Testimonials

“We've worked with many consultants and attended countless fundraising trainings - Indigo Skies was the best. There's always a big fear around fundraising, but this felt completely painless. It was actually fun. Two board members immediately volunteered to host house parties.

The development plan they created for us was logical, doable, and gave us a clear path to steadily grow our budget. Honestly, the Indigo Skies Consulting team couldn't have been better."

"Sharon and Nancy's guidance set us up for success and challenged us to think bigger about our campaign and our impact. We appreciated your exceptional advice, campaign counsel, and support at every level.”

“I hired Sharon to equip me with the tools to become a major donor fundraiser and she did. I feel much more comfortable in the act of soliciting gifts. One of the most important things Sharon did for me was help me identify that the root cause of a lot of my stress was time management and prioritization. Sharon has helped me set priorities, and stick to them. These tools were so transformational for me that I’m strongly recommending them for my leadership team.”

"All of our board members rated the training either good or excellent, but the real proof came when every member signed up for at least three fundraising activities afterwards. Having an outside expert address our board increased everyone's comfort with fundraising—even our most hesitant members responded enthusiastically. The training equipped the board to tell our story confidently, build authentic donor relationships, and embrace their roles as ambassadors. As Executive Director, I was impressed by their receptiveness to Sharon's guidance and the enthusiasm that followed." 

"Sharon Papo has been the ideal consultant for our church as we worked on planning our capital campaign. She really listened and shaped her consultations to our needs. She was thoughtful, prompt, and above all, honest. We have achieved a very clear sense of where we need to go to raise the funds we need. We highly recommend her."

This recommendation is endorsed by the Rev. David Pattee, Karen Cozza, Elizabeth Schilling & Catherine Sarto

 "Sharon delivered an engaging, inspiring, and informative training to our Board of Directors. After the training I got a lot of positive feedback from our board members who now want to step up and reach out to donors. We are really happy we brought Sharon in to activate our Board to support our fundraising efforts."

"Working with Sharon as an executive coach and fundraising consultant has been a great experience. Each of our sessions left me with clear & actionable steps to take to further my goals. With all of the moving parts that come with being an Executive Director, it has been truly helpful to hear Sharon's informed, outside perspective, as well as have a confidential sounding board for new ideas and internal program discussions. Her fundraising advice & insight into how to increase our organizational capacity has been invaluable."

 "Being coached by Sharon was a grounding and inspiring process. When I found myself down one development staff member, Sharon operated as both my cheerleader and my strategic thought partner in moving into the primary development role in my organization, while also juggling my Executive Director responsibilities. Sharon takes a holistic approach to coaching, recognizing (and reminding) that nothing will get done if the basics are not in place. This coaching relationship was nourishing and educational. I feel confident that I raised more money than I would have without Sharon's support, and I did it while also prioritizing operational sustainability under Sharon's guidance. Thank you, Sharon!"

"I was fortunate to work with Sharon for Executive Coaching and in the first session, she helped me get clarity around my goals. As the sessions progressed, Sharon would often go back to that goal to help me connect why certain behaviors, circumstances or choices were either helping me reach that goal or keeping me from attaining it. Sharon gave me several clear and usable tools. Sharon would give me questions to ask myself like, 'Is this my work to do?' when I was struggling with prioritizing my workload. I use that simple question in so many ways from task assignments to conversations both in my professional life and my personal life. I highly recommend Sharon to anyone looking to move forward in their career. The easy-to-use tools and great question-asking from Sharon will set you up for success."

"Sharon Papo is a leader among leaders. I've had the pleasure of working with Sharon on successful, transformational capital campaigns. In each case, she stepped up with unwavering commitment. She did everything in her power to strengthen and stabilize these organizations through identifying the right spaces and leading the charges to secure those spaces as permanent community assets. THAT is generational transformation. I've seen funders invest in projects because of her leadership. I've seen volunteers rise up and surround her to ensure the success of her community-informed vision. When Sharon sets her sights on a vision, it becomes reality." 

"Sharon has the unique ability to turn chaos into order, risk into reward and despair into hope. Her genuine fundraising abilities enabled us to raise the capital to purchase our building when it seemed impossible."