About
My Why
Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has. – Margaret Mead
I was raised by a single mother in Dayton, Ohio, and like many Black families, we experienced our share of struggle. When times were hard, it was a local community – the Wesley Community Center – that was there us. They fed us, encouraged us, and gave me space to grow, learn, and lead. I still remember being part of their Girl Scout troop—one of the first places where I discovered that I was capable, worthy, and full of possibility.
Years later, I returned to that same center—not as a child in need, but as its Executive Director. Leading the very organization that once held my life together was one of the most personal and powerful assignments of my career. Every decision I made was rooted in a simple truth: I was there to make sure the Yvettes coming behind me had what they needed to thrive.
That experience anchored my purpose. I saw firsthand how under-resourced so many Black- and women-led nonprofits are, despite doing some of the most vital work in their communities. I also saw how transformational it can be when those organizations have the tools, funding, and support to lead with power and confidence.
That’s why I launched Yvette Kelly-Fields & Associates—to stand alongside nonprofit executives who are bold, brilliant, and ready to grow, but often excluded from traditional fundraising power circles. My mission is to help them maximize income, deepen their impact, and build organizations that can weather storms and sustain hope.
This isn’t just business for me. It’s full-circle work. It’s legacy work. It’s how I honor every person and every place that believed in me when I needed it most.
My Calling
My journey into fundraising began in high school. In my senior year, I unexpectedly became the leader of a student organization after our president quit. We needed $1,000 to fund our activities, but the coffers were empty. I almost gave up—until I remembered my years of selling Girl Scout cookies and raising money for trips. I knew how to fundraise; I just needed to apply it differently.
So I organized a Penny Drive with a pizza party incentive. Piggy banks, jars, and water coolers filled with coins and dollars. Within two weeks, we had raised all the money we needed. The winning class ate pizza until they were sick, and I had pulled off my first major gifts campaign.
From that experience, I learned three lessons that guide me to this day:
- The power of experience – start with what you know.
- The power of using what you have – leverage the resources at hand.
- The power of belief – when you believe in something bigger than yourself, others will too.
These principles are the foundation of every training and coaching session I lead. I teach leaders how to weave them into every project—and every time, they hit their goal.
My Work Today
For 29 years, I’ve worked in the nonprofit sector, spending 20 of those years leading six- and seven-figure capital campaigns, building development departments from scratch, and executing annual and major gift strategies that increased giving from individuals, corporations, and foundations.
I’ve served as Executive Director for two organizations—UpDayton and Wesley Community Center—and worked with Urban League and Habitat for Humanity in Dayton. Today, I serve part-time as Regional Director of Development for Miami University while also working as a fractional fundraiser for small and mid-sized nonprofits with budgets between $250,000 and $1 million. I help them design and execute annual campaigns, end-of-year appeals, major gift strategies, and grant proposals that fuel growth.
My life’s calling is simple: to equip socially driven leaders with the fundraising tools and strategies they need to secure the dollars to solve the problems they see in their communities.