The Support You Need Doesn't Have to Wait

Thank you for being one of the 409 people already reading Survivor-Centered Experts. Many of you lead DV/SA programs and support thousands of survivors and families in your communities. My wish for every organization is real relief for all you carry, from an expert who draws on a deep well of advocacy and understands what survivors, families, and organizations need. That is what a survivor-centered expert brings, in a way no one else can. If you’re ready for that kind of relief, this issue is for you.

Picture a founder, a live workshop, and no support…

When I started hosting live events for DVE, I did everything myself. I managed the logistics, ran the tech, admitted people to the room, and presented, all at once. It was too much, all the toggling between screens, and I couldn't see the chat in presenter mode! Wearing multiple hats live disrupted my flow and information sharing, and it was a hard feeling to sit with afterward. All the pausing, restarting, and recentering meant I held fewer events than I wanted.

I knew I needed expert support. My first two tries didn't go well. I posted positions on gig sites and reached out directly to a few profiles there, but the perspective of centering survivors, programs, and funders was missing.  I was explaining foundational parts of our movement and redrafting things. Then, through a member network, I was connected with an expert who understood exactly what I needed, had experience working with programs, nonprofits, and funders, and everything changed.

What changed: In one live session, seven organizations from five states claimed my resource in 32 minutes, and that single session brought in about 70% of my marketplace’s new customers in its first months. Live events are where my clients come from. The right expert didn't just save me time. She helped rebalance my engagement experience and expand my work to reach more people.

The support programs need often doesn't come with the grant

New research from the Center for Effective Philanthropy found that only 48% of nonprofit leaders received any support beyond their grant since January 2025. The support they want most, like fundraising strategy, staff wellness, and communications, is often exactly what isn't offered. https://www.philanthropy.com/news/nonprofits-say-funders-arent-providing-what-they-need-to-address-new-hardships/

Yet that kind of support works. A 15-year study of about 400 nonprofits found that capacity-building support, including help with boards and leadership, contributed to measurable financial growth. https://american.edu/spa/news/faulk-research-partnership.cfm

Here's the good news: you don't have to wait for it. More programs are choosing their own experts, building that support into their budgets, and asking funders to fund the help they chose.

What programs are hiring experts for right now

In recent public requests for proposals from DV/SA coalitions, state agencies, and campus programs, we're seeing demand for:

  • Prevention partnership development
  • Training and technical assistance design
  • Program and response evaluation
  • Strategic planning
  • Curriculum development and research

 

A woman is sitting in relief with her eyes closed and her hands on her heart in front of her laptop.

What expert support can look like

These are illustrations, not client stories, to show how this kind of help works.

  • Lightening the administrative load: A team spends months stuck updating its outcome measures across departments and partners. An expert facilitates the strategy sessions, engages partners, and tests the questions, and the new measures are in place within one quarter.
  • Research and curriculum: A program wants to refresh a prevention curriculum but has no staff time to spare. An expert reviews current research and drafts updates with the team.
  • Fundraising: An executive director carries every donor relationship alone. An expert builds a simple plan the board can share.
  • Workplace support: Staff are stretched thin. An expert helps leadership design wellness practices and team structures that last.
  • Mentoring: A new director steps into the role during a hard season. An experienced mentor helps her lead with confidence.

 

Three things I learned about choosing the right expert

  1. Assess background and perspective for candidates. Survivor-centered experience means the messaging, strategies, tools, resources, and processes will be aligned and require less heavy reframing, rewriting, or repositioning.
  2. Be clear on the type of help, strategy, training, and result you want, not just the tasks.
  3. Start with a defined project. A pilot launch tests the working relationship for both of you and gives you real data on implementation. It builds trust on both sides.

 

Megaphone and your opinion matters.

Help build a clearer view

Our field hasn’t measured, at scale, where expert support makes the biggest difference. This 4-minute survey helps change that. I’ll share what we learn, in aggregate only, in upcoming issues and at our live Expert Spotlights.

Tell us what has worked for your organization → https://forms.gle/LVmaA7xZhpuj6jhWA

Need help finding the right expert?

Tell me what you need, and I'll help you find a survivor-centered expert who fits your goals and timeline: https://advocatespayingadvocatesmarketplace.com/pages/survivor-centered-consultants

Our expertise is invaluable. It changes lives and sustains the movement. Now we're rising together as the Survivor-Centered Expert Services Network.

~Shawndell

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