Collective Agency Impact: Californians for the Advancement of Midwifery
From July 2024 to April 2025, our strategic fundraising partnership with Californians for the Advancement of Midwifery (CAM) resulted in a sustainable fund development plan that will grow the organization's revenue as they implement a 3-year strategic plan. Our work has resulted in the organization securing over $400,000 in new grants within just the first three months of implementation.
Challenge
Californians for the Advancement of Midwifery, a nonprofit organization dedicated to expanding access to midwifery care throughout California, faced a critical juncture in their organizational development. Having completed a comprehensive strategic planning process with consultant Esther Kim, CAM needed to translate their ambitious vision into a financially sustainable reality. The organization lacked the internal capacity and fundraising expertise to develop and implement a comprehensive fundraising strategy that could support their objectives.
With limited resources and a board wanting to strengthen fundraising capabilities, CAM required specialized support to diversify their funding streams, identify new institutional and individual funding prospects, grow their capacity, and build internal systems for sustainable revenue growth.
Solution
With support from the California Health Care Foundation, our team partnered with CAM to implement a multi-faceted approach focused on building fundraising infrastructure and capacity:
Board Development: We strengthened CAM's governance structure by implementing dedicated board committees focused on fundraising, providing comprehensive training on fund development and fundraising ambassadorship, and establishing clear roles for board members in the fundraising process. We also instituted a 100% board giving policy with buy in from all board members.
Comprehensive Fund Development Planning: We co-created a multi-year fund development plan with CAM's leadership team, establishing clear goals and strategies for both institutional and individual giving programs, complete with a financial model projecting 63% growth from 2025 to 2028.
Grant Research and Strategy: We conducted over 40 hours of in-depth grant prospect research, producing a comprehensive database of funding opportunities aligned with CAM's mission. Each prospect was evaluated for fit, prioritized, and incorporated into an outreach timeline.
Case for Support: We created a compelling case for support of CAM’s work using the strategic plan and through facilitated conversations with board members on CAM’s messaging and impact. Once we had a strong case that leaders felt aligned on, we held a series of trainings on using the case in fundraising ambassadorship and gift soliciation.
Implementation Support: Beyond planning, we provided hands-on guidance during the initial implementation phase, helping CAM craft compelling grant proposals and prepare for funder meetings to ensure strong first impressions with new institutional funders.
Impact
Within just three months of launching the fund development plan in January 2025, CAM has achieved remarkable results:
Secured a $200,000 grant (in partnership with Cerro Coso Community College) to launch California's first community college program for Licensed Midwifery, creating a critical pipeline for new midwifery professionals
Received an invitation to submit a $100,000 proposal to a major California-based foundation
Received a $15,000 grant from a regional women's fund
Secured an invitation to submit a $225,000 multi-year proposal to a family foundation
Received their first 5-figure gift from an individual donor
Achieved 100% board giving participation with all board members pledging gifts for the fiscal year
Developed a comprehensive calendar with dozens of additional grant opportunities to pursue
These impressive early successes validate the effectiveness of the fund development plan and position CAM to achieve their projected revenue growth. The organization is now well-equipped to expand their impact on maternal healthcare access throughout California. With continued implementation of the strategies we developed together, CAM is on track to meet their revenue goals and fulfill their mission of advancing midwifery care, education, and practice across the state.
