Your mission changes lives.
But without funding,
your mission can’t move forward.
When funding is unstable, it’s not just your organization that feels it
- it’s the people who rely on you every day.
I help nonprofit leaders build clear, sustainable funding paths.
Because you deserve a clear path that supports your team, your programs,
and the communities you serve.
No pressure. Just a thoughtful, candid conversation about where you are and what you need.
When funding is unclear, your mission carries the weight.
You care deeply about the communities you serve. But when funding is uncertain, everything feels harder.
You delay important decisions because you’re not sure what you can count on.
Your team carries extra stress as they juggle programs, reporting, and the next proposal.
The people you serve feel the impact when programs are cut back, waitlists, grow, or good ideas never get launched.
It’s not that you lack commitment. It’s that you really need a clear, sustainable way to fund the mission you are called to lead.
A trusted guide for your funding journey
You don’t need another generic webinar or one-size-fits-all template. You need a thoughtful partner who understands both grants and the bigger picture of nonprofit funding.
True North Development Strategies brings:
30+ years of grant writing and funding experience across community development, housing, human services, economic development, environment and climate, education, arts and humanities, and more.
Hands-on program design and management - not just theory.
A structured approach - informed by real-world experience - that respects your capacity and your reality.
We will meet you where you are, help you get clear about where you are going, and walk with you as you choose the next right steps for your organization.
30+ years experience in grant strategy and funding
$700 million+ project and program funding secured
Multi-sector experience - nonprofit, government, research, education, for-profit
Extensive background in program design, development, and delivery; funding strategy; and funding proposals
A Simple Way to Find Your Next Right Step
Whether you need a big-picture funding roadmap or grant systems that make your life easier, we keep the process straightforward.
Nonprofits do critical work. Yet too many operate in constant uncertainty
When funding isn’t strategic of predictable:
Programs shrink or stall
Waitlists grow
Staff burn out
Communities lose access to services
And that weighs heavily on leaders who care deeply about the communities they serve.
You’re stretched thin, juggling everything, and trying to build financial stability on the side.
The good news is, when organizations have the right strategy and goals,
sustainable funding becomes achievable - not overwhelming.
More good news: You don’t have to figure this out on your own.
You want to:
Provide consistent, reliable support for the people counting on you
Stop scrambling for grants at the last minute
Know where you’re going - and how to get there
Make decisions based on strategy, not stress
You deserve a funding approach that lifts the burden, strengthens your programs, and helps more people thrive.
I’ve spent 30+ years in grant writing, strategy, and community development, helping secure hundreds of millions of dollars for the work that matters.
I’ve been an Executive Director, a Municipal Director, and a board member. I understand what it feels like to carry the weight of a mission. And I know how to build funding strategies that actually work in the real world.
You don’t need more confusion. You need clarity, direction, and a trusted guide who cares as much about the people you serve as you do.
Simple, straightforward and strategic
Your path to sustainable funding:
1. Schedule a Funding Strategy Briefing
A short, focused conversation to understand your goals and identify the most helpful path forward.
2. Work through the 5-Step True North Funding Navigator
Together, we’ll follow a clear, structured process to assess your strengths, identify aligned funders, and build a sustainable funding strategy.
3. Implement your sustainable funding blueprint
Walk away with a practical plan your team can use immediately — with clarity, confidence, and a path you can trust.
When your funding
is stable and strategic
Your programs grow
Your team feels supported.
Your leadership becomes more focused and confident.
And most importantly: the people you serve experience more stability, more access, and more hope.
The communities you serve feel the difference when your funding strategy is strong.
About Shelly
Hi, I’m Shelly Adams.
For over 30 years, I’ve helped nonprofits, local governments, and community-based organizations secure the resources they need to thrive. I combine decades of hands-on leadership experience with a calm, strategic approach that gives teams clarity, confidence, and a clear path forward.
Without a clear funding strategy, uncertainty grows — and the people who rely on you feel it first. It becomes harder to plan, harder to support your team, and harder to protect the mission your community counts on.
A sustainable funding strategy give you the stability and confidence to lead well - and the freedom to focus on what matters most: your mission, your team, and the people and communities you serve.
Imagine being able to lead your organization without financial anxiety.
Your team aligned.
Your funding stable.
Your programs strengthening.
Your good work reaching the people who need it most.
That’s what sustainable funding makes possible.
The True North Funding Navigator delivers a clear, structured path to sustainable funding.
Most nonprofits work incredibly hard to secure funding — but effort alone doesn’t create stability. What you need is a clear, strategic process that eliminates guesswork and replaces stress with confidence.
The True North Funding Navigator is a 5-step framework designed to help nonprofit leaders build sustainable funding that truly supports their mission, their team, and their long-term impact.
Why the Funding Navigator Works
Funding isn’t just about writing grants.
It’s about alignment — your goals, your capacity, your readiness, and the funders who believe in the work you do.
The Navigator brings clarity to all of that, guiding you through a proven, structured process that turns overwhelm into direction and uncertainty into strategy.
At the end of your Funding Navigator journey, you’ll have:
At
a clear understanding of where you are right now
a roadmap for where you’re going
and a practical, sustainable plan to get there
The 5-Step True North Funding Navigator
Each step builds on the next, giving you a complete, grounded funding strategy tailored to your organization.
What' You’ll Walk Away With
Every Navigator engagement includes:
A Funding Readiness Score
A Funding Landscape Scan
A Market Position Analysis
A curated list of aligned funders
A 12-month Strategic Funding Plan
A leadership debrief session
Clear recommendations and next steps
The knowledge and confidence to move forward