Helping Great Non-Profits Change The World
Mary E. Costello is a Social Worker by education, trade, and spirit. She is a 1987 graduate of The Catholic University of America, where she studied both Social Work and Drama. Her full-time non-profit service began in June of 1984, marking the start of her administrative and advocacy work in the mental health and developmental disabilities fields.
In directorship roles from a young age, Mary became well-known for developing new programs and organizations "from the ground up," as well as revamping agencies in danger of closure due to serious State licensing deficiencies. Often faced with limited resources and time, Mary proved on multiple occasions that proper planning, unwavering tenacity, and dedicated, hard-working teams can beat impossible odds. And, her innovative solutions to typical and atypical non-profit challenges continue to this day.
As an independent consultant, Mary offers a wide range of supports to non-profits throughout the United States. She specializes in start-up organizations, as well as the restructuring, improvement, sustainability, and expansion of more established agencies. Since going full-time with Creative Edge Consulting (dba) in February of 2005, Mary has been instrumental in the receipt of over 14.5 million dollars in grant and other funding among her collective customer roster. Largest foundation grant, to date: 11 million dollars; Two highest governmental grants: approximately 1 million dollars apiece. Over 65 non-profits have been served over the last thirteen years, with many clients more than doubling their previous fundraising outcomes after signing-on with Mary.
Much of her consulting work has focused on helping non-profits set the stage for future funding, by first building great new organizations and programs worthy of sizable support. She frequently leads projects where she had no previous subject mastery, including those that must comply with statutes or regulations.
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