The Curtis Group
The Curtis Group is a privately held nonprofit fundraising consulting firm founded in 1989, serving 250+ U.S. nonprofits with campaign planning, campaign management, capacity assessments, development audits, and board training across arts, education, healthcare, social services, and environmental sectors.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1989
- HeadquartersVirginia Beach, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What The Curtis Group does
The Curtis Group is a privately held nonprofit fundraising consulting firm founded in 1989 by Keith Curtis and headquartered in Virginia Beach, Virginia. The firm delivers personalized fundraising counsel to nonprofit organizations across the United States, including capital campaign planning studies, campaign consulting and management, capacity-building assessments, development assessments, and board and staff training. Since founding, the firm reports having served more than 250 nonprofit clients spanning arts and culture, education, civic and public affairs, social service, healthcare, and environment sectors, conducting more than 225 planning studies and campaigns, over 6,500 interviews, and helping clients raise over $1 billion.
The firm's service delivery model is built on direct, relationship-based consulting engagements staffed by senior practitioners with decades of nonprofit and foundation experience. The technical toolkit comprises donor databases, wealth screening tools, and data analysis used within fundraising assessments, supplemented by AI tools governed by a published AI Policy. The go-to-market approach is content-led and association-driven: free webinars on philanthropy trends and AI in nonprofits, blog content, conference presentations, and active leadership participation in The Giving Institute (Keith Curtis, past chair), Giving USA Foundation (Wendy McGrady, Chair), AFP chapters, the Virginia Fund Raising Institute, and the Hampton Roads Gift Planning Council. The firm is also a founding member of Blackbaud's AI Coalition for Social Impact, with VP Kaitlin Robb serving as AI Lead.
The Curtis Group generates revenue through project-based professional consulting fees and multi-year engagements, with pricing set per engagement based on scope, organization size, and service requirements. The firm is privately held under founder/CEO Keith Curtis and President/COO Wendy McGrady, with a published headcount in the 11-50 band and no external institutional investors. Documented customers span a diverse portfolio (e.g., United Way of South Hampton Roads $41.7M campaign, REACH Riverside $239M revitalization, Virginia Aquarium $14M, Norfolk Botanical Garden $17M+, James River Association $28M, Maryland Center for History and Culture $13M). Recent operational moves include the May 2026 addition of two Senior Consultants (Timothy McCue, Deborah Breen) and the January 2026 appointment of Lorry DiCecco as the firm's first Marketing Director.
The Curtis Group firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Curtis Group
- Legal name
- The Curtis Group
- Website
- https://curtisgroupconsultants.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1989
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- The Curtis Group is a privately held nonprofit fundraising consulting firm founded in 1989, serving 250+ U.S. nonprofits with campaign planning, campaign management, capacity assessments, development audits, and board training across arts, education, healthcare, social services, and environmental sectors.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Curtis Group industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Nonprofit Fundraising Consulting
- NAICS
- Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)
- SIC
- Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Charitable Giving & Philanthropic Trust Advisory (FSAEAKAH)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Family Offices & Philanthropic Advisors (Grantmaking) (BPAGAKAD)
Keywords
Where The Curtis Group is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Virginia Beach
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
The Curtis Group business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others
Revenue model
- Fundraising Consulting Services: The Curtis Group generates revenue through professional consulting fees for nonprofit fundraising services including campaign planning studies, campaign consulting and management, capacity-building assessment, development assessments, and board and staff development training.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Project-based consulting services with customized pricing |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels5 records
The Curtis Group product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Curtis Group provides personalized fundraising consulting to U.S. nonprofit organizations, delivering campaign planning studies, hands-on campaign consulting and management, capacity-building assessments, development assessments, and board and staff development training. Engagements are scoped and priced per project, typically as multi-year consulting relationships that include donor prospect research, wealth screening, and execution support through the campaign lifecycle.
Product overview
The Curtis Group offers a unified portfolio of nonprofit fundraising consulting services, not a software platform or technology product. Their core offerings include Campaign Planning Studies, Campaign Consulting & Management, Capacity-Building Assessment & Consulting, Development Assessments, and Board and Staff Development. These services are delivered through personalized, hands-on consulting engagements. The firm also provides supplementary educational content through webinars on topics including Giving USA trends, major donor strategies, board development, and AI adoption in nonprofits.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Campaign Planning Studies
Quantifiable outcome
- $1 billion raised for nonprofit clients
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use The Curtis Group
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
The Curtis Group technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
The Curtis Group partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- The Giving InstitutecoreThe Curtis Group is a member of The Giving Institute, the nation's research and thought leader on philanthropy. CEO Keith Curtis is a past chair and serves on the board of this membership organization dedicated to advancing philanthropy and promoting ethical practices.
