Group: Strategic Partners

Over the past 25 years, Colin Hamilton has collaborated with leaders on complex projects that have both transformed local communities and shaped national movements. He has a particular depth of experience in the arts and creative placemaking, community development, public media and journalism, libraries, and parks. 

Colin got his start at a political consulting firm in Northeast Ohio, where he helped public agencies build support for tax referendums. As Executive Director of the Friends of the Minneapolis Library from 2000 – 2007, he led a $140 million referendum and a $16.7 million capital campaign before helping advance a politically complex merger between the city and county systems. In his last year, Minneapolis was voted the nation’s most outstanding Friends organization, and he was named one of the Twin Cities’ “40 under 40.”

He then spent 10 years leading advancement and planning work at Artspace, a national nonprofit developer working at the intersection of the arts and community development. His first assignment was completing the $46 million Cowles Center for Dance & the Performing Arts. He then transitioned to work on cultural heritage/artist housing developments in neighborhoods of New York, New Orleans, Honolulu, Seattle, and elsewhere, while helping shape creative placemaking as it emerged as a national field. During his time at Artspace, it became the largest arts grantee of both the Ford and Kresge Foundations, which combined to contribute more than $20 million over a five-year period.

After the 2016 election, Colin joined PRI (Public Radio International), which had created iconic radio programs like The World, Marketplace, The Takeaway, and Studio 360, and helped relaunch and complete a $20 million campaign. As PRI merged with PRX, he worked with the new CEO and board to set the organization’s mission and strategic priorities while restructuring the development program to best suit its culture and needs.

Since beginning consulting work in 2019, Colin has been a frequent collaborator with Creative Fundraising Advisors, contributing to projects for the Trinity Park Conservancy (Dallas), Colorado Public Radio, Nashville Public Radio, the Science Museum of Minnesota, the Minneapolis College of Art & Design, the Basilica of St. Mary’s, and the Minnesota Land Trust. Other clients include Breck School, the Institute for Nonprofit News, the Friends of the Falls, Graywolf Press, the Minneapolis Parks Foundation, the Boys and Girls Clubs of America Native Services division, and the National Book Awards.

Learn more: colinhamiltonconsulting.com

Holly Gibson has been in prospect research for over a decade. After earning her bachelor’s in History & Music and master’s in Library Science at Indiana University, she joined the IU Foundation’s department of Prospect Research and Management. While at IU, Holly supported most of the university’s numerous academic units in managing and qualifying their individual donors, especially through the university’s $3 billion+ “For All” bicentennial campaign. More particularly, Holly specializes in corporate and foundational research, having conducted a number of large scale projects analyzing organizational philanthropy and corporate relationship mapping, as well as establishing guidelines around digitally housing and systematizing organizational giving. In 2021, she was awarded the foundation’s service award. While raising her family, Holly went freelance, supporting prospect research at various fundraising consultancies, including CFA. Holly lives in Hoosierland with her family: two little boys (largely feral), husband (moderately feral), and two goldendoodles (feral, but in a lazy way). Librarian at heart, she’s an avid reader and, sometimes, a freelance photographer.

As a seasoned fundraiser, Tamar launched a fundraising consulting practice effective July 2020. Based on years of fundraising success, Tamar offers expertise and counsel to a variety of nonprofit organizations. Clients have included Lincoln Center, Bloomberg Philanthropies, Guild Hall, Central Park Conservancy, New York Botanical Garden, HOPE for Depression, ABT, Earl Monroe Basketball Charter School, Los Angeles Music Center, The Kaufman Music Center, and Stone Barns Center.

Prior to launching her own firm, Tamar led Lincoln Center’s fundraising staff for 19 years. She was responsible for managing all annual fundraising for the institution, coordinating the capital campaign, and managing government relations. This included overseeing a staff of 42 specialized in Institutional Giving, Planned Giving, Major and Individual Gifts, Special Events, Patron Services, Membership, Corporate Partnerships, and management of Lincoln Center’s Consolidated Corporate Fund. On an annual basis, over $50 million was raised in contributed income for the leading performing arts complex. Tamar worked closely with the Lincoln Center Board of Directors on all strategy and engagement. She also staffed the Development Committee and Nominating & Governance Committee of the Board of Directors. 

Tamar has a broad range of experience managing multi-million dollar annual and capital campaigns. While at Lincoln Center she was an integral part of the $1.2 billion Bravo Campaign to transform the 16-acre campus as well as the $550 million Geffen Campaign. Prior to joining Lincoln Center, Inc., Tamar was Director of Development at the 92nd Street Y, Vice President of Development for the Central Park Conservancy, and held senior fundraising positions with The New York Botanical Garden, The American Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel, and the American Jewish Committee.  A graduate of Clark University, Tamar holds a master’s degree in Social Service Administration from Columbia University and graduated from Harvard University’s Kennedy School Program on Exponential Fundraising.