Spotlight: Celeste Carlson
From Newcomer to Nonprofit Champion: How Celeste is Helping Nonprofits Thrive in KC
When Celeste Carlson moved to Kansas City in April 2023, she wasn’t just relocating—she was planting roots for both her family and her business. With Growing Good Consulting already launched the summer before, the move aligned perfectly with her mission to support nonprofits and build stronger communities.
“My family moved to KC in April of 2023 for my husband’s job. Since I launched Growing Good Consulting the summer prior, the timing was great for also moving my business.”
And Kansas City wasn’t a random pick. Celeste had her eye on us for years.
“We could have chosen any city in the US, but I’ve been attracted to KC for years. It is still ‘small’ as far as a city goes—but has so much rich culture with accompanying activities and restaurants. We are foodies and are enjoying exploring the scene in KC!”
Empowering Nonprofits—One Board at a Time
As Founder and CEO of Growing Good Consulting, Celeste brings over 20 years of nonprofit expertise to the table. Her firm focuses on helping nonprofits attract funding by strengthening one of their most under-leveraged assets: the board.
“Growing Good Consulting exists to help nonprofit leaders understand how to recruit, onboard, and train their members.”
And the need is massive. Did you know there are over 13,000 nonprofits in KC? In 2020, nonprofits represented over 11% of the gross metropolitan product. (Thank you to our friends at UMKC for their incredible research and reporting!) Celeste’s goal is to help those organizations make a bigger impact—by equipping their boards to do the same.
From EMBA to 1MC
Since arriving in Kansas City, Celeste has hit the ground running. She’s a recent graduate of UMKC’s Executive MBA program (with a certificate in Nonprofit Management and Innovation!). She is actively contributing to the entrepreneurial scene as an organizer for revitalized 1 Million Cups KC.
“The role is allowing me to expand my knowledge and understanding beyond resources for nonprofits—and understand resources for entrepreneurs.”
It’s all part of her bigger plan: to launch a regional curriculum designed to help nonprofit leaders build their dream teams.
“My goal is to have the curriculum written and the webinars on a platform by the end of Q3 so I can start sharing access to nonprofit leaders in the region and beyond.”
Why KC? The Answer is Community
From discovering the resource-packed GEWKC to navigating Kansas City’s supportive ecosystem, Celeste sees the city as a launchpad for creativity and impact.
“KC is a great place to be creative and fill a need in society.”
Her advice to other newcomers?
“Take advantage of the many ways to get connected and find your people.”
And we couldn’t agree more! In fact, it’s our number one priority! If you need help finding your people in KC, we encourage you to reach out!
Get Connected
You can learn more about Celeste’s work or reach out directly on LinkedIn or by visiting her website at growinggoodconsulting.com
Stay tuned for next week’s New2KC Spotlight on one of our UMKC friends we were telling you about up above – excited to share Dena Thomas-Aouassoua‘s New2KC story!
Know someone who’s story needs to be shared? Tell us—we love celebrating the people making KC stronger, one step at a time.