Testimonials | Locke Step Partners

Testimonials: Testimonials

Colin Holter, Executive Director
Northern Ohio Youth Orchestra

The Northern Ohio Youth Orchestra owes so much to Danielle and Locke Step Partners. Her extensive expertise as a longtime nonprofit development specialist in northeast Ohio is complemented by her sterling professionalism and collaborative attitude.

Danielle has helped us manage an endowment campaign, improve our annual fundraising event, and develop (for the first time) a major donor strategy, exceeding our expectations and enabling our organization to set and achieve bolder and bolder goals.

Any nonprofit would be lucky to have Danielle on their team.

Kathleen Jackson, Executive Director
Firelands Association for Visual Arts

Danielle has been a godsend to FAVA! In her role as a volunteer Board member, she has helped us put together a comprehensive development plan that helps build (and build upon) relationships with potential donors in our community.

She helped organize and implement the best fundraiser FAVA has ever seen and did it with a great attitude and spirit of dedication.

She has background not only in donor cultivation, but in nonprofits as well—so she understands the needs and realities of a small nonprofit staff and not just its financial needs.

I don’t know how we ever got along without her!

Denise Shafer, Donor & Colleague
Financial Advisor

Danielle is generous with her time, talent and treasure, providing help professionally to organizations who hire her as their trusted advisor, and volunteering in various capacities and organizations as well.

She is uniquely qualified to help organizations realize their mission vision by bringing broad perspective from the highest level to the minutest detail.

Proudly her friend, I know Danielle to be of good character, has a wonderful demeanor and is deeply compassionate. She is dedicated to doing her best work always and being her best self as well.

Mary Behm, Philanthropist & Board Member, FAVA

Danielle brings valuable skills and knowledge to any project: strong leadership and organizational skills, creative problem solving, enthusiasm, knowledge of good contacts, positive outlook.

She takes ownership of a project, finding good solutions to problems and the right people.

We have worked together on several Lorain County projects which have turned out well.

Ryan Aroney, Executive Director
United Way of Greater Lorain County

Danielle has been everything we’ve needed her to be as we’ve worked together to create a new organizational function within our fund development department.

She’s been organized, accessible, open, honest and has held us accountable. She’s also been willing to do anything we need her to do, from administrative assistance to meeting with donors – and everything in between – and I’ve been impressed with how thoroughly she’s able to communicate our mission. Her expertise has helped to expand our capacity and I’ve been very happy with our partnership.

Darren Hamm, Former Executive Director of Oberlin Center for the Arts

Danielle has a deep knowledge of nonprofits; understanding operations, board management and fund development, among others.

This expertise allows her to quickly identify those areas of greatest need, make meaningful recommendations and take direct action.

Danielle is a thoughtful, trustworthy and dependable colleague in this field that we would strongly recommend to anyone interested in growing the capacity and effectiveness of their respective organization.

Cheryl Senko, Director of Development and Communications, Koinonia

Danielle helped us evaluate our current development efforts, identify strengths and weaknesses, and then create a strategic plan with a budget and action steps.

We were so impressed that we have now hired her as a full-time development consultant.

Frances Jo Hamilton,
Heritage Ohio

Danielle hosted a fundraising training for a group of Main Street managers last year. Her information was fresh and new. I am always in a struggle to find speakers that can teach standard information in a new and interesting way. Danielle met that challenge and my managers got a lot out of their time with her. She was great at scheduling a virtual meeting and using the platform in a way that did not fatigue the attendees. I would certainly recommend Danielle and Locke Step Partners.

Alex Moen,
United Way Greater Lorain County

Danielle shared her expertise with me as a mentor early in my career. Later on I had the chance to work with her at my organization where she offered outstanding advice on attracting and retaining major donors. Even after leaving that organization, she remains a fountain of knowledge for myself and other Lorain County organizations. I would recommend her to any organization looking to grow their donors!