A Direct Solution is pleased to be working with a team of specialists, which makes the agency as flexible as possible to serve our clients best. Depending upon the client’s needs, we will add freelance specialists and vendor partners.
__________________________________________________________________
Erica Waasdorp, President, A Direct Solution
Author. Presenter. Blogger. Monthly Donor Expert. Consultant.
Erica lives and breathes direct response and fundraising and can be considered a Philanthropyholic. Building partnerships and trying to find the best solution for members and donors and thus clients’ needs are what Erica does best. Her multi-lingual skills and multi-cultural experience are of added value to those clients interested in raising money internationally and her experience in monthly giving has given her an edge for those clients who are ready to embark on this way of giving.
Erica Waasdorp started A Direct Solution in December of 2003 with more than twenty years of experience in direct marketing, from both sides of the desk, on the client side and the agency side. She has since worked with numerous non-profit clients on and off-Cape as well as internationally.
A Direct Solution provides part-time fundraising executive support to organizations and manages events, writes grants and focuses on annual fund campaigns and monthly giving. In addition, ADS supports clients with request for proposals for outsourcing of their activities. Finally, Erica Waasdorp and her agency develop and execute training sessions and presentations to small and large nonprofit groups.
Before starting her own business, Erica was Vice President Fundraising at DMW Direct, a direct response fundraising agency in Plymouth. She was responsible for new business development, strategy and tactical execution. She helped her clients raise millions of dollars, acquiring and retaining thousands of their donors and members as well as starting and building sustainer programs.
On the client side, she was with the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) for seven years, last as Marketing Manager of Planned/Committed Giving. She raised $18 million a year (increased from $5 million) and directed acquisition, donor, monthly giving, major-donor and planned-giving programs in seven countries: US, Canada, UK, the Netherlands, Germany, Australia and South Africa. Her upgrade strategy for the monthly giving program in the UK won IFAW and their telemarketing agency the Gold UK DMA award and the Gold FEDMA Award in 1998.
Prior to working at IFAW, she worked with several companies in the Netherlands, including Readers Digest, Kluwer Academic Publishers and Reed Elsevier Seminars. Erica Waasdorp has a Marketing degree from Limburg Business College in the Netherlands as well as a degree in Public Relations (from the Dutch Public Relations Association NGPR) and Advertising from the International Advertising Association (IAA). Besides English, Erica Waasdorp speaks four other languages: Dutch, German, French and Spanish.
Erica Waasdorp writes, edits and advises various direct-marketing and national and international fund raising publications. She has written various articles about monthly giving, international fundraising, fundamentals of fundraising, writing and answering RFP’s and many more.
Erica Waasdorp is a Certified Master Trainer for the Association of Fundraising Professionals and sought-after webinar presenter. She has spoken at a multitude of nonprofit conferences, ranging from fundamentals of fundraising, to international fundraising, to direct mail and monthly giving. Audiences included : Association of Fundraising Professionals, National Catholic Development Conference, the Boston Foundation Giving Common, the Bridge Conference, DMA Nonprofit Federation, Washington, DC, the Direct Marketing Fundraisers Association, New York, New England Museum Association workshop, the New England Association for Health Care Philanthropy (NEAHP), the Massachusetts AFP Conference in Boston, AFP chapter meetings in Washington DC, Phoenix, AZ, Kansas City, MO, Midland, TX, New Orleans, LA, Richmond, VA, Treasure Coast, FL, Boston Fundraising Summit, Philanthropy Day on Cape Cod, Philanthropy Partners of the Cape and Islands and more.
In addition, she presents regular webinars for audiences nationwide and in Canada via Charity How To and many others. Erica Waasdorp is an avid blogger on #monthlydonormonday, Nonprofit Pro and very active in the fundraising and her own community.
She served as Publicity Chair for the 100th Anniversary Committee Cape Cod and Islands Boy Scouts, is a member of the Cape Cod Women’s Association, Direct Marketing Fund Raisers Association, Women in Development of Greater Boston, DMA Non-Profit Federation, Association of Fundraising Professionals, Association for Direct Fundraising Counsel (ADRFCO), now part of the Nonprofit Alliance.
Most recently Erica served on the Board and Education Committee of the Philanthropy Partners of the Cape and Islands (formerly Planned Giving Council of Cape Cod). She is recognized in the National Association of Professional Women and Biltmore Who’s Who. Finally, Erica Waasdorp was Co-Chair for Philanthropy Day on Cape Cod 2007, 2008 and co-chaired the 2007 DMA Nonprofit Federation Conference in Washington DC. She served on the Planning Committee for Philanthropy Day on Cape Cod, the DMA Nonprofit Federation in Washington DC, the Bridge Conference in Washington DC 2009 and 2010 and the National Catholic Development Conference in 2013.
