For Impact

What For Impact does

For Impact, legally operating as The Suddes Group, is a Columbus, Ohio-based fundraising consultancy founded in 1985 by Tom Suddes. The firm serves nonprofit organizations, social entrepreneurs, foundations, and social enterprises globally, helping them develop fundraising strategies, build high-performing development teams, structure compelling organizational narratives, and execute campaigns. Its core methodology is built around proprietary frameworks including the Altitude Framework (30,000'/14,000'/3' altitude metaphor for structuring communication) and the Relationship-Based Funding Model (organizing revenue into Today, Tomorrow, and Forever giving categories). The company delivers its services through five streams: direct consulting and coaching engagements, signature two-day Funding Boot Camps offered virtually and in-person, custom training programs, speaking engagements, and an emerging AI Services division accessed via ai.forimpact.org. The AI Services line, launched in 2025-2026, builds customized agentic AI systems for fundraising teams that automate prospect identification, workflow processes, and even construct AI coaches from the company's own training content and custom CRM systems.

The company's go-to-market motion is content-driven and relationship-led. Marketing is anchored on a Weekly WOW newsletter, Daily Nuggets emails, the Deep Dive For Impact podcast hosted by CEO Nick Fellers, an extensive downloadable framework library, and recurring boot camp events that serve as both training delivery and customer acquisition channels. Distribution is primarily direct, with consulting sold through one-on-one engagements and training sold through events.forimpact.org (virtual) and Columbus-based in-person sessions (live). Pricing is not publicly disclosed; consulting appears to operate on a quote-based professional services model, while boot camp registration is handled via Eventbrite.

For Impact claims to have helped raise more than $3 billion for over 5,000 organizations across 30+ countries, and to have managed more than 500 fundraising campaigns. The team consists of approximately 15 members including Founder & President Nick Fellers, Managing Partner Traci Bruckner, multiple Partners, Associate Coaches, Director of Operations Nicole Winfield, and Business Manager Joe Thompson. The firm is privately held with no disclosed external institutional investment or parent company.

Name

For Impact

Legal name

The Suddes Group

Website

https://forimpact.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

For Impact (The Suddes Group) is a Columbus, Ohio-based fundraising consultancy founded in 1985 that helps nonprofit organizations and social entrepreneurs develop fundraising strategy, build teams, and execute campaigns through consulting, boot camps, and AI-enabled services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Fundraising Consulting

NAICS

Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Other Grantmaking and Giving Services (813219)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Impact Investing & Social Finance (Funds, CDFIs, Microfinance) (BPAGALAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Philanthropy & Foundations Advisory (Donor-Advised Funds, Endowments) (FSAAABAH)

Keywords

• Fundraising consulting
• Nonprofit coaching
• Major gifts fundraising
• Capacity building training
• Campaign management

Headquarters

HQ city

Columbus

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Consulting and Coaching Services: Direct consulting engagements providing strategy, team development, and campaign management. Services include feasibility studies, strategic planning, and implementation support for fundraising campaigns of all sizes.
2. Training Programs - Boot Camps: Signature two-day Funding Boot Camp sessions offered both virtually and in-person (Columbus, OH). High-energy frameworks and skill building training for executive directors, development staff, and volunteer leaders.
3. Custom Training: Organization-specific training programs designed and delivered for teams based on their experience and needs. Includes grantee training for foundations and board workshops.
4. Speaking Engagements: Custom-designed speaking engagements for conferences and organizational gatherings, including practical takeaways for attendees.
5. AI Services: Fundraising and AI expertise to amplify fundraising efforts, including custom AI solution development and implementation for client organizations.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

For Impact provides fundraising consulting, coaching, and training services to nonprofit organizations, NGOs, and social entrepreneurs. Offerings include Funding Boot Camps (live and virtual), structured coaching engagements, on-site training, and customized AI services that build fundraisers' personal AI assistants, AI coaches, and bespoke CRM/database tools. The firm also monetizes its proprietary frameworks (Altitude, Relationship-Based Funding Model, For Impact Funding Roadmap) through guidebooks and content channels such as the Deep Dive For Impact podcast and Weekly WOW newsletter.

Product overview

For Impact is a fundraising consultancy offering a suite of services including training programs (Funding Boot Camps in virtual and live formats), AI Services for automating fundraising workflows, coaching and consulting, campaign management, and a content platform featuring a podcast, weekly newsletter, and downloadable frameworks. The core methodology centers on the Altitude Framework and relationship-based funding models.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Deep Dive For Impact: Podcast hosted by CEO Nick Fellers tackling big questions in fundraising for nonprofits and social enterprises. Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, and Google.

