About White Whale partners

Our Belief, Practiced

White Whale Partners exists to strengthen leadership, governance, and fundraising structure inside mission-driven organizations.

That belief did not come from theory. It came from decades of working alongside founders, boards, executive teams, and philanthropic leaders navigating growth in real time — including directing and producing high-stakes signature fundraising efforts where leadership clarity made the difference between pressure and performance.

We saw capable organizations doing extraordinary work — yet stuck in cycles of reinvention. Fundraising succeeded, but often because a few individuals carried everything. When leadership changed, momentum reset.

We learned that fundraising problems are rarely about effort.
They are about structure.

White Whale Partners was built to change that — not by taking control, but by helping organizations build clarity, continuity, and sustainable growth from within.

How We Show Up

Working with White Whale should feel steady, thoughtful, and aligned.

We strengthen governance, leadership accountability, and fundraising strategy before designing signature fundraising experiences.

We take real complexity off your team’s plate — guiding decision-making, structuring growth, anticipating risk, and leading execution — while ensuring leadership remains informed and confident throughout the process.

We do not remove organizations from the work.
We help them lead it well.

That is how fundraising becomes strategic rather than reactive — and how signature moments become catalysts rather than annual stress points.

Strategy & Signature

White Whale Partners works at the intersection of strategic growth and signature fundraising.

Through White Whale Advisory, we guide governance alignment, leadership development, and sustainable fundraising strategy.

Through White Whale Signature, we design and lead high-impact fundraising experiences — directing program strategy, production leadership, and on-site execution so that the event reflects institutional strength rather than compensates for its absence.

Strategy comes first.
Signature follows by design.

The Tribal Workbook™

Staff and boards change. Institutional knowledge should not disappear with them.

Every White Whale engagement includes the development of a Tribal Workbook™ — a living, evolving playbook designed to preserve strategy, decisions, and institutional context over time.

It captures:

• Fundraising strategy and long-term growth direction
• Governance and leadership roles
• Decision-making rationale
• Vendor and partner relationships
• Donor and sponsor engagement insights
• Lessons learned across cycles

When leadership shifts — as it inevitably does — signature fundraising does not reset.

It evolves.

Founded By

White Whale Partners was founded by Marco Fields, whose career spans decades of advising complex organizations and guiding high-impact fundraising at scale.

From multi-million dollar signature events to governance strategy and philanthropic advisory work, Marco has worked alongside ultra-high-net-worth donors, executive teams, and board leaders to strengthen institutional clarity and long-term growth.

White Whale Partners reflects that experience — bringing strategic leadership and fundraising expertise together in one integrated firm.

Douglas County Philanthropy

White Whale Partners is a founding partner of Douglas County Philanthropy, a civic initiative dedicated to strengthening local philanthropy through education, leadership development, and curated peer engagement.

Through Learning Exchanges and collaborative initiatives, Douglas County Philanthropy creates space for nonprofit leaders and strategic partners to strengthen governance, donor relationships, and long-term sustainability.

White Whale Partners supports this work through strategic leadership engagement, while Douglas County Philanthropy operates independently to serve the broader community.

Learn More About Douglas County Philanthropy

White Whale Partners