A year of building belief
Connection Collaborative Annual Report
2024-2025
This year, we celebrated our first full year as Connection Collaborative. We often tell our clients that annual reports are more than a record of impact — they are a chance to reflect, to celebrate, and to plan for what comes next. One day it occurred to us: we should do the same.
We do not have donors who need to see outcomes, but we do have friends, colleagues, and supporters who have cheered us on as we built this firm. This report is for you, and for us — a way to pause, take stock, and share the story of our first year together.
A Letter from Annalisa
Dear friends and colleagues,
Every year, we help nonprofits, businesses, and foundations reflect on their impact through annual reports. Somewhere along the way, I realized it made sense to do the same for ourselves.
This report is both a reflection and invitation. It is our honest accounting of the year: what we are proud of, what we have learned, and where we are going next. It is also a way to model the practice we encourage our clients to adopt: pausing long enough to celebrate, to learn from challenges, and to chart the future with clarity.
For Connection Collaborative, this year was about risk and reward, about building belief, and about proving that the fractional CDO model can transform organizations.
We raised millions for our clients, shaped strategies at pivotal moments, and refined what we call belief-based fundraising, an approach that does not just raise dollars but builds movements.
Thank you for being part of this journey. We share these reflections not only to tell our story but in the hope that they spark connection and ideas for what is possible in yours.
With gratitude,
Annalisa Holcombe
Founder & Principal Consultant
By the Numbers
5 fractional CDO clients served
$7M+ raised collectively
71 grant proposals and LOIs submitted
13 cases for support created
5 large-scale events organized in NYC and SLC
2 full-day strategic planning sessions facilitated
12 newsletters published (reaching nearly 1,000 subscribers)
10 podcast episodes released
1 CEO of the Year recognition secured for a client
3 op-eds drafted and placed
1 strategic affiliation formed
7 project-based engagements completed
25+ board and staff presentations delivered
Dozens of 5am calls with international partners
1 Foo Fighters concert for team bonding
Countless cups of coffee fueling big ideas
Collaborative Outcomes
Major Campaign Success
We partnered with a global university to design and lead a fundraising and celebration gala at the renowned Pierre Hotel in New York City. The event raised more than $1 million in a single night to support student scholarships and positioned the institution on a new stage with donors and partners.
Strategic Planning & Fundraising Growth
We worked with a Utah-based business center through both a fractional CDO engagement and a full strategic planning process. The organization achieved its strongest fundraising year ever, refreshed its mission, vision, and values, and was recognized with multiple community leadership awards.
Transformational Grant Funding
We collaborated with a statewide nonprofit leader who had recently completed a bold strategic plan. By building the case and engaging funders, we helped secure the organization’s largest gift to date, providing a solid foundation and strong momentum.
Other Highlights:
Corporate Sponsorship Momentum. We developed a new sponsorship package for a life-sciences community event that attracted fresh corporate support and positioned the gathering for growth in future years.
From Strategy to National Fundraising Readiness. We translated a civic initiative’s strategic pillars into clear cases for support and a fundraising roadmap, laying the groundwork for multi-state outreach and partner engagement.
Additional Collaborations. In addition to our fractional CDO partnerships, we took on targeted project-based work for select organizations. These engagements included staff training, fundraising strategy, report development, and leadership communications — demonstrating the flexibility of our model for short, time-bound needs.
The Tenets Guiding Our Work
Donors don’t give to you. They give through you.
We don’t chase wallets; we align values. Donors are not transactions; they are people whose values can shape the world.
You’re not pitching a product; you’re building belief. Gifts aren’t bought; they are born from engagement, partnership, and conviction.
Funders follow mission, not fundraisers. Donor loyalty deepens when it is tied to the cause, not the personality of a single staff member.
It’s not about our need; it’s about their impact. Fundraising reframed as a mirror: their belief, their values, their difference.
The mess is where the meaning lives. Donors connect most when we tell the truth, not polished perfection but real human struggle and resilience.
It’s not the size of the gift; it’s belief in the mission. Every gift is meaningful if it reflects deep alignment.
Stories move people, then people move money. Stories are the way belief becomes visible.
What We’re Learning
It’s been a hard year. Timelines stretched, funding slowed, and uncertainty became the baseline.
