Sara Hackett
Sara Hackett is a dedicated nonprofit leader with nearly two decades of experience in philanthropy, fundraising, and social impact strategy. She has led corporate partnership programs, guided philanthropic investment strategies, and supported mission-driven organizations in building donor-centric approaches that generate sustainable, community-based impact.
Sara’s career has spanned both nonprofit organizations and private philanthropy. She has developed and managed national corporate engagement strategies, trained staff and boards in partnership development, and strengthened institutional giving efforts across diverse sectors. In philanthropy, she helped shape early grantmaking strategies for family foundations, aligning investments with local leadership and capacity to drive long-term community outcomes. Earlier in her career, she led development and community programs at health and human service organizations. Sara managed fundraising campaigns, worked closely with corporations, foundations, individual donors, and direct mail programs securing transformational gifts
Her leadership extends to nonprofit governance and community service. She currently serves on the board of a Kansas City–based nonprofit supporting families navigating developmental delays, where she has helped guide strategic planning, governance, and the organization’s first comprehensive fundraising plan. She also volunteers with local education initiatives and is a proud foster parent.
Sara is a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) and holds a Master’s in Philanthropic Studies from the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, as well as a Fundraising Certificate from UCLA. She is currently applying to the Doctor of Education program in Higher Education Administration at the University of Kansas, where she plans to expand her research and teaching in nonprofit leadership, fundraising, and governance.