Robert Yoo (he/him)
Senior Consultant, Grants
Hometown
Union, NJ
Current Town
Seattle, WA
DEI Statement
Throughout my career, I have been fortunate to work with nonprofits that are committed to breaking down systemic inequities and barriers to opportunity that adversely impact marginalized communities and demographic groups. While each nonprofit had a different mission, they all shared a dedication to advancing DEI initiatives to create a more just and fair society. Collectively, these experiences helped shape my own DEI values, which include: (1) celebrating and respecting diverse life experiences, (2) challenging biases and prejudices that foster inequity, and (3) creating safe spaces where everyone feels accepted and empowered to be themselves and share their perspectives.
Education
MBA from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; BA from University of Vermont
Sectors I've Worked In
K-12 Education, Human Services, Workforce Development
Services & Areas of Expertise
Strategic Planning; Facilitation, training, or workshop; Campaign planning; Campaign counsel / management; Annual fund initiatives / events; Development assessment / planning; Grant research and strategy; Grant writing; Data systems / analysis services; Donor prospect research/screening
Notable Projects
As a development leader, I have worn many hats to help nonprofits scale their impact and growth. I have executed fundraising strategies that consistently secured 6-figure and 7-figure gifts, generating more than $50M in philanthropic revenue to support capital campaigns and annual operations. I also bring a wealth of experience in working with leadership teams, boards of directors, and cross-functional teams to develop longer term strategic plans that position their organizations to expand their programs, services, and geographic reach.
Why I Love This Work
What I love most about working at Ostara is collaborating with a broad range of nonprofit leaders to figure out the best pathway to achieve their missions. Each client that I have the privilege of working with presents an opportunity to learn about the needs of different communities and to use what I have learned over my career to support them as they pursue their short-term and long-term goals.
Fun Fact
I have been a musician most of my life and can play nine instruments. When I was six, my parents forced me to take classical piano lessons, which I didn’t enjoy at all at first. But I remember my teacher sitting me down one day and saying, “You may not like learning this now, but one day, you’ll be thankful.” And decades later, she’s still right.