Philanthropic & Nonprofit Advisory Services, Facilitation, Coaching, Planning & Communications
Hi, I'm Sharmila. As a philanthropic advisor, I have the privilege of partnering with philanthropists/donors, families, foundations, nonprofit leaders, and social impact organizations to support thoughtful grantmaking, strengthen governance, engage the next generation, and navigate opportunities for organizational growth and impact.
I believe philanthropy is most meaningful when it reflects our values, relationships, and sense of purpose. Recognizing the immense power and potential in giving back, I am passionate about helping individuals and organizations align their time, talent, treasure, ties and testimony to their motivations, interests, and values.
Let's connect to explore what’s possible together.
Services & Offerings
Taking your work to the next level with a focus on grantmaking, governance, board development, facilitation, coaching, planning & communications
Mission & Vision
Development
Governance & Board
Development
Executive Support
& Coaching
Policies & Procedures
Development
Grantmaking
Strategies
Due Diligence / Site Visits
& Proposal Review
Multigenerational
& Next Gen Engagement
Content Development Research/Writing/Editing
ED/CEO
Assessment
Diaspora Giving and
Cross-border Philanthropy
Foundation & DAF
Giving
Training and
Facilitation
Testimonials
“I have immense gratitude for your positive outlook on the work, recognition of our efforts and ability to make the work to be done not daunting, but achievable.”
- Jean L.
December 2023
“We are better engaging our board members, especially in providing guidance on what they should be doing in between meetings, where they can assist and how they can support the organization. We're introducing a commitment letter, and getting feedback from older and newer members, and thinking about how to engage the voice of those we serve (i.e., youth/students) in our work. This experience has been eye-opening for me; it's helped "organize me" for this task on behalf of the organization. I've been in leadership before, but I've learned how to be a better chair, how to truly incorporate a distributive leadership framework. We're also beginning to think about organizational development -- founder/ED succession and what kind of board support is needed; the value of bringing on new members with diverse perspectives; formalizing and being more intentional with a nominating and recruitment process (vs just fit); professional development for staff and bringing on a dedicated grants person, as well as maximizing on the publicity we've been garnering.”
- Vivienne N.
May 2023
“We feel fortunate to have found Sharmila. From the earliest stages of our foundation's development, she has served as a trusted advisor, thought partner, and guide. As we built the foundation from the ground up, she became far more than a consultant—she has been a true partner in helping us shape our vision, strengthen our governance, and approach philanthropy with greater clarity, confidence, and purpose.
Sharmila brings a rare combination of strategic insight, practical experience, and relationship-building skills. Her guidance has helped us navigate complex decisions, build stronger alignment as trustees, and move forward thoughtfully and intentionally. Our foundation is further along—and our decisions are better—because of her partnership, expertise, and unwavering commitment to the work.”
- Kent J.
June 2026
“Your presentation was brilliant today. Confidence and courage. I appreciate you sharing your challenges, misstep(s) with your peers. It made me think about my own practice, how I don't spend enough time reflecting on the hard lessons, let alone share it with people outside of my team. There was so much packed into an hour that I wished it was a two-part session where we could unpack some of your insights. “
- Gwen K.
August 2023
“You’ve helped me become a better board member and board chair. You gave me the confidence to make these changes. Your thought process, your patience and persistence, thoughtful ways of doing things…just works.”
- David C.
February 2024
“Sharmila’s work with our Foundation has been consistently successful and deeply valued across leadership. Her guidance on next gen engagement has been thoughtful, strategic, and highly effective—and her continued work with current and new leadership is viewed as both vitally important and full of promise. Over multiple years of partnership, Sharmila has built deep trust with key leaders, who have complete confidence in her judgment and abilities.”
- K. J.
December 2025
“I’ve always believed the best leaders are servant leaders—leaders who don’t force people where they don’t want to go, but help them get where they were trying to go all along. That’s exactly what I found in Sharmila. She led us through this entire process, shared her insights thoughtfully, and consistently supported us in becoming our best as foundation trustees and new grantmakers.”
- Hunter J.
January 2026
“The assessment was a good way to start, and we engaged board members in completing the planning worksheets. While nothing surprised us, it gave us motivation to develop key objectives and board goals. We needed ownership of this work, and board leadership is now there. This has been an opportunity for reflection, focus, and growth toward action and now we have a plan of work in place to sustain what we’ve started.”
- Rich S.
July 2023
“In just a few meetings, you’ve been able to instill the drive for our board to take more ownership and have helped with board education.“
- Lakshmi R.
October 2023
Reach out for more information!
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