People are tired. Many leaders reached the edge of exhaustion. Fatigue is real, and it shapes decisions.
Clarity matters. Mission, vision, and values made hard calls faster and steadier.
A/B/C plans were required. Having multiple paths kept work moving when conditions changed.
Pivot capacity. Midyear and midstream shifts worked when owners and next steps were clear.
Leadership attention. When senior leaders stayed close to fundraising and stewardship, momentum held.
Outcomes over output. Specific results tied to real people’s stories carried weight.
Trustworthiness. Timely, accurate follow-through with funders and teams sustained relationships.
Volatility will remain. The environment isn’t settling anytime soon. The work ahead will still require adaptability and steadiness.
Thought Leadership
Fundraising is about more than dollars. It is about shaping the story of an organization, amplifying voices, and modeling the kind of leadership we want to see in the sector.
Our Voice
92000 Hours Podcast — exploring the meaning of work and purpose.
Connecting the Dots Video Series — quick, thought-provoking insights on leadership and fundraising.
Monthly Newsletter — reaching nearly 1,000 subscribers with practical tools and reflections.
Client Voices
Drafted op-eds that positioned leaders as trusted voices on urgent issues.
Secured major leadership recognition for a client at the state level.
Elevated organizational thought leadership through reports, campaigns, and public storytelling.
Affiliations
This year we broadened our reach through an affiliation with Langley Innovations, a respected consulting and training firm in the philanthropic sector. This relationship expands our bench of peers and resources while keeping Connection Collaborative independent.
Board Leadership
Showing up matters. Beyond our client work, Annalisa served in a volunteer capacity this year — as a board officer on two nonprofit boards and as a member of one advisory board. Volunteer leadership keeps us close to the realities organizations face and strengthens the sector we are part of. It is another way we live our belief that philanthropy is love of humankind put into practice.
The Future of Fundraising
The philanthropic landscape is shifting quickly. Donors are more selective, needs are greater, and nonprofits are being asked to deliver more with fewer resources. To thrive in this environment, organizations must think differently about both how they raise funds and who is leading the work.
At Connection Collaborative, two ideas are shaping our path forward:
Belief-Based Fundraising
Through our work this year, we began to shape a new framework we call Belief-Based Fundraising. It is built on the conviction that donors give through organizations, not to them, and that belief — not transactions — is the true driver of lasting support. We will be sharing the full framework in the year ahead.
The Fractional CDO Model
Many nonprofits cannot afford a full-time Chief Development Officer, yet the need for senior fundraising leadership has never been greater. This year, we demonstrated how the fractional CDO model delivers high-quality strategy, execution, and mentoring at a fraction of the cost.
The future of fundraising will belong to organizations that combine clarity of mission with innovative leadership models. We are excited to help shape that future.
Who We Are
Connection Collaborative is built on the power of partnership.
Annalisa and Lexie first met at Westminster College, when Annalisa was on staff and Lexie was a student. From the start, they found they worked well together — a balance of strategy and creativity, reflection and execution.
Years later, that connection has become the foundation of Connection Collaborative. In 2024, Annalisa fully launched the consulting practice and Lexie came on board as the first hire. Together, they’ve guided clients through campaigns, reports, strategic planning, and fundraising transformations.
This past year marked new beginnings for both Annalisa and Lexie, as they each put down roots in new homes and seasons of life. Despite the changes, their partnership has only grown stronger — a testament to what’s possible when collaboration is built on trust, shared vision, and care.
They even found time to meet in Washington during the year and attended a concert together, reminding themselves that joy and friendship are part of the work, too.
Work With Us
Whether you are planning your next big campaign, feeling stuck in a strategic fog, or simply in need of a thought partner, we are here to help. At Connection Collaborative, we bring senior-level fundraising leadership, clear strategy, and authentic storytelling to organizations ready to grow.
Our Services
Fundraising & Strategy
Fractional CDO Leadership
Campaign Development
Case for Support & Messaging
Grant Writing & Prospecting
Donor Engagement & Stewardship
Organizational Wellbeing
Strategic Planning
Executive Coaching
Retreats & Staff Training
Let’s build what’s next, together.