Experience

Catalyst California
• United States
• Public Policy Offices
• 1 - 100 Employee
• Director of Development

  • Jan 2017 - Present

Advancement Project California
• United States
• Public Policy Offices
• 1 - 100 Employee
• Director Of Development

  • Jan 2017 - Sep 2022


Amy Sausser Consulting

• Owner

  • Oct 2008 - Sep 2022

  Since 1991, I have worked with a variety of nonprofits, specializing in communications. Most recently I served as Director of Communications at Southern California Grantmakers and before that was Deputy Director of Development at the Liberty Hill Foundation. I have also served as the Managing Editor of the California Association of Nonprofits’ Alert newsletter and in the early 90s I started the employment newsletter Opportunity NOCs (now known as Nonprofit Directions) and became the Manager of Communications at the Center for Nonprofit Management. I have taught communications seminars and workshops at the Center for Nonprofit Management, the Long Beach Nonprofit Partnership, the Riordan Volunteer Leadership Development Program and the California Association of Nonprofits’ annual conference.



Southern California Grantmakers

• Director of Communications

  • Apr 2007 - Sep 2008

  Senior level director for a regional membership association of 140 foundations, high-worth philanthropists and other grantmaking entities. The organization provides services and benefits to its members, as well as serving as the voice of philanthropy in the region. Primary responsibilities included: o Developing and implementing a strategic communications plan, o Creating new membership and marketing messages and materials, o Determining information and resources useful to members and making them available to members through diverse tools, such as directories, reports and fact sheets, etc., o Managing www.socalgrantmakers.org, including development of content, enhancing and tracking site traffic and supervising frequent updates, o Writing, editing and creating formats for e-newsletters and other e-communications, and o Coordinating with Program staff to market two to three events per month.

• Principal

  • Feb 2005 - Apr 2007


Liberty Hill Foundation

• United States
• Philanthropic Fundraising Services

• Deputy Director of Development

  • Feb 1999 - Jan 2005

  Part of a fundraising team that relied heavily on communications to identify and secure gifts of $1,000 to $100,000 from individual donors and grants as large as $1.5 million from private foundations, as well as to move public opinion on issues of social equity. Primary responsibilities centered on strategic planning and management of communications with external audiences, including the research, writing, editing, vendor relations, staff supervision and budget oversight necessary for the production of annual report, quarterly print newsletter, monthly e-newsletter, website, issue reports and program brochures. Also responsible for foundation fundraising of $2.5 million annually.