Amy Schiffman

With more than 25 years of experience in the nonprofit field, Amy partners with organizations across a variety of sectors to develop effective fundraising campaigns, build strong leadership teams and empower them with the tools to visualize and achieve mission impact. She brings deep expertise in nonprofit fund development, strategic planning, coaching, training and executive search to every engagement. Amy is known for helping both professionals and volunteers maximize their leadership potential so they can position their organizations for a strong future. A seasoned volunteer board member and community activist, she understands the value of strong lay-professional partnerships and works with organizations to expand the circle of effective ambassadors for their cause.

As a co-founder of Giving Tree Associates in 2008 and President of Evolve Giving Group in 2020, Amy has helped clients raise tens of millions of dollars through individual major gifts, foundation and corporate funding. She has also served as a trusted fundraising coach to dozens of executive directors, development professionals and board presidents, enabling them to build strong ongoing relationships with their stakeholders. Prior to consulting, Amy served as director of development at Ida Crown Jewish Academy and as director of development and communications at Jewish Council for Youth Services, overseeing a diverse array of capital, annual, planned giving, government relations and marketing programs. Early in her career, Amy managed the midwest leadership development effort and regional major gifts program at United Jewish Communities, and served as director of campus campaigns for The Hillels of Illinois at the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago.

Amy is a frequent presenter at local and national gatherings, including the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), Forefront, Jewish Federations of North America, Legacy Heritage Fund, Hillel International, JCC Association of North America, JCamp 180 and Life & Legacy. She co-designed and served as lead trainer for the Prizmah National Endowment Legacy Institutes from 2013-2019. Amy is a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) and a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), The Association of Consultants to Nonprofits (ACN), Women in Development North and Chicago Women in Philanthropy. She serves on summer faculty for the HUC/USC Zelikow School of Nonprofit Management in Los Angeles.

Amy received her bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and a master’s degree in social work with a certificate in Jewish communal service from the University of Pennsylvania School of Social Work and Gratz College. She lives in Wilmette, Illinois, with her husband and two children and enjoys biking, cooking and travel.