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Nora Kyger provides counsel on a full range of fundraising issues, including capital campaigns and feasibility studies, board development, development audits, major gifts, and launching new fundraising initiatives. She has provided counsel for campaigns ranging from $1 million to $63 million, and has had the privilege of working with organizations from across the nonprofit spectrum – social services, educational institutions, cultural institutions, environment, faith-based organizations and community foundations. She also has experience with the public/private partnerships that are so critical in major civic efforts. Recent clients include: Kalamazoo College, BUILD, Inc., Boston Youth Symphony Orchestras, Dominican University, Habitat for Humanity, Centro Romero, McLean County Museum of History, Landmark College, Neighborhood Housing Services, and Chicago Artists Coalition.

With a unique background that combines nonprofit fundraising and management, and for-profit marketing and consulting, Nora has a strong expertise in linking fundraising to operational health. Nora’s more than 20 years of experience includes major gifts, Board development, capital campaigns, corporate and foundation relations, and marketing and finance. Most recently, she was the Associate Director of the IIT Institute of Design, the largest full-time graduate design program in the US. During her tenure at IIT she developed the first corporate-funded research program of design in the country; led the final phase of the school’s successful capital campaign; launched a marketing and communications initiative, and improved the Institute’s overall financial results.

Supplementing her development experience, Nora was a management consultant with AT Kearney, focusing on marketing strategy. She has worked for clients in China, Indonesia, India, Mexico and the U.S., including the World Bank, Toyota, 3M, the Government of Mexico, and the Illinois Department of Tourism.

For over a decade, Nora led the Annual Fellows Program of the Development Leadership Consortium, which introduces new development professionals to the philanthropic community in Chicago. Currently, she is also on the board of directors of Crossroads Fund, a member of Women in the Development Profession, and an advisor for TOCA, a brand and product strategy firm in Chicago.

Nora has a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and a Master’s in Chinese Studies from the University of Michigan.

Featured Clients

  • Marklund
  • McLean County Museum of History
  • North Park University
  • Baker Demonstration School
  • Batten Disease Support & Research Association
  • Boston Youth Symphony Orchestras
  • Chicago Artists Coalition
  • COCA (Center of Creative Arts)
  • Dominican University
  • Experimental Station
  • Goldman Union Camp Institute
  • Habitat for Humanity of Northern Fox Valley
  • Kalamazoo College
  • KidZone Museum
  • Lambs Farm
  • Landmark College
  • McLean County Arts Center
  • Neighborhood Housing Services of Chicago
  • Parklands Foundation
  • Project 120 Chicago
  • Reading in Motion
  • Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library Foundation
  • The campaign feasibility study conducted by Nora and Dean was very helpful. They were quick studies about Kalamazoo College and our culture. Nora and Dean put our interviewees at ease and really connected with them. It was a pleasure working with these two professionals.

    Albert J. DeSimone – Kalamazoo College
    Vice President for College Advancement
  • From the very first day on the job, our consultants at Ter Molen Watkins & Brandt were integral to our efforts. They began by preparing our development team for a challenging campaign and together we crafted and implemented an initial fundraising strategy that was very successful, despite the economy. I counted on their thoughtful guidance, wise counsel and accomplished experience at each step of campaign planning and implementation.

    David Parkyn – North Park University
    President
  • Ter Molen Watkins & Brandt helped us lay the groundwork for our campaign and provided excellent advice as our campaign counsel. Nora and Gene laid out a fundraising strategy that worked because it was closely tailored to us. Their ongoing counsel once we were in the campaign was very effective and essential to our fundraising success. The level of board training was also something that we’ll continue to benefit from for years to come!

    Beth Whisman – McLean County Museum of History
    Executive Director