What We Do
Essex & Drake is a women-led consultancy offering a range of services specializing in philanthropic development. Fundraising is one of the most critical endeavors that an organization will undertake and we're here to help. Our services include capital campaign counsel, board and staff coaching, individual giving programs, institutional funding strategy, and philanthropic development assessments.
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Our Approach
Essex & Drake maintains a small and focused set of client relationships, allowing us to provide answers fitted to each organization's unique situation. We begin each client engagement from a strengths-based place of inquiry, making an effort to gain a strong understanding of organizational culture and dynamics early on in the partnership. Essex & Drake communicates to all its clients the importance of developing a strong culture of philanthropy, which inherently emphasizes the value and role of board members, staff, and volunteers in the work of fundraising.
Our Guiding Values
What Our Clients Say
Our History
Essex, Inc. was founded by Glenn Essex in 1977 in Tiburon, California. Peter Drake later joined the team and they became "Essex & Drake Fundraising Counsel". For decades, Glenn and Peter led the firm with a commiment to excellence and integrity. Essex & Drake was aquired by Sharon Svensson in 1995 and Chelsey Souza in 2016. Read the full history.