Pro Bono Nonprofit Consulting: The Sunflower Project
Small nonprofits are doing some of the most essential work in their communities — feeding families, mentoring youth, preserving culture, supporting seniors, and providing services that larger systems overlook. But the organizations closest to the people who need them most are often the ones with the least capacity to communicate their impact — and that's where pro bono nonprofit consulting makes a difference.
That gap is what The Sunflower Project was built to address.
The Sunflower Project is a free, quarterly program offered through Kristin Beltaos Marketing Studio. Each quarter, one small nonprofit receives 60 hours of focused, strategic partnership — covering messaging, brand voice, organizational development, and communications systems — at no cost.
Why This Program Exists
Before relaunching Kristin Beltaos Marketing Studio in 2021, I spent more than a decade doing vocation-driven consulting work through A Gift of Miles — a consulting and advocacy practice focused on food allergy education and child safety. I worked with schools, districts, early childhood programs, and medical professionals to protect children with life-threatening allergies, and I charged far less than market rate because the work felt more like a calling than a business.
When I returned to marketing consulting, I wanted to carry that same spirit forward. The Sunflower Project is how I do that — one nonprofit per quarter, 60 hours of real strategic work, no cost, no shortcuts.
Who The Sunflower Project Serves
This quarterly program is designed for small nonprofits in Minnesota and across the United States that are doing meaningful work but struggling to communicate it clearly. These are often organizations without a communications or development staff member, led by an executive director who is managing everything at once — fundraising, programs, operations, board relations, and storytelling — without the budget to bring in professional support.
Ideal applicants are:
Executive directors doing the work of an entire communications team
Organizations with unclear, inconsistent, or outdated messaging
Nonprofits preparing for growth but lacking the foundational systems to support it
Small teams with committed boards who want to show up more professionally
Organizations that have a strong impact but struggle to articulate it to donors and funders
Applicants must have a business or strategic plan in place. This ensures that the messaging and organizational work we do together builds on an existing vision rather than creating one from scratch.
What the Program Includes
Each quarterly partnership is customized to the nonprofit's specific needs, but typically covers three areas:
Brand Voice and Messaging — Most small nonprofits struggle to distill their work into language that donors and funders can quickly connect with. We help organizations clarify their mission statement, develop a resonant tagline, craft program descriptions, and build key messages that work across donor appeals, grant writing, board presentations, and website copy. The goal is messaging that finally sounds like the organization — just sharper and more confident. This is pro bono marketing for nonprofits at its most practical — strategy and messaging that serves your mission from day one.
Organizational Development — Strong external communications require internal clarity. We work with nonprofits to identify communication gaps, clarify roles and decision-making, strengthen board and staff alignment, and build systems that reduce burnout and increase consistency. When the internal structure is sound, everything that faces the outside world gets easier.
Visual Identity Alignment — Messaging and visual expression need to work together. We help nonprofits refine their color palette, establish brand fonts, define imagery guidelines, and create visual consistency across their website and materials. Consistency builds credibility, and credibility builds donor trust.
What Partner Nonprofits Have Said
Joy Collaborative, MinnesotaExecutive Director Mark Ostrom: "This led to significant website improvements. Kristin came with compassion and deep listening skills to challenge, focus, and elevate how we communicate. It has been a transformational experience. We are in a better place thanks to her partnership and The Sunflower Project."
Alive & Kickin, MinnesotaManaging Director Teri Deaver: "Kristin was a steady guide helping our team explore ways to update our messaging and best represent who we are. We had fun, moved ourselves forward, and now have excellent options we can build upon."
The Case for Pro Bono Nonprofit Consulting
Strategic messaging and organizational clarity are not luxuries — they are survival tools for small nonprofits. But the organizations that need this support most are the ones least able to afford it. Without clear messaging, donor outreach falls flat. Without organizational alignment, staff and volunteers work hard without moving in the same direction. Without consistent communications, even the most impactful work goes unnoticed.
Pro bono nonprofit consulting doesn't solve every challenge, but it can break the cycle. When a small nonprofit gets focused, professional support — not a template or a checklist, but a real strategic partnership — the results carry forward long after the engagement ends.
That's what The Sunflower Project is built to deliver.
Apply, Refer, or Share
If your nonprofit is ready for this kind of support, or if you know an organization that would benefit, here's how to take the next step:
Apply for the current Sunflower Project quarter
Applications are reviewed quarterly. Organizations selected for the program receive a full 60-hour strategic partnership at no cost. If you're not sure whether your organization qualifies, reach out — I'm happy to talk through it.
