This spring marks five years of building a business I couldn’t have fully imagined when I started—and the beginning of a new chapter.
When I filed those initial papers back in 2021, I had a clear sense of the kind of work I wanted to do, but not a full picture of what it would become.
I wanted to support nonprofit leaders who were doing meaningful work in their communities—by providing services that help secure funding, communicate impact, and strengthen organizations. That vision became Three Notch’d Nonprofit Solutions, and over the past five years, it has grown alongside the nonprofit leaders I’ve had the privilege of working with and learning from.
At the start, I imagined offering a broad range of support: program development, evaluation, strategic planning, grant writing, and more. But in those early conversations with nonprofit leaders, one need surfaced again and again: grants. Organizations were doing powerful work, but the grant process—researching opportunities, writing proposals, managing deadlines, and reporting to funders—was time-consuming and complex. Many leaders were finding it hard to manage alongside everything else on their plates.
So grants naturally became the center of the work.
And over time, something else became clear: even when the work begins with a grant proposal, it rarely stays there. Strong proposals require much more than good writing. They require clarity about programs, outcomes, strategy, and the bigger picture of an organization’s impact. That’s where the deeper work happens—helping nonprofits connect the dots between their mission, their programs, their data, and the story they want funders to understand.
In other words, helping nonprofits tell the whole story of their impact.
So in celebration of our fifth anniversary, I’m excited to share a new chapter.
Three Notch’d Nonprofit Solutions is now Whole Story Solutions.
After five years of learning, listening, and growing alongside nonprofit partners, the new name feels like a natural reflection of the work we’ve been doing all along.
Why “Whole Story”?
Whole Story Solutions grew out of years of working closely with nonprofit leaders who were doing meaningful, high-impact work, but were often stretched thin by the complexity and demands of fundraising, among many things.
We saw a different way forward.
Rather than offering narrow or transactional services, we built a practice rooted in partnership—one that supports nonprofits across the full lifecycle of grants and fundraising communications.
From prospect research and strategy to proposal development, reporting, and impact storytelling, we work alongside our clients as collaborators and extensions of their teams.
Our role is to help nonprofits tell the whole story—the depth, context, and nuance of their work—while shaping the right story for each funder and opportunity.
How Our Work Has Grown
As the practice has grown, so have the ways we partner with nonprofit teams.
Some organizations work with us through Ongoing Partnership & Advisory Support, where we collaborate over time to manage grant pipelines, shape strategy, and keep fundraising communications moving forward.
Others engage us for Focused, One-Time Engagements—such as prospect research, writing a critical grant proposal, producing an annual report, or strengthening key fundraising materials.
Whether we’re providing ongoing support or stepping in for a specific project, our goal is the same: to take grants off your plate while strengthening your funding strategy and story.
The Story Behind the Logo
As part of this transition, I had the pleasure of working with Jenny Decker of JND Creative, who guided us through a thoughtful branding process.
Jenny began by exploring the ideas at the heart of the work—concepts like story, alignment, research, strategy, clarity, trust, and partnership. Those ideas shaped the final logo design, which combines two powerful visual elements: an open book and pie-chart inspired segments.
The book represents storytelling and communication, while the chart reflects research, analysis, and the way we help translate data into a clear expression of our clients’ impact. Together, they capture the essence of the work—bringing information, strategy, and narrative together to help nonprofits communicate their impact clearly and effectively.
One of my favorite details is that the segments aren’t perfectly uniform. Some extend slightly farther than others, creating a sense of motion—as if ideas are being pulled into alignment or important insights are emerging.
Viewed another way, the shape resembles a spark—a fitting symbol for the way powerful stories can spark lasting partnerships between nonprofits and the people who support their work.
Looking Ahead
Reaching five years in business feels both meaningful and humbling. When I started this business, I knew I wanted to support nonprofit leaders doing important work—but I couldn’t have predicted how much I would learn from the organizations and people I’ve had the privilege of working alongside. Over the years, our clients have trusted us with their ideas, their data, their challenges, and their aspirations for the communities they serve. Being invited into that work is something I never take for granted.
The name Whole Story Solutions reflects what this practice has grown into: thoughtful partnership with nonprofits navigating the complex world of fundraising, strategy, and impact. Because meaningful fundraising isn’t just about writing grants. It’s about helping organizations clearly communicate their mission, their work, and the future they are building.
I’m incredibly grateful to everyone who has been part of our story so far.
And I look forward to continuing to help nonprofits tell theirs.
If you’re curious what this next chapter could look like for your organization, get in touch with us here.
