Strategy & Project Leadership
Experienced leader and project manager across a broad range of marketing, communications and technology initiatives.
Practical fundraising and marketing strategies for mission-driven growth.
Helping nonprofit teams turn great ideas into funded, measurable results — through digital engagement, hands-on campaign management, and platform strategy. Clear thinking, human-centered design, and execution that delivers.
Based in the San Francisco Bay Area. Available for U.S. and remote engagements.
By the numbers
Three decades of measurable nonprofit impact
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Years supporting nonprofits
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Clients
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Campaigns launched
Trusted by grassroots and national nonprofit organizations.
Services
Built from decades of hands-on work with nonprofit teams
Multi-Channel Fundraising
Campaign strategy for digital and print. From annual appeals to seasonal campaigns — built to meet your organization's goals and capacity.
Vendor Partnerships
Vendor-neutral guidance on CRMs, email platforms, and engagement tools — grounded in your team's workflows and long-term strategy.
Testimonials
From teams I've partnered with across strategy and execution
Michael is the best fundraising consultant we've ever worked with. His vast knowledge and experience cover all aspects of fundraising — especially online strategies, which have become increasingly important during this transformational period. Michael is an extraordinarily good listener, which makes him responsive to our needs and wants (and budget) and increases his ability to help by learning more about our mission with each new collaborative project and task. Working with Michael has enabled us to focus more on our mission, and less on translating it effectively to donors, as he does that brilliantly— and teaches us to do the same.
– Gary Stanley
Chief Operating Officer, The Gorilla Foundation
Recently
A look at my recent activities and events
Joined The Nonprofit Boost podcast
Joined The Nonprofit Boost podcast in May 2026 to talk about challenge grants and the psychology behind why they work. We talked about how urgency, momentum, and clear incentives can help nonprofits inspire stronger donor response, strengthen stewardship, and ultimately grow impact.
In April 2026, we celebrated the 20th edition of the AFP's Golden Gate Chapter East Bay Constellation meet-ups.
Full house of 29 fundraising professionals at Jupiter in Downtown Berkeley to mark the occasion. Twenty editions in, and the East Bay fundraising community keeps showing up.
Joined the Nonprofit Counsel Podcast
I spoke with podcast host May Harris in March 2026 about digital strategies and nonprofits, including the challenge of donor stewardship.
About
Three decades of nonprofit strategy
Michael Stein is a nonprofit strategist and fundraising expert with 30+ years of experience leading multi-channel campaigns for organizations including Habitat for Humanity International, Consumer Reports, the William J. Clinton Foundation, and Commonwealth Club World Affairs of California. He currently focuses on helping small to mid-sized nonprofits amplify their impact, advising on strategy, digital innovation, and technology adoption.
A former Senior Account Executive at Mal Warwick Donordigital and past Association of Fundraising Professionals Golden Gate Chapter Board Member, Michael is the author of three books, including the groundbreaking Fundraising on the Internet: Recruiting and Renewing Donors Online (1997). His insights have been featured in The New York Times, The Chronicle of Philanthropy, NPR, and Wired.
Michael grew up in France and England, and immigrated to the U.S. in 1982 to attend college in the Boston area. Outside work, Michael enjoys kayaking Bay Area waterways, hiking East Bay open spaces, sampling California wines, soccer, and reading.
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