Products and services

• For Impact Funding Boot Camp Multi-day intensive training program delivered live in-person and virtually, teaching nonprofit teams the firm's Altitude Framework, Relationship-Based Funding Model, and Funding Roadmap to plan and execute fundraising campaigns. Designed for executive directors, development directors, board members, and fundraising staff of nonprofit and social-impact organizations.
• Coaching and Consulting Engagements Customized consulting and coaching services in which For Impact practitioners embed with nonprofit leadership and fundraising teams to design funding plans, build cases for support, train staff and board, and execute campaigns. Targeted at executive directors, development directors, boards, and campaign chairs who need implementation support rather than strategy decks.
• AI Services (Agentic AI for Fundraisers) A suite of customized Agentic AI services for nonprofits, including AI assistants for individual fundraisers, AI coaches for fundraising teams, and bespoke CRM/database builds. Sold to nonprofit organizations that want AI tools tailored to their specific operating context rather than off-the-shelf fundraising software.
• Deep Dive For Impact (Podcast) Long-form podcast produced by For Impact covering nonprofit fundraising strategy, sales culture, leadership, and case studies with practitioners. Available free to nonprofit executives, fundraisers, and board members as a thought-leadership and brand-building channel.
• Frameworks, Guides, and Playbooks Free and paid downloadable frameworks, guides, and playbooks documenting For Impact's fundraising methodology, including the Altitude Framework and the Relationship-Based Funding Model. Used by nonprofit professionals as reference and training material.
• Speaking Engagements and On-Site Training Customized speaking engagements, keynotes, workshops, and on-site training for nonprofit conferences, association meetings, and individual organizations on topics such as funding strategy, sales culture, and the firm's frameworks.

Quantifiable outcome

• $3B+ raised for client organizations
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability7 records

Feature4 records

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Funraise: Modern nonprofit fundraising platform with donation forms, CRM, peer-to-peer campaigns, and AI-assisted fundraising features. Adjacent peer to For Impact — overlapping buyer and workflow, with growing AI capabilities that compete with For Impact's bespoke Agentic AI services.
• Classy (GoFundMe Pro): Online fundraising platform acquired by GoFundMe, providing donation forms, event management, and CRM-adjacent tooling for nonprofits. Comparable to For Impact's AI Services line in addressing fundraising workflow automation, though more productized and tech-led rather than coaching-led.
• DonorSearch: Prospect research and wealth screening platform for nonprofits, helping fundraising teams identify and qualify major gift prospects. Closely comparable to For Impact's prospect identification agents under its AI Services line and the 'Qualified Prospects' pillar of its learning library.
• Bloomerang: Donor management and CRM software provider built specifically for nonprofits, with a strong emphasis on donor retention analytics. Adjacent peer to For Impact — overlapping end buyer (nonprofit development staff) and a comparable content/education strategy (Bloomerang also produces training content and webinars).

Direct peers

• Russ Reid: Direct response and fundraising agency serving faith-based and nonprofit organizations with integrated fundraising strategy and creative services. Comparable to For Impact in serving nonprofit fundraising teams, with a similar focus on building sustainable fundraising programs rather than one-off transactions.
• GlobalGiving: Global crowdfunding and grantmaking platform supporting nonprofits and social enterprises across 170+ countries, with accompanying training and capacity-building resources. Comparable to For Impact's international reach (30+ countries), focus on social entrepreneurs, and blend of training with fundraising infrastructure.
• CCS Fundraising: One of the largest fundraising consulting firms in the US, providing campaign management, feasibility studies, and strategic fundraising counsel to nonprofit clients. Directly comparable to For Impact's core consulting and coaching offering, with similar buyer (nonprofit leadership) and methodology (structured campaign execution).
• Network for Good: Fundraising platform and services provider offering donor management software plus fundraising coaching and training for small nonprofits. Closely comparable to For Impact on the training/coaching side and increasingly on the AI-enabled workflow side (Network for Good has invested in AI fundraising tools).
• Pursuant: Full-service fundraising agency offering strategic consulting, data analytics, and direct response programs for nonprofits. Comparable to For Impact's consulting and training practice, with overlapping buyer personas (nonprofit development leaders) and overlapping deliverables (campaign strategy and execution support).

Broad incumbents

• Salesforce.org (Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud): Enterprise CRM platform adapted for nonprofits with fundraising, program management, and marketing functionality, plus a large nonprofit consulting/training ecosystem. Comparable to For Impact as a default infrastructure and best-practice layer for nonprofit fundraising teams, though serving a much broader and larger-customer set.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubepodcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/forimpact
• Xx.com/forimpact
• Facebookfacebook.com/forimpact
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/forimpact

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about For Impact