
Executive coaching and fundraising strategies to help you lead and succeed.
I guide & coach nonprofit leaders, CEOs, and executives who have big visions and want to inspire their team to greater performance. Is that you?
If you are committed to strengthening your nonprofit and developing more meaningful relationships with your donors, now is a great time to start. Working together, we’ll develop a path forward to help you raise more money and sustain your organization for years to come.
Through executive coaching, you’ll gain self awareness and examine how you think. We’ll talk about your vision, your goals, your business and personal relationships and more. We examine not only your actions and results, but your thinking and beliefs that come first.
It’s challenging to create winning fundraising strategies that lead your team and raise money. What if you had a trusted partner and expert to guide you who was deeply committed to your success?
We’ll examine your fundraising strategies and develop effective ways for you to raise more while creating meaningful relationships with your donors.
If you align your thinking with where you want to go, you can make positive changes that lead to better outcomes. Together we clarify what you really want, clear away any obstacles blocking your path, and get you on the road to achieving it. We help you lead as your authentic self and guide your team so everyone can do their best work.
What’s your goal, and what’s standing in the way of your fundraising strategies?
If you’re ready to start, I can’t wait to talk with you.

If you’re ready to:
- inspire your board to take action;
- help your nonprofit succeed in uncertain times;
- lead your board & staff to raise more money than you ever thought possible;
- advance your career;
- develop and inspire a great team,
Executive coaching can help you achieve those goals.
Working with Allison is simply wonderful! She took the time to learn and understand the needs of our organization. She fully engages her mind, heart, and actions in assisting us. She’s earned the title of Family Member at Vanguard Landing & we are honored to have her with us on our fundraising journey.
Since working with Allison, I take time to assess situations that I’m unsure of. Instead of assuming the negative, I consider other possible scenarios before moving forward.
It’s been really freeing to be able to take charge of my thoughts and to shift to putting my energy into what I can do and control.
I’m closer to the person I want to be. I’m more focused on my ideal lifestyle.
I’ve let go of the need to own and control every situation. This has allowed me to spend more time in the here and now, enjoying what life has presented me.
I am now committed to creating space each day to reflect on what I want to bring to the day.
After coaching, I’ve been able to help others define their goals and what’s standing in their way, to impart the feeling of freedom, focus, and self-sufficiency that I’ve discovered.
Allison is incredibly easy to talk to. She asks thoughtful questions that make you dig deeper and consider issues from a variety of angles.
Allison won’t let you get away with glib answers. She gives you a gentle but firm push to think harder about what stories you’re telling yourself.
Every time we talk, I learn so much about myself and my motivations.
What’s New in the Blog
Top 10 SparkNonprofit Blog Posts of 2022
by Allison Bough | January 27, 2023 | Fundraising, Leadership Coaching, Planned Giving | 0 Comments
Before we get too far into 2023, I thought it would be a useful exercise to take a look at what were the most-visited blog posts on SparkNonprofit last year. The results were interesting and humbling. And in one case, a bit surprising.
Happy Holidays!
by Allison Bough | December 21, 2022 | Leadership Coaching | 0 Comments
What Got You Here Won’t Get You There
by Allison Bough | August 11, 2022 | Leadership Coaching | 0 Comments
The Path I Took to Leadership Coaching
by Allison Bough | May 12, 2022 | Leadership Coaching | 0 Comments
How to Find Evidence to Change Your Limiting Beliefs
by Allison Bough | April 25, 2022 | Board, Leadership Coaching, Personal Development | 0 Comments
Who is Steering Your Ship?
