About Us
We have more than 40 years combined experience creating community change through nonprofits and government. We have deep rural roots, but we have spent years in cities and abroad. We understand that every person, every organization and every community is unique.
​
We have witnessed the power of effective community initiatives time and time again. We have also seen too many endeavors fail to meet their mission. We believe every nonprofit, government and business has a responsibility to blaze their unique pathway to community prosperity.
Dave Keiser - Partner
Dave looks for causes and effects. Whether in a database or a fundraising strategy, he’s going to dive into relationships to figure out the impact. He has over 20 years of non-profit and public sector experience, ranging from geographic analysis, surveys and public policy to volunteer management, non-profit taxes, and event production.
​
Dave earned a Master’s degree in Economics and Community Development from Western Illinois University and a Bachelor’s degree in Biology from Hastings College. He also holds a Graduate Certificate in GIS from Tennessee State University and a Basic Economic Development Certificate (BEDC) from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. Dave is a fifth-generation farmer from Nebraska, but has lived in Colorado, Illinois, Tennessee, and Morocco where he served as a Peace Corps Volunteer. You’ll now find him hiking, cycling, and paddling all over western North Carolina.
Amanda Frick Keiser - Partner
Amanda’s expertise lies in developing and implementing community development strategies, and inclusive and practicable nonprofit management. She has spent nearly two decades developing and leading affordable housing, workforce development and youth development programs. Most recently she worked with Rebuilding Together and Habitat for Humanity. She also served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Peru.
Amanda holds a Bachelor degree in Political Science from North Carolina State University and a Master degree in Public Administration from New York University. She is a certified homebuyer educator and a skilled facilitator. Amanda has roots in the mountains of North Carolina and the corn fields of central Missouri, but most of her adult life has been spent in New York City and Nashville. She now lives in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in western North Carolina.
We believe
The world is ever-changing; this constant state of flux offers countless opportunities to learn and grow.
​
There are no easy answers or simple solutions to the complex and interwoven challenges our communities face.
​
Every nonprofit, civic organization, government and business has a responsibility to create pathways to broader community prosperity.
A prosperous community is one in which a broad network of caring people and efficient organizations leverage their unique skills, perspectives and opportunities to positively impact their neighbors’ well-being.
Organizations are best able to create effective pathways to community prosperity when they incorporate diverse viewpoints and skillsets while working toward a clear and common purpose.
Common purpose is rooted in shared values.
OUR VISION
We envision a world in which all communities are supported by diverse nonprofits, governments and businesses who align their daily operations and strategic plans with their communities’ evolving needs.
OUR MISSION
Equipping organizations & individuals to meet their communities’ evolving needs
Our Values
As we find ways to be good neighbors in our communities, we hold ourselves accountable to and look for partners who share the following values
Adaptability: We adjust to new conditions. We recognize that our resources can be retooled for new purposes as our environment changes. We seek to grow not in size, but in knowledge, understanding, ability and capacity.
Caring: We display kindness and compassion to others. We seek to better understand others’ experiences and world views. We understand that the topics we pay attention to and the causes we steer our limited resources toward reflect what we think is important.
Collaboration: We work with others to reach shared goals. We are accessible and responsive. We are transparent and honest. We understand that conflict can arise when diverse viewpoints come together. We believe conflicts are best managed by creating cultures of empathy and trust.
Efficiency: We believe that an endeavor is most successful when it prudently manages materials, energy, efforts, money and time to reach its desired impact. We are respectful of others’ time and resources. We accept real-world limitations without allowing them to constrain our creativity or limit our vision of what is possible.