About Steve

As Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Orr Group, Steve has facilitated the growth and evolution of the firm to its current position as a national leader in the nonprofit consulting sector.

Drawing on his investment banking and finance background, Steve brings a problem-solving approach, a focus on metrics, and an outcomes-driven perspective to the nonprofit sector. Steve is committed to enhancing philanthropy using innovative technologies and approaches developed in the business world to disrupt the established ways of working and encourage experimentation.

Steve leads strategy and implementation teams for Orr Group’s partners, frequently serving in the role of Executive Director or Chief Executive Officer during times of transition. In addition to providing fresh thinking and visionary leadership, he drives transformational change to help nonprofits achieve their missions. He draws on his 30 plus years of experience to establish and build trust with staff, management, and boards, as well as to drive philanthropic revenue growth. Steve began his career on Wall Street as an investment banker specializing in the financial sector at Goldman Sachs. In 1991, inspired by the charitable efforts of his parents, Steve founded Orr Group with his wife, Carol, to help nonprofits fundraise more effectively.

In 1994, he also founded Youth INC, a nonprofit organization that helps NYC grassroots youth programs expand through fundraising, board placements, training, and direct grants and led the organization for 20 years, during which time Youth INC partnered with 130 youth programs in NYC, placed 140 executives on its program boards, and raised over $50 million."

Selected Recent Partners:

• Arthritis Foundation
• Diabetes Research Institute Foundation
• Georgetown University
• Bridges From School to Work
• MedStar Washington Hospital Center
• New Profit
• Niagara University
• Nicklaus Children’s Hospital
• Obama Foundation
• Stony Brook Southampton Hospital
• Trust for the National Mall
• United Community Schools
• Washington Nationals Youth Baseball Academy

I feel strongly about...

Staying at the forefront of the sector, and “playing bigger.” makes me happy… Also, spending time with my wife, kids, and extended family.

Favorite Book Genre

Nonfiction

Recent Publications

• Outsourcing And Higher Education Advancement: Seizing The Moment
• How Nonprofit Leaders Should React To The Regional Bank Crisis
• Observations (Not Predictions) Of The 2023 Nonprofit Landscape
• Billion-Dollar Campaigns: 5 Things Nonprofits Should Keep In Mind
• Where the Money Is? — and Why That Matters for Nonprofits
• The 2022 Nonprofit Outlook for Inflation, Monetary Policy, and More
• The Multi-Million Dollar Planned Gift Vehicle You've Never Heard Of
• Has Planned Giving Made It Into Your Nonprofit Organization's 2022 Development Strategy?
• The Investment Mentality: What Nonprofit Leaders Need To Know
• Leading The Business Of Philanthropy: Meeting Crisis With Innovation
• Philanthropy Is A Financial Activity: Nonprofit Executives Need To Speak The Language
• The ESG Opportunity For Nonprofits: It Starts With Looking In The Mirror
• Outsourcing Was Always An Option For Nonprofits. During The Pandemic, More Are Catching On