About Us
We work with nonprofits to develop tools to communicate their mission and work, identify challenges and build the skills needed to address those challenges.
Kansas City has an amazing nonprofit community full of vibrant arts and cultural organizations, passionate health and human services organizations and innovative housing and environmental groups. Our nonprofit community contributes to the cultural vitality of our beautiful city, ensures the sustainability of its environment, and provides support to the people who live here.
Visit our Results page to see feedback from some of our clients and a list of great organizations we have served.
Our vision
A thriving nonprofit community with abundant resources.
Our Story
Futureful began in 2016. After several years in nonprofit administration, operations, and fundraising, founder Jaime Aguirre was searching for a way to expand the resources available to Kansas City nonprofits. She began with just two clients, and has grown solely through personal recommendations. Over the last five years, Futureful has grown to support dozens of nonprofits.
Today, the organization raises over $7 million per year for Kansas City nonprofits. Futureful’s team includes grant writers Amber Thumann, Tara Clevenger, and Shannon Carney.
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Jaime Aguirre
FOUNDER & OWNER
Jaime Aguirre is the founder/owner of Futureful Consulting (formerly Aguirre Nonprofit Consulting). She has 20 years of nonprofit experience, including fundraising, administration, operations, and governance. She works primarily with small to mid-sized nonprofits, strengthening each client's organizational health to ensure long-term fiscal and programmatic sustainability. Jaime was recently appointed to serve on the Willow Springs Fire Department Board of Directors. In her free time, she is a student of the natural world and loves growing things on her small family farm.
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Shannon Carney
GRANT WRITER & ADMINISTRATOR
We are excited to welcome Shannon Carney to the team as our new Grants Administrator! Shannon has worked in the Kansas City fundraising world for the past 5 years. She specializes in grant writing and resource development. In her most recent position at Legal Aid of Western Missouri, Shannon wrote private foundation, corporate, and government grants, successfully securing awards ranging from $5,000 to $500,000. In 2024, her team raised $13 million for the organization. Shannon recently earned her graduate certificate in Nonprofit Management and Development from the University of Missouri- Kansas City. She also holds a bachelor’s degree in History and Active Inquiry from William Jewell College.
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Tara Clevenger
WRITER & RESEARCHER
Tara Clevenger has worked with several different Kansas City non-profit organizations for the past 15 years. She specializes in arts organizations and health and human services. While she loves writing a good grant, she especially loves researching funding opportunities and finding the perfect fit. A graduate of William Jewell College, she spends her free time raising a passel of boys and enjoying every minute of it.
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Amber Thumann
GRANT WRITER
Amber Thumann is a sustainable systems educator, industrial engineer, and manager. She has 20 years of experience in people and project management and is an accomplished public speaker. She earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Industrial Engineering from the University of Arkansas and Pennsylvania State University, respectively. Amber currently lectures on sustainable agriculture and permaculture at the University of Kansas and Kansas State University.
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Patti Stengal
PROJECT MANAGER & GRANT WRITER
Patti Stengel joined Futureful in 2025. She has worked in federal grants administration for over 17 years where she has specialized in grant application review oversight and support to grantees throughout the grants lifecycle. She is especially proud of her work at AmeriCorps to start new grant programs and at FEMA to support disaster relief work. Patti earned her Master of Arts in Public Service - Nonprofit Management at Marquette University and her Bachelor of Social Work at the University of Missouri-Columbia. When not working on grants, she enjoys hiking and traveling, with a preference for both at the same time.