Development
The 30,000-foot view
- Strategy, vision, and systems
- The foundation behind every ask
- Aligns funding with mission
- Builds sustainability over time
Fractional Development Services
Fractional Development Support for Nonprofits
Build a clear, sustainable development plan — so fundraising stops feeling reactive and starts feeling strategic.
The problem
Fundraising shouldn't feel like a fire you're putting out every week.
Executive Directors wear too many hats — and the heaviest is usually fundraising. Without a development plan behind it, even the best efforts become reactive. The result is stress, burnout, and revenue that's hard to predict.
Straight Line Solutions takes that weight off your shoulders, so you can focus on what matters most — meeting the needs of your community.
A quick distinction
Development is the strategy. Fundraising is the execution.
When fundraisers are equipped and supported by a robust development plan, they don't just hit goals — they love their jobs.
Fundraising
Boots on the ground
- Executes the plan
- The face of the organization
- Builds donor relationships
- Brings in the dollars
What we do
Clarity, structure, and a plan you can actually run.
01
Development Strategy
A holistic strategy paired with a plan to execute — built around your mission, not a template.
02
Funding Model Clarity
Understand exactly where your funding comes from and why — and whether it's sustainable.
03
Strategic Planning
Align vision, mission, and action so every effort moves the organization in the same direction.
04
Board & Team Engagement
Equip your board members and team to fundraise with confidence — no more carrying it alone.
Is this you?
Straight Line Solutions is a fit if…
- You're between Development Directors and need someone to steady the ship.
- You have fundraisers, but no one leading development strategy.
- A full-time development hire isn't in the budget — yet.
- Your Executive Director is doing the fundraising and running out of time to plan.
Two ways to engage
Pick the structure that fits how you work.
Most popular
Monthly Retainer
Ongoing partnership with scheduled touchpoints, regular email support, and monthly deliverables. Best for organizations who want a steady hand on development.
Defined scope
Project-Based
A specific deliverable, scope, and timeline — from a Funding Model to a Strategic Plan. Best for organizations with a clear, contained need.
Pricing
Transparent, predictable, and built to scale with you.
Essential
$2,500/mo
Up to 22 hours / month
- Scheduled weekly touchpoint
- Regular email support
- Focused energy on weekly priorities
- Monthly deliverables
Recommended
Partner
$4,500/mo
Up to 40 hours / month
- Everything in Essential, plus:
- Weekly financial & budget review
- Team and board meeting representation
- Day-to-day decision-making support
- Monthly stakeholder reports
- Fundraiser & team training
Project-Based
$2K–$20K
Defined scope & timeline
- Single-month: $2,000–$6,000
- Multi-month (2–6 mo): $7,000–$20,000
- Funding Models & KPI Dashboards
- Strategic Plans & Donor Care Plans
- CRM SOPs & Budget Forecasting
About
Hi, I'm Sara Mickelson — and I love efficiency.
I've always been a doer. In every job I started as the technician, and quickly got moved into management. Looking back, it wasn't exceptional leadership that landed me there — it was a love for vision, goal-setting, and systems.
The most rewarding chapter was five years at Colorado Youth Outdoors, where I came in with what felt like a million random tasks and a slightly-terrifying $2M fundraising metric. What started as a chaotic flurry turned into a calculated, clear, and measurable plan — executed by a whole team, in alignment with the mission.
That's when I really learned the difference between development and fundraising. Today I get to come alongside nonprofit leaders and do exactly that: align efforts with goals. Hence, Straight Line Solutions.
Let's talk
Book a free strategy call.
Thirty minutes. No pressure. We'll talk about where your development plan stands, where it's stuck, and whether Straight Line Solutions is the right fit.