Services
Consulting Services
GATHER Consulting generates creative, emergent solutions for communities by facilitating strategic collaborations.
Board Coaching and Governance (see BoardTalks)
Philanthropic Advising
Leadership Coaching
Gatherings and Facilitation
Strategic and Emergent Planning
The GATHER Approach
Successful growth depends on creating optimal conditions for change. The Gather approach begins with a mindset of curiosity and a culture of listening as we practice emergent strategy. We give each other space to reflect on issues and ideas, observing without judgement, and letting the conversation flow to unexpected places.
While focusing on specific outcomes can be helpful, we also believe that through learning and experimentation, we discover the next best step to take. We understand that change is constant and connections are critical. We are open to changes of course in our paths as we focus on the questions and connections.
Coaching
Governance Coaching. Seth coaches executives and board chairs on all issues related to their boards. This may involve expanding their board, on-boarding new board members, drafting governance documents, or working with a board on specific areas of learning and change.
Development Coaching. Seth assists executives with certain fundraising needs, including strategy, identifying donor prospects, building skills and confidence to prepare for meetings, and thinking critically about how to frame business plans with potential funders.
Executive Coaching. Seth offers management coaching to help executives address specific challenges. This may involve developing their leadership style, project and time management concerns, equity in the workplace, going from in-person to virtual programming, and executive transitions.
Philanthropic Advising
Philanthropy is an incredibly gratifying and overwhelming experience. Seth offers strategic advising and coaching to assist philanthropists in how they give. He discusses philanthropic goals and offers suggestions for organizations and causes based on their interests and what other funders are doing. With his own experience working in a large foundation, running a nonprofit, and working across the educational and Jewish communal fields, Seth has a strong network and broad perspective on effective philanthropic methods. He assists philanthropists in managing their volunteer work, planning for board meetings, working on governance strategy and developing systems and processes for their philanthropic needs. I aim to fully support philanthropists to maximize their communal impact.
Strategic Planning
Organizations and networks can only move forward if they understand the roots of their challenges and potential opportunities. They must be able to step back and look at the data of their operations, talk with their stakeholders, and reflect on their vision before coming up with new solutions. To do this effectively, Seth creates landscape maps, conducts interviews, synthesizes research, and convenes focus groups to create theories of change and strategic initiatives for organizational movements. Seth creates the space for collective impact opportunities with organizations and communities to work together, facilitate greater discussions, and expand their social circles for greater impact.
Testimonial
“Seth is a creative, enthusiastic thought partner. He is always thinking about who he can connect, cares deeply about issues of impact, and works equally well on leadership and board strategy as well as on the details of project management. He was a trusted member of our Foundation team, with exceptional emotional intelligence, and thrived at board meetings, site visits and working with other philanthropists. Seth is a ‘Yes, and…’ kind of guy and we will miss having him around!”
Barry Finestone, CEO & President, Jim Joseph Foundation
Select Clients and Projects
Starfish Institute (w/ Leading Edge)
Research - Gender Equity in Top Leadership in Jewish Nonprofits
Data analysis and synthesis of gender equity gap in Jewish nonprofit leadership. Helped develop a tree map of 70+ potential causes for why there are so few women in top leadership roles (See Final Tree Map)
JCC Association and Union for Reform Judaism
Strategy - National Investment in Jewish Early Childhood Education
Through research, data synthesis, interviews and focus groups, created a set of strategic initiatives for large-scale investment in Jewish early childhood education on a local and national scale. “Funder Community Organizing.”
Jewish Funders Network
Facilitation - Jewish Grantmaking Professionals in Los Angeles (JGPLA)
Convened and built community with ~20 Jewish grantmaking professionals in the LA area for conversations around equity and inclusion, impact and evaluation, and collaboration models around the country.
Teen Funder Collaborative (Jewish Federations of North America)
Strategy - National Investment in Wellness and Mental Health
Synthesized research, conducted interviews with funders and educators, and developed a set of strategic initiatives and theory of change to invest in the Jewish mental health and wellness space. “Funder Community Organizing.”
PJ Library (Harold Grinspoon Foundation)
Strategy - Get Together Grants
PJ Library’s “Get Together” program for family and friends needed a strategy for COVID and beyond. Provided a series of templates and recommendations that they could choose from in order to successfully pivot and enhance their impact.
Leading Edge
Research - Leading Places To Serve
Conducted original research on board culture and governance, including synthesizing data and interviews from key stakeholders on what makes Jewish nonprofit boards a “leading place to serve.”