Erica Waasdorp published her second book in May of 2021: Monthly Giving Made Easy. Her first book came out in the Fall of 2012: Monthly giving. The Sleeping Giant, available as paperbook and e-book. In May 2015, she co-authored the DonorPerfect Monthly Giving Starter Kit, followed by the Monthly Giving Marketing Kit early 2016. She created the Monthly Donor Road Map, e-books Top 7 Questions on Monthly Giving and the Monthly Donor Retention Play Book. From 2013 through 2018 she served as the US Ambassador to the IFC Congress, Noordwijk, the Netherlands.
__________________________________________________________________
Susan M. McGarry, Event Planner and Speaking Engagements 
Sue McGarry has worked in the non-profit sector since the late 1980’s, developing specific success in project management, marketing, public relations, grant writing and fundraising sectors. Sue held a senior management position at Junior Achievement of Eastern MA, located in Boston, and managed marketing and fundraising activities as director of development for Old Colony Hospice, based in Stoughton.
A move to Mashpee in 2000 led to a position at the Osterville Historical Museum. As executive director Sue managed daily operations, financial administration, public programming, marketing, and fundraising. Membership increased 120% and earned revenues 55% under her guidance via membership and major donor initiatives, direct mail campaigns, grant making, and corporate sponsorships.
In 2008 Sue moved to the Falmouth Public Library Foundation as executive director, eventually assisting the Board in sun setting the Foundation. In addition to operating McGarry Consulting Services, she joined A Direct Solution in late fall 2010. Ms. McGarry holds a B.S. from Curry College, and is a member of the Alexander Graham Bell Honor Society.
Maria Voogt, Direct Response Production Associate
Maria joined A Direct Solution in the Spring of 2021, after several years honing her Direct Marketing Production Management skills at various agencies and at the National Wildlife Federation.
She managed the execution of direct mail campaign for a variety of non-profit clients. Maria enjoys working on the production management side of direct marketing, establishing relationships with vendors, managing the many moving parts through the printers, data processing and letter/mail house shops. Appeals, Renewals, Acquisition, Sustainers, Newsletters, Maria has seen it all! She likes all aspects of Direct Marketing and makes sure to provide the best service and support and assuring deadlines are made.
Originally from the Netherlands, Maria lives in Herndon, VA with her family and enjoys horseback riding with her daughter.
__________________________________________________________________
Cindy Bulu, Direct Response Production Associate
Cindy came to A Direct Solution in 2021, after she moved back from Florida to be closer to her mom, kids and grand children.
Since attending Northeastern University, Cindy has spent more than 30 years in letter shop environments where she acquired extensive knowledge of direct mail marketing and production. Her expertise grew working with both agencies and nonprofit organizations.
She is responsible for coordinating the data processing, print, letter shop and mail management of each project under her purview. She is also involved in the estimating, invoicing and proposal processes. A former dancer (once shortlisted for the Boston Ballet) and cheerleader, Cindy still dances in her free time.
__________________________________________________________________
Sue Rich, General Virtual Assistant
Sue Rich has been managing data and people all her life! After 10 years as paralegal and office manager specializing in real estate law, she went on to support her husband’s auction business focused on lots of customer contact, extensive record keeping, and managing the finances and employees.
Her love of animals then brought her to become the personal assistant of the Founder of Pegasus Foundation, expanding her administrative and management skills yet again, adding research, managing properties and contractors. She also worked with Cape Wildlife in planning their fashion show fundraising events.
Several years later, she moved on to become the Programs Director at the Pegasus Foundation, reviewing grant applications, researching and recommending potential grantees, following up with grantees on program progress, reviewing program final reports; performing all bookkeeping services; preparing quarterly and annual financial reports for trustees; preparing annual report on programs for trustees.
In that role she worked closely with accountants, attorneys and trustees, was in charge of updating the website, created brochures, and represented Pegasus Foundation at animal welfare conferences.
Sue received her Grant writing Certificate of the American Grant Academy in 2013. Shortly after that she came into contact with Erica Waasdorp of A Direct Solution, who asked her to join as a virtual assistant, utilizing her grant writing skills and management experience.
Sue has lived in Massachusetts all her life and she’s been a Cape Codder since 1986. She lives with her husband Rob in Yarmouth Port and there’s always at least one animal in their life, if not more!
__________________________________________________________________
A Direct Solution regularly works with the following wonderful copy writers and creatives and accesses many more as needed for client projects.
Sue Oslund, Blue Sky Design Works
