ebersmith coaching & consulting
Stronger boards, smarter systems, and practical tools that help nonprofits focus on what matters most
We help nonprofit teams across the country strengthen governance, streamline operations, and make clearer decisions. Our approach draws on BoardSource-aligned frameworks, LEGO® Serious Play® facilitation, and AI-powered tools built for the real world of nonprofit work.
What We Do
We help nonprofit teams work more clearly and confidently with practical tools, stronger governance, and hands-on facilitation grounded in real-world nonprofit experience.
BOARD DEVELOPMENT & GOVERNANCE
Build a Stronger Board
Your board should be a strategic partner, not a source of frustration. As a BoardSource-certified governance consultant, Jeff brings nationally recognized frameworks to help boards understand their role, lead with confidence, and work in genuine partnership with staff.
LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® FACILITATION
Think Differently
LEGO® Serious Play® is a research-backed facilitation method that helps teams surface ideas, solve complex problems, and build shared understanding, in ways that traditional meetings never will. Jeff is a certified facilitator who brings this approach to strategic planning, team alignment, and board retreats.
SYSTEMS & OPERATIONS
Make the Day-to-Day Work Better
Nonprofit teams are stretched thin. We help clean up workflows, reduce friction, and put practical systems in place so your people can focus on the work that actually drives your mission forward, including smart, responsible use of AI tools to save time and improve decision-making.
DECISION MAKING SUPPORT
Prioritize the Right Work
When everything feels urgent, nothing gets the attention it deserves. We help nonprofit teams build practical tools and frameworks, like matrix maps, scorecards, and client feedback loops, so your organization can make clearer, more mission-aligned decisions with confidence.
How We Work
Every engagement starts with listening. We learn how your team actually works, not how your org chart says it should, and build from there. Three principles guide everything we do.
Practical Systems
When the basics run smoothly, your team can focus on the work that actually matters. We help clean up processes, reduce friction, and make daily tasks easier for the people doing them, whether that means rethinking a workflow, introducing an AI tool, or simplifying how your board gets information.
Stronger Governance
Good governance shouldn’t be confusing or overwhelming. We help boards understand their role, make informed decisions, and stay aligned with the organization’s mission. Our work is grounded in BoardSource’s trusted frameworks, adapted for your organization’s real-world context.
Better Decision-Making
Nonprofit decisions are often made under pressure and with limited time. We help organizations create systems that support clear priorities, transparent choices, and consistent follow-through, using tools like matrix maps, scorecards, and client feedback loops.
About Us
Nonprofit work is complex enough. Your systems shouldn’t make it harder.
We help nonprofit teams work more clearly and confidently, with better systems, stronger governance, and practical tools that fit how your team actually operates. Our work blends nationally recognized governance standards with hands-on facilitation and real-world nonprofit experience.
Founded by Jeff Smith and Brian Ebersole, ebersmith coaching & consulting delivers real-world nonprofit insight, board experience, and clear, actionable strategy to teams across the country.
Meet Your Partners
Practical support shaped by over four decades of real nonprofit experience.
Jeff Smith
Principal & Lead Consultant
Jeff helps nonprofits work more clearly and confidently by untangling the systems that slow teams down. A BoardSource-certified governance consultant and certified LEGO® Serious Play® facilitator, Jeff brings hands-on nonprofit and grantmaker experience with a focus on board development, organizational decision-making, and practical, day-to-day operations. He’s also at the forefront of helping nonprofits explore how AI tools can streamline workflows and strengthen decision-making.
Jeff leads client engagements, develops tools and processes, and helps organizations create sustainable, human-centered workflows that simplify work, strengthen decision-making, and increase impact.
Brian Ebersole
Strategic Advisor
Brian brings 20+ years of leadership across healthcare, government, education, and nonprofit settings. He currently serves as Senior Vice President of Ecosystem Development, guiding major community health and medical education initiatives.
At ebersmith coaching & consulting, Brian advises on systems-level strategy, helping organizations strengthen governance, improve communication, and align decision-making with mission and long-term outcomes. His perspective adds depth in program development, evaluation, executive leadership, and mission-driven decision-making.
Blog
Mid-Year Reality Check: Matrix Mapping for Nonprofits
Budget conversations are coming, and if you’re like most nonprofit leaders I’ve worked with, there’s probably a program or two that you’ve been quietly avoiding talking about.
You Don’t Need a New You. You Need 1% Better.
You don’t need a new you to start the year well. A 1% better approach focuses on small, sustainable improvements that actually stick.
When’s the Last Time You Walked Your Donor Journey?
Most nonprofits think carefully about how to ask for donations. The appeal letter gets reviewed by multiple people, the donation page gets tested, and the Giving Tuesday email gets workshopped until every word feels right. But here’s the question almost no one asks: What happens after someone gives?