Sound advice, expert facilitation, creative thinking and great writing at the intersection of fundraising and communications.

Read more about Jenn

Work

    Royal Ottawa Hospital Foundation

    Turning a laundry list of projects into a compelling case for support.

    The Royal is a mental illness treatment, teaching and research hospital focused on patients with complex mental illness and addiction.

    About Project

    Case for support

    Built a campaign platform (Campaign Name, Visual Identity, Case for Support) for The Royal in support of its fundraising ambitions, in partnership with Hambly & Woolley. The Royal competes for attention in the busy national capital market, so the campaign worked hard to stand out among competitors and headquarters of national organizations. The project involved comprehensive consultations with program staff to articulate institutional fundraising priorities as well as personal interviews with hospital clients to create a well-scaffolded narrative buttressed by sensitive storytelling.

    Other health clients:
    Arthritis Society
    CNIB
    Humber River Hospital Foundation
    Michael Garron Hospital Foundation
    North York General Foundation
    Royal Women’s Hospital Foundation (Melbourne)
    VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation

    • Cover
    • Spreads

    Holy Trinity School

    Offering sound operational advice to Advancement teams.

    Holy Trinity School (HTS) is an independent, co-educational, university preparatory institution with 825 day students from JK through to Grade 12.

    About Project

    Counsel

    Provided ongoing counsel over many years to the Head of School, Director of Advancement, and various staff members in the Advancement office. Provided coaching, counsel, major gift strategy and guidance on annual planning for the advancement office. Provided support for leadership through a time of transition.

    Other Independent school clients:
    Havergal College
    Royal St. George’s College
    St. George’s College (Vancouver)
    Sterling Hall School
    University of Toronto Schools
    Upper Canada College

    Capitalize for Kids

    Translating complex system interventions into compelling impacts.

    Through innovative funding models and pro bono consulting, Capitalize for Kids is focused on creating a more powerful mental health system in Canada, so children, youth, and families can access the support they need.

    About Project

    Case for Support and Key Communications

    Was retained over several communications projects to shift the organization’s messaging to appeal to major funders with more impact-driven language and storytelling. Brought clarity to a complex issue—inefficiencies in the child and youth mental health system—so it resonates more easily with donors and partners. Created case for support, tagline ("Make it Better"), and investment prospectuses.

    Other social service clients:
    Campfire Circle
    Community Food Centres Canada
    Indspire
    Kids Help Phone
    YMCA GTA

    University of Guelph

    Assessing the feasibility of a comprehensive campaign.

    The University of Guelph is home to three campuses and is one of Canada’s top comprehensive and research intensive universities.

    About Project

    Preliminary Case and Feasibility

    In partnership with Ahead Consulting, led the development of the Preliminary Case for Support for use in feasibility interviews for the university’s upcoming campaign. Working from existing materials, interviews and the results of workshops with institutional leadership, tested positioning with major donors to inform the campaign planning process.

    Other higher education clients:
    Concordia University
    La Trobe University (Melbourne)
    Queen’s University
    University of New Brunswick
    University of Ottawa
    Western University

About Jennifer Bizzarri

Based in Toronto, Jennifer Bizzarri draws on more than 30 years experience in fundraising and communications in the not-for-profit sector, including health care, higher education, independent schools, social services and the arts. As a writer and strategist, Jenn offers a unique combination of fundraising experience and communications expertise. She works independently and with partners like Ahead Consulting and Hambly & Woolley.

Jenn began consulting with Offord Group (now Marts & Lundy) in 2011. She has worked with a variety of Canadian and international clients such as VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation (Vancouver), North York General Foundation, La Trobe University (Melbourne), Western University, University of Guelph, Kids Help Phone, Havergal College, Upper Canada College, University of Toronto Schools and Rugby Canada. She was a member of the editorial team of Perspectives in Philanthropy, Offord’s annual magazine, serving as the magazine’s editor-in-chief from 2017 to 2020. Jenn is a past faculty member of the Canadian Association for Independent Schools Leadership Institute, having taught the Marketing and Communications module there in 2018.

Prior to becoming a consultant, Jenn was a founding staff member of Greenwood College School in Toronto. She has also held positions at the University of Toronto and the National Ballet of Canada. Jenn began her fundraising career in 1994 as a McConnell Fellow at McMaster University.

Jenn is an active volunteer, sitting on the boards of Breakthrough T1D (formerly the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation) and the Hazelview Cares Foundation. Her freelance writing has appeared in The Globe & Mail.