serving as Executive Director of a regional Holocaust Museum in New York State where I revitalized the museum's fundraising, marketing, finance, and program operations. Being responsible for leading an organization and fundraising projects is both a rewarding and demanding experience. It shaped my desire to break down silos and invest in building organizational synergies and strong teams.  As a fundraiser for JASA, a social service agency for the elderly, and The Abraham Fund Initiative, I built fundraising infrastructure and brought in funds through special events, improved fundraising systems, engaged different stakeholders and introduced advanced prospect research for prospect identification and major gifts solicitations. 

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Program Specialist

My career started at the German Museum in Munich, the Munich Youth Council and the International Munich Trade Fair Association and quickly progressed to my holding leadership and program positions with the DGB Youth in Munich/Germany, and The International Youth Meeting at Dachau/Germany. I also worked with many Israeli-based organizations, including The International March of the Living.

EDUCATION & CERTIFICATIONS

• Bavarian Academy of Advertising and Marketing, Munich, Germany. Diploma in Public Relations

• Ludwig Maximilians-University (LMU), Munich, Germany. BA/MA in Political Science

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• Scrum Inc, Certified Scum Master

• Institute for International Facilitation, Certified Virtual Facilitator

• Center for Executive Coaching, Certified Executive Coach 

• 21/64, New York, NY. Certified 21/64 Multigenerational Giving Advisor

• Association of Fundraising Professionals HQ, Arlington, VA. Faculty Training Academy (AFP Master Trainer)

• IDEO U, Certificate in Advanced Design Thinking

• IDEO U, Certificate in Foundations in Creative Leadership

• Institute for Cultural Affairs (ICA) Associates, Toronto, Canada. Certificate in ToP Facilitation Essentials

• IDEO U, Certificate in Foundations in Design Thinking

• Cornell University, Ithaca, NY. Certificate in Change Management

• CFRE International, Certified Fund-Raising Executive (CFRE) Credential, 2017

• Support Center for Nonprofit Management, New York, NY. Certificate in Management and Supervision

• New York University, New York, NY. Professional Certificate in Philanthropy and Fundraising

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