Client Services

Firestarter works with individual donors, seasoned philanthropists, and innovative foundations to bolster the impact of charitable giving. Our services range from short term research engagements to active management of charitable giving portfolios.

custom project planning and implementation

Firestarter strategists have worked across the globe on projects of all sizes to bring about social change. While we know the value of working with established ventures, there are times when a new initiative is best contribution to the current landscape. We utilize a proven system to take donors from ideation to implementation. This process helps define targets and build insights into a number of critical project planning milestones including:

  • Target Identification
  • Systems Analysis
  • Marginal Impact planning
  • Program research
  • Network Establishment
  • Financial planning
  • Tracking expected social returns on investment
  • Startup progress tracking

If done properly, custom projects offer the best marginal returns on social investments. In the context of an overall charitable portfolios we work with our clients to custom projects are executed with the highest likelihood of success and the greatest potential for impact.

charitable portfolio management

Our portfolio management services analyze how each gift fits into a broader picture of giving. Much like our financial investments can be split into categories of projected risk and return, varying gifts must be placed in context of their narrow aims. The efficacy of any program cannot be judged without those often-subjective measures of desired outcomes.

staff hiring & training

Without a team of passionate leaders, even the best-designed program will quickly fail. Through working with a diversity of projects, Firestarter has developing an expertise in that match-making process. Whether it is under the auspices of nonprofit executive structure or a decentralized network, our process builds ties with the right networks to build the ideal team for any initiative.

research & media publication

Firestarter has a longstanding history of publishing research on a variety of topics in the landscape of social services. Rigorous economic models, systems analysis, and digital media can all play a vital role in identifying unmet needs and reporting on the progress of existing programs. For both our philanthropic clients and programs in our own portfolio, we have a full in-house suite of public research and production services.

community sponsorship

We offer services to nascent community initiatives that want to avoid the overhead costs of running a nonprofit organization. We can provide fiscal sponsorship, financial bookkeeping, and technological infrastructure to create a safe space for new programs to grow. These sponsorships are also ideal for donors supporting communities that have yet to organize under formal means. These services ensure organizational structures can help groups become organized and make positive impacts, rather than hinder them along that journey.