Frequently Asked Questions

DonorsShield is hired by and reports to donors, endowment committees, or family offices—not the nonprofit's management and not the general contractor. Our fiduciary duty is to donor interests and stewardship. This independence ensures our analysis and recommendations are unbiased and focused solely on protecting philanthropic capital.

No. DonorsShield does not replace the general contractor, architect, or owner's representative. We provide a complementary layer of independent oversight focused on donor interests. If an owner's rep is engaged, they manage day-to-day project execution while we provide fiduciary oversight and reporting to donors and boards.

DonorsShield is compensated via fixed fees or retainers paid by donors or endowment committees. We never accept percentage-of-savings fees or any compensation structure that creates incentive conflicts. Our fees are transparent, agreed upon in advance, and never tied to project costs or outcomes.

While our typical engagements involve projects in the $5M–$100M range, we have worked on projects as small as $2M and as large as $200M+. Project size is less important than stewardship need. If donor capital is at stake and governance oversight is required, we can help.

Yes. We understand the sensitive nature of major gifts and institutional relationships. All DonorsShield engagements are conducted with appropriate confidentiality. Our reports are shared only with the parties you designate (e.g., donors, endowment committees, board members), and we do not publicly disclose client engagements without explicit permission.

Yes. While most of our engagements are U.S.-based, we have provided oversight for nonprofit projects in Canada, Europe, and Latin America. We work with local cost estimators and contract experts as needed to ensure our analysis is appropriate for regional construction markets and legal frameworks.

Absolutely. While we prefer to engage before a project begins (to optimize budgets and contracts proactively), we frequently join projects mid-stream when donors or boards become concerned about cost overruns, change orders, or lack of transparency. We can conduct forensic reviews of work completed to date and establish rigorous oversight going forward.

A traditional owner's rep is hired by the nonprofit and focuses on managing the project delivery team (architect, GC, engineers). DonorsShield is hired by donors/endowments and focuses on stewardship, transparency, and independent validation. We provide a donor-side perspective that complements—rather than replaces—traditional project management.

When we identify issues—whether cost inefficiencies, contract problems, or questionable change orders—we escalate them immediately to our clients (donors, endowment committees) with clear analysis and recommended actions. We work collaboratively with nonprofit leadership and project teams when possible, but our ultimate duty is to donor interests. We document findings thoroughly and help donors make informed decisions about next steps.

We work with a wide range of nonprofit institutions including: universities and colleges, independent K-12 schools, religious institutions (churches, synagogues, mosques), hospitals and healthcare organizations, museums and cultural institutions, and community nonprofits. What matters most is the presence of donor-funded capital and a need for independent stewardship.

No. DonorsShield is not a law firm or accounting firm. We provide construction oversight, project finance analysis, and fiduciary advisory services. We often work alongside legal counsel and auditors, and we can coordinate with your existing advisors as needed.