Nell Edgington

Nell has over 17 years of experience innovating in the nonprofit sector. In her work at Social Velocity she has helped nonprofits grow their programs, find firmer financial footing, create a pitch for money to strengthen or grow their organizations, create strategic plans and much more.

In addition to leading Social Velocity’s efforts to accelerate social innovation, she writes and speaks extensively on innovating in the nonprofit sector. Beyond writing the popular Social Velocity blog, she co-authored The Strategic Management of Charter Schools: Frameworks and Tools for Educational Entrepreneurs recently published by Harvard Education Press. She has also contributed to Change.org’s Social Entrepreneurship blog, Fundraising Success Magazine, the Tactical Philanthropy blog, the Philanthropy 2173 blog, the About.com Nonprofit blog, and the Chronicle of Philanthropy’s Mission:Innovation blog. She speaks to nonprofit boards, staff, donors, groups, associations and events, including the leading social innovation gathering, the Social Capital Markets Conference in San Francisco.

Prior to Social Velocity, she transformed the fundraising and marketing functions at KLRU, Austin’s PBS station. She raised $5 million annually, led a team of 15 marketing and fundraising professionals, and helped lead the station’s strategic planning process. She conceived, secured funding for and implemented a new development plan which increased annual revenue by $1.6 million, with double or triple-digit percentage growth in major gifts, membership, corporate support and online giving. These accomplishments led KLRU to 5 national PBS Awards for fundraising excellence.

Previously, as Director of Development at the Capital Area Food Bank, she increased annual revenue by 40% to $2.5 million. Prior to that, Nell was a management consultant helping nonprofits create strategic, marketing, business and fundraising plans, launch earned revenue businesses, and develop their boards.

Before earning her MBA from the Kellogg School at Northwestern University, Nell worked at PBS (public broadcasting) headquarters in D.C. managing $1 million+ corporate sponsorship accounts and strengthening PBS’s marketing initiatives. Prior to that, she led fundraising, marketing and board development efforts at the Oregon Children’s Foundation.