Nina Sharma West


Nina Sharma West As Director of Development at the Ad Council, Nina oversees fundraising efforts for the retail, financial services, insurance, and consulting industries. A fundraising professional with 10 years of experience, Nina covers trends in traditional non-profit fundraising. When she’s not fundraising or writing, she is a graduate student at NYU Wagner School of Public Service, a volunteer for Acumen Fund, and a budding violin student.

Posts by Nina:



Unrestricted Giving: A Fundraiser’s Dream

In late March, the New York Times broke a story that was music to my fundraising ears:  Philanthropist Ann Ziff made a gift of $30 million to the Metropolitan Opera – the largest single gift from an individual in the organization’s history.  That should be enough, right? 

Wrong.

The. Gift. Is. Unrestricted.  

Why is this significant?

Because contributions of [...]

Power of the Personal Ask

Personal fundraising pages are nothing new.  Anyone who’s ever participated in a Breast Cancer or MS run/walk has set up their own fundraising page to help them support the organization.  These pages allow the runner (walker, wheeler, rocker, etc.) to make a personal fundraising appeal to their own friends and family.  And as all of [...]

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year.

It’s here.  Hanukkah ends on Friday, Christmas is right around the corner, retail stores are bursting at the seams with holiday shoppers and seasonal staffers.  Our mailboxes and inboxes are clogged with coupons and catalogs,  and our bellies with far too many cookies.

It’s the hap-happiest season of all.  Just ask a fundraiser.

Chances are that you’ve [...]