About Us
We believe that financial empowerment equips individuals and teams to blaze their unique pathways to community prosperity.
We have more than 40 years combined experience creating community change through nonprofits, small businesses and government agencies. We understand that every person, every organization and every community is unique.
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Dave Keiser - Partner
Dave looks for causes and effects. Whether in a database or a fundraising strategy, he’s going to dive into relationships to figure out the impact. He has over 20 years of non-profit and public sector experience, ranging from geographic analysis, surveys and public policy to volunteer management, non-profit taxes, and event production.
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Dave earned a Master’s degree in Economics and Community Development from Western Illinois University and a Bachelor’s degree in Biology from Hastings College. He also holds a Graduate Certificate in GIS from Tennessee State University and a Basic Economic Development Certificate (BEDC) from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. Dave is a fifth-generation farmer from Nebraska, but has lived in Colorado, Illinois, Tennessee, and Morocco where he served as a Peace Corps Volunteer. You’ll now find him hiking, cycling, and paddling all over western North Carolina.
Amanda Frick Keiser - Partner
Amanda is an Accredited Financial Counselor® (AFC®) whose expertise lies in developing and implementing financial empowerment programs. She has extensive community development experience, primarily in affordable housing and workforce development organizations. Amanda is passionate about financial education and is a skilled facilitator.
Amanda holds a Bachelor degree in Political Science from North Carolina State University and a Master degree in Public Administration from New York University. Amanda has roots in the mountains of North Carolina and the corn fields of central Missouri, served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Peru, and lived much of her adult life in New York City and Nashville. Now the proud owner of her childhood home in the Blue Ridge Mountains just south of Asheville and a certified Master Gardener, Amanda spends her weekends shaping the landscape around her and feeling grateful to be able to call this place home again.
We believe
The world is ever-changing; this constant state of flux offers countless opportunities to learn and grow.
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There are no easy answers or simple solutions to the complex and interwoven challenges our communities face.
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Every nonprofit, civic organization, government and business has a responsibility to create pathways to broader community prosperity.
A prosperous community is one in which a broad network of caring people and efficient organizations leverage their unique skills, perspectives and opportunities to positively impact their neighbors’ well-being.
Organizations are best able to create effective pathways to community prosperity when they incorporate diverse viewpoints and skillsets while working toward a clear and common purpose.
Common purpose is rooted in shared values.
OUR VISION
We envision a world in which all communities are supported by diverse and financially empowered teams who align their daily efforts with their communities’ evolving needs.
OUR MISSION
Providing relevant and actionable financial empowerment services so teams can meet their communities’ evolving needs with confidence.
Our Values
As we find ways to be good neighbors in our communities, we hold ourselves accountable to and look for partners who share the following values
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Adaptability: We adjust to new conditions. We recognize that our resources can be retooled for new purposes as our environment changes. We seek to grow not just in size, but also in knowledge, understanding, ability and capacity.
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Caring: We display kindness and compassion to others. We seek to better understand others’ experiences and world views. We understand that the topics we pay attention to and the causes we steer our limited resources toward reflect what we think is important.
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Collaboration: We work with others to reach shared goals. We are accessible and responsive. We are transparent and honest. We understand that conflict can arise when diverse viewpoints come together. We believe conflicts are best managed by creating cultures of empathy and trust.
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Efficiency: We believe that an endeavor is most successful when it prudently manages materials, energy, efforts, money and time to reach its desired impact. We are respectful of others’ time and resources. We accept real-world limitations without allowing them to constrain our creativity or limit our vision of what is possible.