Rise, Improve, Progress
Agaru Consulting partners with mission-driven organizations that wish to strengthen their foundations in order to have a positive impact on the world around them.
WHAT KEEPS US GOING
We are values-drive and people-centered.
We believe that people propel organizations.. Harnessing the knowledge, experiences, and principles of each individual puts organizations on the path to longevity and effecting positive change.
Agaru (pronounced “ah-gah-roo”) in Japanese means to rise, to improve, to make progress.
Our Favorite People
Agaru works with values-driven partners in the for-profit and third sectors who are working to create the conditions for people to thrive - both within their organizations and in the world around them.
NON-PROFITS
We rely on our over 20 years of experience supporting nonprofits across a variety of sectors. Our customized supports help elevate organizational capacity, drive effective strategy, and solve for the unique challenges faced in the sector.
FOUNDATIONS
Leveraging our experiences both in philanthropy and as “boots on the ground” in the non-profit space, we support grant-making and programmatic strategy grounded in the realities of grantees.
PRIVATE PARTNERS
We work with mission-driven companies to build the systems and practices that align their actions to their stated values.
How we do it
We partner with our clients through customized supports and by making their world a little smaller!
Our breadth of cross-sector experience enables us to “connect the dots,” relating clients to other potential partners and aligned initiatives in the spaces in which they operate in order to facilitate collective action, especially across the Gulf South.
We appreciate that organizations are as unique as the people within them. Agaru engagements are customized according to the particular needs and circumstances of each client. When we work with you, we see ourselves as a part of your team.
Our engagements are grounded in:
Client customization .
Relationships and connectivity
Continual learning
What we do
STRATEGY CONSULTNG
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We support clients in developing organizational, programmatic and grant-making strategy, as well as in building internal practices and systems that align with an inclusive culture. From building a firm-wide strategic plan, structuring a ground breaking initiative, or planning community engagement, we are your thought-partner to help you navigate the journey.
GOVERANCE SUPPORT
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Effective leadership is grounded in accountability to the community and to one’s organization. As a BoardSource certified consultant, we help nonprofits fortify their governance structures and practices to bolster their capacity to lead and sustain impact for the long-term.
FACILITATION
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We facilitate small team brainstorming sessions, large Board and Staff planning retreats, and convenings of actors from across the country. Whether operating in person or virtually, our customized agendas include engaging processes that ensure inclusive participation, creative idea generation, and stimulating discussion.
CLIENTS WHO TRUST OUR WORK
Our Founder
20+ YEARS OF EXPERIENCE
A Louisiana native, Maggie Pullen has a robust background in strategic planning, organizational development, and facilitation. She has worked at the global level with an international human rights NGO in policy, grant-making, and organizational development where she supported human rights groups in Asia and Latin America in developing strategy, aligning work plans, and establishing partnerships with local groups. In Louisiana, she has worked with organizations ranging from start-up social enterprises, environmental groups, grassroots advocacy and community development corporations, to established firms and philanthropic organizations. She also co-founded and was integral to the pilot of a start-up non-profit that works with organizations across all sectors on operationalizing commitments to diversity, equity, and inclusion.