About Us

Abundance Catalyst is a fundraising consultancy with a focus on building resources for social justice and movement based organizations.

We’re a small team of development professionals with decades of experience at movement organizations and different specializations and skill sets.

Our clients have ambitious plans to create change. Changing the system, who is in power, and tackling big problems. They’ve got the heart and purpose, but often don’t have the time, staff, or infrastructure to raise money.

We specialize with supporting movement based organizations to fund their movements. We offer fundraising support contracts, development assessments, classroom-style trainings, and project based support.

Meet Robin + the Team

I didn’t find movement work. I was raised in it.

My grandmother, Helen Engle, was an early environmental organizer who founded groups that still exist today. I grew up at backyard salmon bakes, watching people build relationships and figure out how to win.

I remember standing with her as the Asarco Smelter in Tacoma came down. A toxic site that had caused severe harm. That moment made something real. Change is possible. Organizing works, and it can be joyful and deeply relational.

I wanted that life.

I started organizing and fundraising in college and never left. Over the past 20 years, I’ve raised tens of millions of dollars for movement organizations.

I’ve worked inside organizations as a Development and Communications Director, including at OneAmerica, Oregon League of Conservation Voters, and Columbia Riverkeeper. I understand what it takes to fundraise inside small teams where the stakes are high and every ask matters.

That’s why I started Abundance Catalyst.

Since then, I’ve worked with dozens of movement organizations across the country, building power around immigrant rights, racial justice, environmental justice, and economic justice.

I help teams build major gifts programs from the ground up, grow donor revenue, and secure six and seven-figure gifts. I work alongside leaders to express their vision and strategy in ways that resonate deeply with the people ready to invest in it. This is the work I’m in now.

Strong fundraising and bold politics reinforce each other. When your message is grounded in your values and your strategy is sound, the right donors step in with real commitment.

Sound strategy creates consistency. The right systems create momentum.

When you work with us, we sit with you and do the work. Preparing for real donor conversations, building strategy you can use, and creating systems that give you more focus, direction, and traction.

The goal is to build a fundraising program that lets you win for your communities.

This is about building a world that’s just, fair, and where we’re all free.

I still believe deeply in this work, spend time with movement friends, and will always say yes to getting outside, a graphic novel, or a good true crime story.

Of course, Abundance Catalyst isn't just about me. We’re a team of movement fundraisers who know how to raise real money for the work that matters. We lead with strategy, stay grounded in relationships, and share a commitment to building a more just future. Every member of our team is an expert, rooted in this work, and a joy to work with.

Read more about us below, and know we're rooting for you and our shared movements.

In Solidarity,

-Robin

I'd love to connect.
Book time with me here.

Caption: Helen Engle (far right) standing next to husband and co-organizer Stan Engle, speaking to the press about old growth forest preservation.

The Abundance Catalyst Team

We’re fundraisers from within the movement, raising the resources needed to win. Strategy drives the work. Relationships make it possible. Justice is the point.

Robin Engle

Founder & CEO

Robin Engle, CFRE, is a nonprofit leader, strategist, fundraiser, and communicator with 20 years of experience building social justice organizations.

She has raised over $30 million, secured seven-figure gifts, broken fundraising records, led powerful events, and exponentially increased donor bases. Her communications work has inspired thousands of people to take action, been featured in national, statewide, and local news, and made a tangible impact on critical issues.

She served as Communications and Development Director for immigrant rights organization OneAmerica and Development Director for the Oregon League of Conservation Voters and Columbia Riverkeeper.

Ari Breakstone

Senior Consultant

Ari Breakstone is a versatile nonprofit leader with over fifteen years of fundraising experience.

He has raised more than $25 million for organizations in a wide variety of sectors, including economic justice, early childhood education, social justice and civil rights, workforce development, the arts, literacy, and health access.

He is passionate about working to change the systems that perpetuate economic, racial, gender, and other inequities.

He is the Principal of Breakstone Consulting and has served as Director of Development at Golden State Opportunity, Institutional Giving Manager at the Contemporary Jewish Museum, and Grant Writer at the Asian Art Museum.

Michelle Hesterberg

Consultant

Michelle Hesterberg (she/her) has over 15 years of experience in nonprofit leadership, fundraising, political organizing, and social change advocacy.

Michelle’s passion is building power for progressive causes through grassroots fundraising. She has run record-setting fundraising campaigns, raising millions of dollars for LGBTQ+ equity, reproductive freedom, social justice, environmental protection, and progressive candidates. Michelle has worked as Development Director for Gender Justice, OutFront Minnesota, and Save the Boundary Waters, as Canvass Director for Environment Minnesota, and as Finance Director for a 2020 Congressional campaign.

She has extensive experience with major gifts, grant seeking, event planning, canvassing, sponsorships, working with boards, and digital fundraising.

Magaly Smith

Communications Specialist

Magaly Smith is a narrative and communications strategist with 10 years of experience in the nonprofit sector.

She has led communications on various campaigns, moved people to act through powerful messaging, and is centered on amplifying the stories and voices of those most impacted by injustice.

She serves as the Communications Director at OneAmerica, working to build the power of immigrants in Washington state and beyond. She supports Abundance Catalyst, and its clients, with marketing, web design and graphic design.

Our Clients

We’re proud to support organizations building power across movements, communities, and campaigns.

We’ve worked with organizations eager to create a just world and change the systems that impact our lives. The issues they focus on include:

Shifting resources towards Native-led organizations, building Native electoral power, advancing a multi-racial democracy, increasing youth political power, reducing gun violence, working to abolish the prison industrial complex, promoting environmental justice, investing in frontline groups working to win back our country, and advancing economic justice.

We look forward to working with you to fund your movement as well.

Our Core Values

1. Movement Rooted

We come from movement work—and we’re still in it. We serve organizations that build collective power, shift narratives, and advance justice. Our strategies reflect lived experience, with the problem's we're working to solve and in movement organizations.

2. Abundance Over Scarcity

We reject the nonprofit starvation cycle. Movements deserve resources that match their vision. We help organizations move from survival mode to sustainability and bold, unapologetic growth.

3. Right- Sized Support

No bloated strategies or one-size-fits-all playbooks. We deliver practical, customized, tech-savvy support that fits your team, your budget, and your moment of growth. And yes—we follow through.

4. Realness

We name the hard stuff. Whether it’s staff capacity, board avoidance, or funding misalignment, we bring truth with care. Real change starts with honest conversation, and we’re not afraid to go there with you.

5. Joyful Rigor

This work is serious—and joyful. We bring sharp strategy, smart systems, and just enough spreadsheets, paired with warmth, humor, and celebration. Because building movements should feel powerful, not punishing.

Giving & Redistribution Policy

At Abundance Catalyst, we believe in redistributing resources to fuel the bold work of movements. Our corporate giving is one way we live our values, especially Movement Rootedness and Abundance Over Scarcity. We view our giving not as charity, but as solidarity.

Annual Commitment

We commit to redistributing at least 1% of our gross revenue each year, and aim for 5% of net income when possible. We give unrestricted capacity-building support for movement organizations, grassroots groups, and frontline leaders and electoral candidates—particularly those led by BIPOC, women, queer, immigrant, and low-income communities.