Change Is a Constant: Finding Passion in Service & Lifelong Learning

Lindsay Esposito, CFRE | Maryland, USA

With 15 years of fundraising experience, Lindsay Esposito now works as Senior Director of Development for the Greater DC Diaper Bank, which provides diapers and other essentials to families in need. She’s also the Founder and CEO of an independent consulting firm. Lindsay earned her CFRE in April of 2023.

Lindsay specializes in relationship management, systems, and donor strategy with extensive experience cultivating and fundraising through principal gifts and in all aspects of nonprofit board and council management.

Forced to face an unexpected career change, Lindsay found a new purpose in fundraising for causes she believes in. She shared with us some of her accomplishments and how the CFRE has influenced her career . . .

A New Purpose Through Service & Lifelong Learning

I originally came to fundraising after an injury cut my music career short—I hold two degrees in oboe performance. What began as a necessary pivot became a calling.

Over the years, I’ve made the intentional decision to stay in this field because it allows me to stay true to my values every day. I love helping organizations improve communities, society, and the planet. Fundraising is the way I serve, and I feel immense gratitude for the opportunity to support work that makes a tangible difference in people’s lives.

For me, earning the CFRE was a logical next step in augmenting my overall fundraising skills. I believe strongly in continuing education and professional development, both for myself and for my teams.

At Greater DC Diaper Bank, I currently manage a new Development Coordinator who recently transitioned into the fundraising field from direct service work. Education and learning are central to her growth plan, and while she’s still early in her journey, I’ve been intentional about exposing her to best practices and building her confidence in the field. In previous roles, I’ve actively encouraged my fundraisers to pursue their CFRE and have shared study materials, resources, and insights that I found helpful during my own preparation. I believe investing in professional development creates stronger, more ethical, and more strategic fundraisers—and builds capacity across the sector.

Development of Self & Community

After earning the certification, my employment applications received very high rates of return calls, with CFRE often cited. I’ve been recruited into two Development Director-level roles. Most recently, I was hired as the Senior Director of Development at Greater DC Diaper Bank, where I lead all fundraising strategy and execution for a $4.5 million organization. I believe holding the CFRE helped demonstrate my ability to lead fundraising operations at a high level. The knowledge I gained through the CFRE process sharpened my approach to ethical donor engagement, strategic planning, and performance measurement.

At Greater DC Diaper Bank, I’ve led a turnaround effort that closed an $860,000 budget gap in under six months and helped secure more than $1.3 million in new revenue in 2024—our strongest fundraising year since 2021. The CFRE helped affirm and refine the skills that enabled me to lead that success.

Growth & Commitment to a Greater Cause

The CFRE process validated much of what I learned through experience, but also highlighted areas where I could grow. It helped me bring more intentionality to my work, especially around ethical standards, planning, and evaluation. It also deepened my commitment to continuous learning and to modeling excellence for the teams I lead.

Pursuing my CFRE and launching my consulting practice were both rooted in a desire to “level up” my approach to fundraising and deepen the skill set I could offer to the organizations I support. My consulting firm focuses on holistic development department stabilization, major and principal gifts pipeline growth, foundation engagement and strategy, and nonprofit board development—areas that have been central to my career. Earning the CFRE strengthened and refined my knowledge in these areas, giving me greater confidence in my methodology and a more competitive edge in the marketplace. It also helped formalize the standards I bring to every client engagement, especially when it comes to ethics, strategy, and sustainability. It did truly help me to grow as a fundraiser.