Her Story
About Sarah
Sarah Barton is Founder and CEO of Nonprofit411 and works with nonprofits as The Generosity Strategist. She started Nonprofit411 in 2022 after more than two decades in the nonprofit sector. Her path began in college, volunteering with the Family Resource Network. A graduate internship with a chamber of commerce showed her how organizations grow and how they earn their community's support. She holds a Master of Public Administration from West Virginia University and went on to lead in higher education, healthcare, and nonprofit organizations. She has also served as executive director of a small foundation and as a federal grant reviewer, giving her a funder's view of what makes a strong application.
Through Nonprofit411, Barton trains and advises nonprofits on fundraising systems that bring in steady revenue year after year. She draws on her years inside full development offices and university advancement to help teams strengthen supporter relationships, improve stewardship, build grant strategy, and bring boards into fundraising. Her work makes fundraising the whole organization's job.
She has helped raise more than $17 million and trained more than 3,000 nonprofit professionals. She has taught at national and state conferences, including the Nonprofit Fundraising Summit, the Nonprofit Marketing Summit, ConnectionFest, Nonprofit LEADS, and the West Virginia Nonprofit Association. She created the Generosity Engine, a framework built on clarity, connection, and capacity, to help nonprofits build fundraising they can keep up.
Sarah also hosts the Nonprofit411 podcast, a 30-minute show for nonprofit professionals across the country. Each episode features a guest who works with nonprofits and shares a practical approach listeners can use at their own organization. The show has more than 60 episodes, with a new one each week.
Sarah sees nonprofits as the backbone of their communities. They provide services such as childcare and healthcare that many people depend on daily. To her, good fundraising comes down to relationships and to giving people the chance to invest in causes they care about.
For young women entering the sector, Sarah recommends building strong business sense and staying curious. Both help a new professional understand how an organization works and where it can grow. She also urges them to pace themselves, because lasting impact takes ambition and habits that prevent burnout.
Sarah has been married for 24 years and is the mom of three young adults. Outside work, she loves papercrafting, cooking, and time with friends.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Sarah
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to curiosity, persistence, experience, and a commitment to continuous learning. After more than 25 years in the nonprofit sector and raising approximately $17 million throughout my career, I have learned to look beyond the immediate challenge and identify the systems, processes, and knowledge needed to create sustainable growth. My experience has shown me that nonprofits rarely lack passion; more often, they need stronger infrastructure, fundraising systems, business practices, and shared organizational knowledge to turn that passion into lasting impact. I am also committed to asking better questions, challenging assumptions, and continually learning from the people and organizations I serve. Most importantly, I believe in building systems that empower entire organizations rather than allowing fundraising and institutional knowledge to depend on one person. That philosophy has shaped my work with Nonprofit411 and continues to drive my commitment to helping nonprofit leaders build organizations that are sustainable, resilient, and capable of serving their communities for generations.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I have received is that I cannot pour endlessly from an empty cup. In nonprofit work, it is easy to become deeply invested in solving every problem and helping every person, but sustainable leadership requires boundaries, rest, and the willingness to step away when necessary. I have learned that stepping away from work does not mean stepping away from my purpose; creating space to rest, reflect, and recharge allows me to return more focused, strategic, and resilient. I also believe curiosity is one of the most valuable qualities a leader can develop. Asking why something works, why it does not, and whether there is a better way can uncover opportunities for meaningful improvement. Ultimately, I encourage leaders to build organizations where success does not depend entirely on one person, because creating sustainable systems allows both the organization and the people leading it to thrive.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
My advice to young women entering the nonprofit sector is to develop strong business acumen and never underestimate the value of understanding how an organization operates financially and strategically. Nonprofits are mission-driven, but they still require sound business practices to remain sustainable and effective. I encourage women to learn from the business community, understand what questions to ask, and pay attention to the details that influence organizational growth and decision-making. Most importantly, lean into curiosity. Ask questions, seek to understand how and why things work, and remain open to learning from every experience. Curiosity can uncover opportunities, strengthen leadership skills, and help you become a more thoughtful and effective professional.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the biggest challenges I see in the nonprofit sector right now is burnout, particularly when leaders are carrying significant responsibilities without the resources, systems, or organizational support they need to sustain their work. I also believe there is a growing need for stronger business acumen among nonprofit leaders, especially in smaller organizations where resources and opportunities for leadership development can be limited. At the same time, I see tremendous opportunity for nonprofits to strengthen their fundraising infrastructure, develop shared leadership, and create sustainable systems that distribute knowledge and responsibility across the organization. When nonprofits invest in these areas, they can grow their missions, strengthen their impact, and create healthier environments where the people leading the work can thrive.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values most important to me, both personally and professionally, are purpose, service, curiosity, compassion, integrity, sustainability, and community. I believe nonprofit work should improve people’s lives, but I also believe the people doing that work deserve organizations that support their health, growth, and long-term well-being. Integrity means creating systems that are honest, transparent, and aligned with the mission rather than focused solely on short-term results, while compassion means caring not only about the communities we serve but also about the leaders and teams committed to that work. Ultimately, I believe nonprofit leaders should not have to sacrifice themselves to sustain their missions. Through my work with Nonprofit411, I strive to help organizations replace uncertainty with structure, burnout with sustainability, and individual dependence with systems that empower entire teams and give good organizations the foundation they need to continue making a meaningful difference in their communities.
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