Wastyn & Associates helping nonprofits thrive 

As Linda Wastyn reflects on her company’s dozen years in business, you can hear the pride in her voice for how nonprofits in the Quad Cities – and beyond – have been strengthened thanks to the work of Wastyn & Associates. The Davenport-based company celebrated its 12th anniversary on Tuesday, Aug. 1. To mark the […]

As Linda Wastyn reflects on her company’s dozen years in business, you can hear the pride in her voice for how nonprofits in the Quad Cities – and beyond – have been strengthened thanks to the work of Wastyn & Associates. The Davenport-based company celebrated its 12th anniversary on Tuesday, Aug. 1. To mark the milestone, Wastyn & Associates announced in a news release that to date it has helped secure more than $30 million in grant funding on behalf of its clients. 

“When we discovered we’d hit $30 million in funds raised, it was serendipitous for us,” she told the QCBJ in a telephone interview earlier this week.  The Quad Cities company is a leader in grant writing, fundraising, strategic planning, and leadership and board development.  Asked how her company is marking the anniversary, she said “Hopefully by writing a whole lot of grants … and taking time to reflect on how far we’ve come. It’s one of those things we don’t always take the time to do.”  Now located at 4215 E. 60th St., Davenport, next to Crow Valley Country Club, Ms. Wastyn founded the company in 2011 as a one-woman shop set on helping the area and its nonprofit community capture more grant dollars and improve their fundraising efforts.  “We’ve grown significantly over the last 12 years – from me working in my house and at every local coffee shop to a staff of seven …,” Ms. Wastyn said in a news release announcing the company’s anniversary and milestone.  Ms. Wastyn launched her company after a 14-year career at St. Ambrose University, Davenport, where she worked in grant development and fundraising.  In 2022, her husband, Ron Wastyn, joined the firm after he retired from a 35-year teaching career at St. Ambrose including teaching leadership development courses.  Both the Wastyns have earned the BoardSource Certificate in Nonprofit Board Consulting and are the only two board consultants in the Quad Cities to earn the credential.   Ms. Wastyn said of the grant funding secured during her company’s tenure, more than $19 million “has come in the last three years thanks, in large part, to our dedicated team of very talent grant professionals – Katie Carton, Jordan Kirkbride, Alex Kolker and Lynn McLaughlin.”  In addition to Mr. Wastyn, who serves as chief operating officer and vice president for Leadership Programs, the team is completed by Administrative Support Specialist Alexis Maldonado.  Wastyn & Associates seven-person staff has 150 years of combined experience in grant writing and research, fundraising, strategic planning, leadership and organizational development and nonprofit board education. Ms. Wastyn also is a Certified Fundraising Professional (CFP).  “As a new nonprofit, we would not be where we are today without the wonderful help and guidance from the Wastyn & Associates team,” Annette Clevenger, founder and executive director of Narratives, Rock Island, said in the release from Wastyn & Associates. “They have captured the heart and mission of Narratives so well in each grant they have written and, as a result, brought in more than $175,000 for us to serve vulnerable young adults in our community.”  According to Ms. Wastyn, the COVID-19 pandemic has altered the landscape for nonprofits and grant writing.  She attributed its their grant success in part to her now larger staff but also “growth in clients coming to us.” “Some of that is the realization post-COVID among the nonprofit community that they need to work smarter, not harder, and outsourcing (grant and fundraising activities) is a way they can do that.” She said many clients are just now exploring what they can get through grants while others want to learn how to get more grants.   “I think COVID gave organizations an opportunity, or a kick in the pants, to look at things differently. And that’s part of what we’re seeing in this field,” she told the QCBJ.  In addition to its grant development work, Wastyn & Associates also has provided capital campaign consulting  for eight organizations that collectively have raised more than $15 million to date and has facilitated research-based strategic planning for more than 40 organizations. It also has helped countless others create a fund development plan. Likewise, its staff provides leadership development and board consulting activities through workshops, classes and individual coaching.  She said post-COVID, her staff also has seen an increase in clients wanting strategic planning services. “It’s not one of those things you do a lot,” she said, adding that COVID shined a light on the need.  “It’s another area where COVID told people ‘you need to have some strategies,’” Ms. Wastyn said. “If you didn’t have that plan or an understanding of your market and what you do best, and you want to grow, then it’s a lot harder to pivot than if you’re flying by the seat of your pants.”    Mr. Wastyn’s involvement now also has expanded their reach into strategic planning work as well as leadership and board development.  “We could see the need in the community as we were working with organizations… We could see where some board development work would help strengthen the organization,” she said of their clients.  For more information on Wastyn & Associates, visit here.