Nonprofit Consulting & Fundraising in Chicago For over thirty years, Orr Group has partnered with nonprofits to provide comprehensive consulting services that drive revenue growth and lasting impact. Serving organizations across Chicagoland, we go beyond traditional advice to create fundraising operations that raise hundreds of millions of dollars. Our ultimate goal is to help your organization get the resources it needs to uplift your community, build strategic partnerships, and secure a lasting legacy.
Why Choose Orr Group in Chicago Success in Chicago’s busy philanthropic landscape requires more than just a compelling story; it demands a business-disciplined strategy. Whether you are navigating the complexities of a capital campaign or building a major giving pipeline from scratch, you need a partner who speaks the language of the Midwest’s most influential funders. At Orr Group, we roll up our sleeves and work shoulder-to-shoulder with your team to bring your philanthropic vision to life. By leveraging our experience with major regional institutions, we help you navigate the specific intersections of Chicago’s civic and business sectors. The result is a fundraising operation that is innovative, strategic, and resilient enough to thrive in the Windy City.
A Better Chicago Founded to advance opportunity for young people across Chicago, A Better Chicago is a venture philanthropy organization that has invested $65+ million in unrestricted funding to help Chicago’s youth break the cycle of poverty. As the organization set an ambitious $50 million fundraising goals to expand its impact, A Better Chicago partnered with Orr Group to strengthen strategy and development capacity during a period of transition. Through campaign planning, interim fundraising leadership, and a successful Chief Development Officer search, Orr Group helped position A Better Chicago for sustained growth—ensuring the strategy, infrastructure, and leadership were in place to advance opportunities for Chicago’s youth.
Illinois Tech Having successfully raised $250 million in the initial phase of its capital campaign, Illinois Tech partnered with Orr Group to devise a data-driven plan for continued growth. Orr Group recommended a bold move—raising their campaign goal to $1 billion—with a focus on leveraging planned and blended gifts. As embedded planned giving partners, Orr Group has helped Illinois Tech secure over $15 million in blended and cash gifts, identified a planned giving pipeline of over $208 million, and trained its major gifts officers and advancement staff on planned giving vehicles and best practices.
“ Our partnership with Orr Group has been invaluable in helping leadership and trustees understand our work, navigate industry standards, and identify where to innovate. Their strategic guidance has been instrumental in developing creative approaches for our highest-net-worth prospects. Beyond strategy, Orr Group’s mentorship has empowered our team with the confidence to engage in meaningful planned giving conversations.” “Our partnership with Orr Group has been invaluable in helping leadership and trustees understand our work, navigate industry standards, and identify where to innovate. Their strategic guidance has been instrumental in developing creative approaches for our highest-net-worth prospects. Beyond strategy, Orr Group’s mentorship has empowered our team with the confidence to engage in meaningful planned giving conversations.” Susan Lewers, Associate Vice President of Major and Planned Gifts, Illinois Tech