About Mitzie

Mitzie is a full-time consultant with GSB Fundraising helping nonprofits and churches tell their story in ways that increase engagement. She specializes in strategic planning, annual fund, planned giving, and the Donorarc story-based fundraising model training and coaching. She has more than 15 years of experience in non-profit executive leadership and fund-raising for organizations, including Epworth Children’s Home in Columbia, SC, the ELCA Foundation, and NovusWay.

One of her specialties is helping non-profit organizations implement systematic, best-practice approaches that shift toxic institutional cultures to healthy, thriving ministries. The focus is on transparency, human resource management, communication, and accountability. She utilizes these strategies to strengthen relationships among staff, the board, and constituents. Healthy organizations raise more money.

She also specializes in growing passion, engagement, and giving to non-profits. In her first 3 years at Epworth, she implemented a system she designed and titled “Anchor Storytelling.” The annual fund grew from $1.4 million to $2.6 million. At NovusWay, using the same system, she grew giving 68% over 12 months ($1,078,000 to $1,809,000). In her last two years at the ELCA Foundation, she helped congregation members take the necessary steps to create charitable estate plans that will gift more than $24 million to churches, church-related non-profits, and other charities.

Mitzie serves on the board of The United Methodist Camp & Retreat Ministries Association (UMCRM) which is committed to providing resources, advocacy, inspiration, and networks to enhance the effectiveness and sustainability of camp and retreat ministries. She served a term on the SC Synod Council and has served on the Bishop’s Mutual Ministry Committee for 10 years. Mitzie is an avid quilter, writing her own patterns in Newberry, SC where she lives with her husband, Pastor Jason. She is the mother of two. Ella is an engineering major at Clemson, and her son Micah will be at Winthrop in the fall.

Some Current & Past Clients

Nonprofits & Outdoor Ministries

Barth Syndrome Foundation

Camp Asbury, UMC, OH

Flathead Lake UM Camp, Rollins, MT

Pecometh UM Camp, Centreville, MD

ECCCM, Conover, NC

Mo - Ranch Camp (Presbyterian), Hunt, TX

Ferncliff Camp and Conference Center (Presbyterian), Little Rock, AR

Dallas Christian Ministry, Dallas, NC

Massanetta Springs Camp (Presbyterian), Harrisonburg, VA

Camp Hanover, Mechanicsville, VA

Johnsonburg Camp and Retreat Center (Presbyterian)

Camp Fellowship (Presbyterian), Waterloo, SC

Camp Wyoming (Presbyterian), Wyoming, IA

William Black Lodge, Montreat, NC

The Newberry Museum, Newberry, SC

SC Christian Action Council, Columbia, SC

CREATE Newberry, Newberry, SC

Large Church Bodies

Southern Ohio Synod, ELCA

Southeastern Synod, ELCA

Indiana-Kentucky Synod, ELCA

South Carolina Synod, ELCA

Northeastern Ohio Synod, ELCA

Southwestern Texas Synod, ELCA

Virginia Synod, ELCA

Congregations & Faith Communities

Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Gaithersburg, MD

Luther Place Memorial Church, Washington, DC

Our Saviour Lutheran Church, Arlington Heights, IL

Bethel UMC, Spartanburg, SC

Winnetka Congregational Church, Winnetka, IL

Good Shepherd Lutheran, Madison, WI

All Souls Interfaith Gathering, Shelburne, VT

Emmanual Lutheran, Naples, FL

St. John’s Lutheran Church, Walhalla, SC

St. Philip Lutheran Church, Myrtle Beach, SC

Mt. Tabor Lutheran Church, West Columbia, SC

Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Hickory, NC

Epiphany Lutheran Church, Winston-Salem, NC

Christ Lutheran Church, Washington, DC

Augsburg Lutheran, Winston-Salem, NC

Hope Lutheran, The Villages, FL

Abiding Presence Lutheran, Burke, VA

Trinity Lutheran Church, Moorhead, MN

St. Luke’s Lutheran Church, Summerville, SC

Zion Lutheran, Lexington, SC

What Clients Are Saying

A letter to church leaders who helped her small church learn more about implementing a Donorarc based Evangelism Strategy.

Pastor Patti & Synod Staff,


Thank you so much for believing in the future of BethEden Lutheran Church! Your generosity offered us the greatest gift in Mitzie Schafer!

Mitzie’s work capturing the stories of BethEden dovetailed perfectly with Synod Assembly’s theme of UnMute Yourself & Tell Your Story! Her Donorarc way of interviewing is a great model to inspire people to see God’s presence in their lives & to tell their story. I am so grateful for the refreshing hope both inspired!

Mitzie’s way of presenting combined deep knowledge of marketing, social media & business with her deep love of the church. She defined the different motives of insider/outside materials. She encouraged us to be who we are, as the church God called us to be, not what some people define as a church these days. Mitzie offered many useful ways to let people know the church offers what people are hungry for even if they don’t know what they’re searching for.

Mitzie was a fresh set of eyes on our current online & print presence. She even has a kind way to point out when we are overloading people with information and asking for help too many times. She taught us the importance of balancing deposits or inspiration with withdrawals or asks. Even as we told stories of mundane activities, she saw God showing up all around us & encouraged us to use these to inspire others!

I thank God for Mitzie and for the gifts of these sessions with her! Thank you, again, and stay tuned for a new website utilizing her simple structure & effective graphics, including a new logo she designed for us!

Summer peace & Prayers,


Pastor Stacey