Echoing Green Orr Group partners with Echoing Green in a variety of capacities, including managing its $50M racial equity fund and leading the organization’s entire recruitment function. To date, we have successfully placed 15 individuals of all staff levels.
Situation For more than 30 years, Echoing Green has been on the front lines of solving the world’s biggest problems, raising up the transformational leaders willing to speak truth to power and challenge the status quo. The organization finds emerging leaders with the best ideas for social innovation as early as possible and sets them on a path to lifelong impact. Echoing Green’s community of nearly 1,000 social innovators includes past Fellows like First Lady Michelle Obama, the founders of organizations like Teach For America and One Acre Fund, and public figures like Van Jones. Built and refined over three decades, Echoing Green discovers tomorrow’s leaders, today, and then funds, connects, and supports a new generation of social impact leaders.
Solution Orr Group began our work with Echoing Green by first undertaking a development assessment, which allowed us to evaluate Echoing Green’s current fundraising infrastructure, capacity, and assets. As part of our work, we crafted a new case for support and provided recommendations for Echoing Green’s development team and board for ramping up fundraising. Based on our findings and given the growing social justice movement, we recommended that Echoing Green launch a transformative fundraising effort, including a multi-year strategy and long-term messaging around Echoing Green’s key focus on racial equity. Additionally, to accelerate this incredible change, Orr Group assumed the entire recruitment function for Echoing Green and has placed fifteen (15) individuals of all levels (from Assistant to Senior Director) over the past year.
Impact Most recently, we are serving as Interim Director of Development, helping to secure $10.7M for general operating in addition to launching and managing the organization’s $50M “Racial Equity Philanthropic Fund”. Since launching the Fund, Echoing Green experienced a 4x increase in 7- and 8-figure gifts, an unprecedented increase in level of giving which allowed the organization to exceed its $50M campaign goal not once, but twice, raising a total of $76M+ in just 2.5 years. Additionally, to accelerate this incredible change, Orr Group assumed the entire recruitment function for Echoing Green and has placed fifteen (15) individuals of all levels (from Assistant to Senior Director) over the past year. As part of this work, we developed a thorough recruitment strategy and conducted an organizational culture analysis to ensure we identify a quality hire within the desired timeframe that will be a sustainable fit and will be an asset to the team. We also provided guidance on best practices for interview techniques and navigating the hiring process in a virtual environment.
“ As nonprofits, our constant struggle and worry is how to generate the resources we need to do the good work we're trying to do in the world? I think it is important that Orr Group bring groups of us together to think our way through it and take away learnings that allow us to do our work better. Thank you for that.” “As nonprofits, our constant struggle and worry is how to generate the resources we need to do the good work we're trying to do in the world? I think it is important that Orr Group bring groups of us together to think our way through it and take away learnings that allow us to do our work better. Thank you for that.” Cheryl Dorsey, President, Echoing Green