by Allison Bough | April 14, 2022 | Leadership Coaching, Personal Development | 0 Comments
Do’s and Don’ts for Recruiting Board Members
by Allison Bough | March 17, 2022 | Board | 0 Comments
The Power of Goal Visualization
by Allison Bough | February 17, 2022 | Leadership Coaching, Personal Development | 0 Comments
Moving Forward with Positive Self-Talk
by Allison Bough | January 20, 2022 | Leadership Coaching, Personal Development | 0 Comments
Time Management for Effective CEOs
by Allison Bough | January 13, 2022 | Leadership Coaching | 0 Comments
How to Easily Review Your Year to Find Calm
by Allison Bough | January 4, 2022 | Personal Development, Yearly Review | 0 Comments
Take Some Time for Yourself This Holiday Season
by Allison Bough | December 20, 2021 | Personal Development | 0 Comments
Give Yourself a Boost with Your Greatest Hits Album
by Allison Bough | December 2, 2021 | Leadership Coaching, Personal Development | 0 Comments
Happy Thanksgiving!
by Allison Bough | November 22, 2021 | Uncategorized | 0 Comments
Being able to work with nonprofit professionals and board members is something I’m truly grateful for.
I’m humbled by the trust my clients have shown in me, and I’m thankful every day that I get to do business with amazing, mission-driven people who strive to make the world a better place.
Build Resilience to Move Forward After a Crisis
by Allison Bough | October 13, 2021 | Leadership Coaching | 0 Comments
You Won’t Always Get a Yes
by Allison Bough | October 5, 2021 | Fundraising, Leadership Coaching, Personal Development | 0 Comments
Planned Giving: Top 10 Questions to Spark a Conversation
by Allison Bough | September 22, 2021 | Planned Giving | 0 Comments
What do you say to start a planned giving conversation with a loyal donor? Here are some sure-fire suggestions.
Leadership Coaching: Create a Better Future for Your Nonprofit
by Allison Bough | September 8, 2021 | Leadership Coaching, Personal Development | 0 Comments
Capital Campaign Readiness: Ten Questions
by SparkNonprofit | March 9, 2021 | Board, Capital Campaigns | 0 Comments
Overcome your fear of asking
by SparkNonprofit | January 19, 2021 | Board, Personal Development | 0 Comments
Happiness & Positive Mindset
by Allison Bough | December 18, 2020 | Development Office, Personal Development | 0 Comments
Beyond cash
by SparkNonprofit | December 8, 2020 | Charitable Gifts, Planned Giving | 0 Comments
Recognize and Overcome Burnout
by Allison Bough | June 1, 2023 | Leadership Coaching, Personal Development | 0 Comments
Overcoming “No” in Your Nonprofit Fundraising
by Allison Bough | May 18, 2023 | Donor Relations & Stewardship, Donor Stewardship, Fundraising | 0 Comments
Receiving a “no” can be discouraging to nonprofit leaders trying to raise funds, but it doesn’t have to be. Here are some top tips for overcoming “no.”
Overcome Your Fear of Asking
by Allison Bough | April 21, 2023 | Donor Relations & Stewardship, Fundraising, Leadership Coaching | 0 Comments
If you want to be a successful nonprofit leader and fundraiser, you must overcome your fear of asking for a donation and help others overcome their fear. Here are some ways to do that.
Effective Time Management Starts with Mindset
by Allison Bough | March 28, 2023 | Leadership Coaching, Personal Development | 0 Comments
8 Factors of Happiness
by Allison Bough | March 16, 2023 | Leadership Coaching, Personal Development | 0 Comments
Happiness is a choice, not a feeling. We can reframe our thinking, and shift from reacting to what happens to us to choosing to feel peaceful and calm.
How to Incorporate Coaching into Your Leadership
by Allison Bough | January 19, 2023 | Leadership Coaching | 0 Comments
Coaching conversations can be incredibly powerful. As a leader, you’ll create better employee performance through coaching than through trying to correct failures and disappointments.
Focus on Your Mindset to Grow in 2023
by Allison Bough | January 6, 2023 | Leadership Coaching, Personal Development | 0 Comments
Instead of focusing on the gap between what we wanted to achieve last year and where we landed, focus on your gains and your mindset to become happier and grow.
Savoring as a Happiness Tool
by Allison Bough | December 15, 2022 | Leadership Coaching, Personal Development | 0 Comments
Savoring can help us counteract our tendency to focus more attention on negative things in our lives than on positive things.
