Teaching. Building. Connecting.
Helping nonprofit organizations build what comes next
Meet Cathy
I've spent more than thirty years working alongside nonprofits and the people who lead them. It started in a rural elementary classroom, where I raised money so my students had what they needed to succeed. It grew through leading two Indiana nonprofits, teaching fundraisers across the country, and most recently, building the Broward Center for Nonprofit Excellence into a resource more than 2,500 South Florida nonprofits have leaned on.
Along the way, I learned that the best work happens when you listen first, build relationships before programs, and create things sturdy enough to outlast your own involvement. I'm also a connector and collaborator. Over the years, I've built a network of colleagues, contacts, and subject matter experts I can draw on for almost any challenge. As I tell my students, I may not always know the answer, but I probably know, or can find, someone who does.
– Cathy Brown
How I Work
I bring a teacher's instinct to every project: start with what people already know, build the skills and confidence to carry the work forward, and leave behind ideas, tools, and teams that keep working long after I'm gone.
What I Do
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Training & facilitation
Developing workshops, courses, and presentations for staff, boards, and volunteers, delivered in person, virtually, or as self-paced content.
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Strengthening grantee capacity
Partnering with foundations to build the readiness and skills of the organizations they fund.
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Challenge analysis & action planning
Helping leaders name what's really going on and build a focused plan to move through it.
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Partnering on Projects
Joining fellow consultants and organizations as an experienced partner on active projects.
Upcoming Events
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South Florida Nonprofit Collaboration Summit
October 30, 2026
9 AM – 3:30 PM
Urban League of Broward County | 560 N.W. 27th Ave., Fort Lauderdale, FL 33311
The South Florida Nonprofit Collaboration Summit at Urban League of Broward County, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, presented by Chazin and the Community Foundation of Broward, is a full day on making collaboration a real strategy: mergers, alliances, shared services, and the financial side of partnership.