- Giving USA FoundationcoreWendy McGrady, President and COO, serves as Chair of the Giving USA Foundation. Keith Curtis is a past chair and past member of the Advisory Council on Methodology. The firm regularly presents on Giving USA findings.
- Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP)coreThe Curtis Group actively participates in AFP chapter events including Hampton Roads and Central Virginia chapters. Team members serve on chapter boards and present at local meetings on philanthropy trends and fundraising best practices.
- Virginia Fund Raising Institute (VFRI)coreThe Curtis Group is a long-time sponsor and presenter at VFRI conferences. Wendy McGrady is a past chair and team members regularly lead sessions on philanthropy topics.
- Hampton Roads Gift Planning CouncilminorKeith Curtis is a past president of this regional gift planning professional organization. Hilary Fulp serves as vice president of the board.
- AI Coalition for Social ImpactcoreKaitlin Robb, Vice President and AI Lead at The Curtis Group, is a founding member of the AI Coalition for Social Impact - a sector-wide partnership convened through Blackbaud focused on advancing responsible AI adoption for nonprofits.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
The Curtis Group competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Orr Group: Nonprofit consulting firm offering fundraising strategy, campaign management, and organizational development services. Competes in the same nonprofit advisory space with comparable service offerings.
- Grenzebach Glier and Associates: International fundraising and philanthropic management consulting firm serving nonprofits, higher education, and healthcare institutions with campaign counsel and development strategy. Comparable in scope and client verticals.
- Bentz Whaley Flessner: Consulting firm providing fundraising campaign management, development strategy, and philanthropic counsel to nonprofits across North America. Competes in the same campaign consulting and major gift strategy space as The Curtis Group.
- Alexander Haas: Fundraising and marketing consulting firm serving nonprofits with capital campaigns, development audits, and feasibility studies. Comparable in service portfolio and nonprofit client base.
- Campbell & Company: National fundraising and executive search consulting firm serving nonprofits with campaign planning, feasibility studies, and development assessment services. Directly comparable in service offerings and nonprofit client focus.
- CCS Fundraising: One of the largest national fundraising consulting firms offering campaign planning studies, campaign management, and development consulting services to nonprofits. Direct competitor in the same core service categories as The Curtis Group, with significantly larger scale.
Others
- Blackbaud: Leading software provider for nonprofits, offering donor management, CRM, fundraising analytics, and wealth screening tools. Not a direct competitor but an ecosystem participant and convening partner for the AI Coalition for Social Impact that The Curtis Group's VP helped found.
- DonorSearch: Wealth screening and prospect research platform used by nonprofit fundraising teams to identify major gift prospects. Adjacent technology provider that complements but does not replace fundraising consulting services.
- Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP): Professional association for fundraising professionals that sets standards, provides certification, and hosts events in the nonprofit fundraising space. The Curtis Group actively participates in AFP chapter events but is not a competitor.
Broad incumbents
- PEAK Grantmaking: Membership organization supporting grants management professionals at foundations and corporations. While operating in the philanthropic ecosystem like The Curtis Group, it is more focused on institutional grantmakers rather than nonprofit fundraising clients.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
The Curtis Group social profiles
Digital presenceThe Curtis Group financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Curtis Group leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
The Curtis Group funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Curtis Group M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Curtis Group
What does The Curtis Group do?
The Curtis Group provides personalized fundraising consulting to U.S. nonprofit organizations, delivering campaign planning studies, hands-on campaign consulting and management, capacity-building assessments, development assessments, and board and staff development training. Engagements are scoped and priced per project, typically as multi-year consulting relationships that include donor prospect research, wealth screening, and execution support through the campaign lifecycle.
Is The Curtis Group a public or private company?
The Curtis Group is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was The Curtis Group founded?
The Curtis Group was founded in 1989. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is The Curtis Group based?
The Curtis Group is headquartered in Virginia Beach, United States, in the North America region.
How does The Curtis Group make money?
One revenue line is on record: fundraising Consulting Services.
Who are The Curtis Group's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Orr Group, Grenzebach Glier and Associates, Bentz Whaley Flessner, Alexander Haas, Campbell & Company and CCS Fundraising. Others are Blackbaud, DonorSearch and Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP). PEAK Grantmaking is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does The Curtis Group have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Curtis Group.
What industry is The Curtis Group in?
The Curtis Group's product category is Nonprofit Fundraising Consulting. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAEAKAH, Charitable Giving & Philanthropic Trust Advisory, with a secondary code of BPAGAKAD, Family Offices & Philanthropic Advisors (Grantmaking). Its NAICS code is 813 and its SIC code is 8742.