We are leaders in our fields, bringing together vast knowledge and experience in fundraising and decades of collaboration in the NGO, political, campaign and electoral sectors.
WHO WE ARE
We are Experienced, Organized, and Professionally Trained
- WE PROVIDE RESULTSHundreds of satisfied clients
We believe you have good ideas. We understand that you have important experience. We are about RESULTS, not just the process.
- WE HAVE INTEGRITYWe only work with people we believe in
Rise exists to help you create a plan around money you and your staff can be comfortable with, and we do it with INTEGRITY.
- WE ARE STRATEGICWe will develop a plan that works
Experience has shown over and over again that fundraisers, using proven fundraising techniques which work everywhere else in the world.
- WE EMPOWER YOUEntrust yourself to our specialists
The overwhelming evidence is that people will give to causes in which they believe, if they are asked. We help you to make people believe you.
Fundraising Strategy Expert
Stephanie Berger
Stephanie and her co-founder Rachel Hirschberg laid the groundwork for starting Berger – Hirschberg Strategies (BHS) by working for 16 years as political fundraisers in a highly competitive political arena dominated by men. They have generated remarkable success for their clients in the United States: in 14 years they have raised nearly $300 million.
BHS has developed successful strategies for numerous political candidates and advocacy organizations, helping to elect hundreds of public officials nationwide, and elevate public awareness of leading progressive issues such as education and the environment. They provide clients with comprehensive yet precise strategies for how to most effectively increase their financial capital and raise public awareness for their cause. BHS is dedicated to leaving their clients with the know-how and the permanent infrastructure required from them to fundraise over the long term.
Accomplishments:
Raising $90 million in four months as the National Co-Finance Director of John Kerry for President, where she managed a national team of 90 financial staff members.
Raising $15 million in less than three months for the US-based Democratic National Committee’s Battleground Victory Fund. These funds supported the organization’s Get Out The Vote (GOTV) efforts in the battleground states of the pivotal 2004 Presidential election.
Helping to raise $23.8 million in less than six months as National Finance Director of the Democratic National Committee, and managing a national team of 40 financial staff members.
As Associate Vice President of Development for the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, raising $6 million and managing a national team of six development officers. She also produced three signature fundraising events: A Target Time for Heroes in Los Angeles; Kids for Kids in New York City; and A Night to Unite in Washington, DC.
Stephanie is an adjunct professor at George Washington University for the Semester in Washington Program, serves as a board member of Harlem’s IMPACT Repertory Theatre, and is President of the Board of Directors of the Yale Women’s Campaign School
Social and Political Activist , International Development Specialist
Kristina Wilfore
Kristina Wilfore is a global change-agent who possesses a mastery of virtually all aspects of politics and grassroots organizing with over 20 years’ experience in campaigns and elections, policy development and civic advocacy around the world. Kristina regularly trains, speaks, and writes about issues that impact women’s participation in politics, parties and parliament. She has worked with political leaders and civil society organizations in 20 countries throughout Eastern Europe, the Balkans, Middle East and Central Asia. She serves as a consultant and trainer on strategies for grassroots engagement for political parties from East to West, from Ukraine to Sweden. She chaired the European Association of Political Consultants conference in Istanbul in 2015, and is a board member of the International Association of Political Consultants.
Kristina is also Principal of Karakoyun Strategies where she works with NGOs, development organizations, elected officials, candidates, and women’s organizations internationally. She also serves on the Board of the International Women of Istanbul as Charity Coordinator where she manages a a fund to aid women and children’s welfare organizations in Turkey.
Accomplishments:
Kristina is skilled at developing and maintaining relationships with political, government and donor communities. She raised over $20 million for nonprofit organizations and issue-based campaigns in the US. Over an eight year period she provided guidance to hundreds of referendum campaigns with combined budgets of $500 million. Internationally she has raised over $10 million for projects on election observation, democratic reform, strengthening of civil society and women’s political engagement.
She has been a manager of small to midsize NGOs for nearly 20 years with extensive experience not only in program design, but in teaching tools of fundraising and development, overseeing office operations, fiscal and human resources, and professional growth plans for staff.
She is listed in the US-based Women’s Media Center’s online brain trust SheSource.org as an expert in democratic development movement building
Kristina is a Political Partner of the prestigious Washington, DC-based Truman Project for National Security which unites veteran, political, and policy leaders to develop and advance strong, smart and principled solutions to global challenges.
In 2002 Kristina was recruited as the first full-time director of the Ballot Initiative Strategy Center to shape its identity as the leading force within the progressive community on the strategic use of ballot measures, which was awarded The Most Valuable Think Tank in Washington, DC of 2009 by The Nation magazine. During this time she crew the Center’s budget from $15,000 to nearly $3.5 million in operating expenses.