Helping Transform Your Philanthropic Vision into Meaningful Impact
You believe in the power of giving. You have the resources to make a difference. Yet the path to creating lasting change isn’t always clear. Learn how working with Amy Holdsman can transform your family’s philanthropy.
Amy Holdsman
President & CEO, Essential Leadership
Why Essential Leadership?
Amy Holdsman brings over two decades of experience in philanthropic advising, family dynamics, and strategic grantmaking. As a Professional Certified Coach and Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy, she guides families through the complex landscape of meaningful giving with both expertise and heart.
Where Impact Meets Intention
As families evolve in their philanthropic journey, common questions emerge:
- How do we translate our values into meaningful action?
- What strategies will create the greatest impact in our chosen areas?
- How do we engage the next generation in our family’s legacy of giving?
- Where do we begin to address the complex challenges in our communities?
Your Guide to Purposeful Philanthropy
At Essential Leadership, we partner with individuals and families to unlock their full potential for creating positive change. Through a thoughtfully designed journey of discovery and strategic planning, we help you move from aspiration to action.
Our Approach
We combine deep expertise in philanthropic governance and grantmaking with professional coaching to help you:
- Align your giving with your core values and vision
- Create effective family governance structures that honor all voices
- Develop clear frameworks for impactful grantmaking
- Design engaging learning experiences that bring family members together
- Build sustainable systems for long-term philanthropic success
Amy Creates Real Outcomes for Family Foundations
See for yourself the impact on philanthropic organizations across the country
“From the ground work that we started by identifying our passions for philanthropy, to developing our Mission, Vision and Values, to the creation of a ‘road map’ as to the ‘who, how and why’ of thinking about how to go about making the many decisions that any new foundation must make to be effective, to the actual creation of our Task Forces, and broadening and deepening of our scholarship program and much, much more, Amy has brought her considerable skills, thoughtfulness and empathy to helping us bring into full life the dream of my parents for our family to work together to do good. And, she has been instrumental in the work that serves our twin goals of building connective tissue of the family and doing impactful philanthropic work for the community.”
— Richard J. Green, Executive Chairman and Owner, Firstrust Bank; Trustee, Green Family Foundation
What Makes Essential Leadership Unique
Essential Leadership goes beyond traditional consulting. We understand that family philanthropy requires careful attention to:
- Family dynamics and relationships
- Individual learning styles and interests
- Legacy preservation and evolution
- Cross-generational engagement
- Collective decision-making
Every engagement is customized to your family’s specific needs, timeline, and goals. Whether you’re planning for succession, engaging the next generation, or refining your foundation’s focus, we create a structured yet flexible process to help you achieve your philanthropic aspirations.