About Us

Allison Trimarco is the founder of Creative Capacity, LLC (formerly Consulting for Nonprofits), which works with nonprofit organizations of all types to increase their management capacity. Her practice focuses on strategic planning, fundraising, and board development projects. In all of her engagements, Allison aims to help clients develop new ideas, strategies, and skills that enhance the organization’s ability to carry out its mission.

Recent projects of note include the strategic planning process that re-launched Princeton’s NonProfitConnect (formerly VolunteerConnect) with a new mission and program strategy, a planning and repositioning process for the Appel Farm Arts and Music Center that strengthened its core summer programs while preparing to launch their arts-based charter school, and a strategic plan for the Princeton Symphony Orchestra, which used adaptive planning strategies to guide the organization in evolving its product and marketing in new directions. Other recent clients include the New Jersey Historical Commission, ArtsEd NJ, ArtPride NJ, HiTOPS, Rise Community Services, Grounds for Sculpture, the New Jersey Highlands Coalition, the Association of New Jersey Environmental Commissions, BalletX, The New Jersey Historic Trust, WheatonArts, the Paterson Music Project, Trenton Music Makers, and the Alice Paul Institute.

Prior to beginning her consulting practice, Allison worked for a wide range of nonprofit organizations, primarily in the arts and in youth service and development. She served as the Managing Director for Scrap Mettle SOUL Performance in Chicago, increasing its ticket sales by 75% and its organizational budget by 40% during her tenure. She also managed programs and public relations for one of the largest suburban public libraries in Illinois, participating in a successful $20 million dollar campaign that funded a complete renovation of the library.

Allison has conducted management seminars on fundraising, strategic planning, board development, and volunteer management for national organizations (the National Park Service), as well as regional leaders (the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce, United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey), and local organizations (schools, libraries, and community-based nonprofits). She is an affiliated trainer with The Nonprofit Center at La Salle University’s School of Business, and an adjunct professor in Drexel University’s graduate program in arts administration, teaching marketing and community engagement. Allison earned her Master’s degree in Arts Management with highest distinction at Carnegie Mellon University, and her Bachelor’s degree in Theatre cum laude at Smith College. Her Master’s thesis explored organizational development strategies in small, volunteer-led arts organizations.

Contact Allison at allison@creativecapacity.net or 609.298.3478.