Tracy Ebarb Receives NANOE’s Lifetime Achievement Award

Tracy Ebarb is this year’s recipient of NANOE’s 2019 Kathleen Robinson Lifetime Achievement Award.  Tracy is the International Director of the National Association of Nonprofit Organizations & Executives (NANOE) headquartered in Washington, D.C. and has spent his entire career working to improve charitable capacity-building and the changing philanthropic landscape.

The Kathleen Robinson Life Achievement Award is issued to a NANOE member who has met two important criteria. First, the recipient has demonstrated a life-time commitment to building financial capacity building for nonprofits. Second, they have championed the message and cause of NANOE to charitable leaders around the world. Dr. Kathleen Robinson personally chose Tracy to receive this year’s issuance sharing, “Tracy is NANOE’s first adopter. His lifetime of service to the sector and his commitment to NANOE are unparalleled in both his actions and his words. He’s courageously carried our message of “significant impact” to leaders every where.” 

Tracy’s journey in the nonprofit world began in the early 80’s through his service on Church Staff as Youth Minister, Associate Pastor, Church Administrator, Director of Development and Stewardship and Senior Pastor. Tracy joined the renowned consulting firm of Cargill & Associates in 1998, designing and conducting over 60 Capital Stewardship Campaigns raising over $50 million dollars. As an independent Consultant, Tracy has traveled extensively overseas raising funds and working to develop humanitarian projects in the African nations of Sierra Leone, Malawi and Zambia, and the Central American nations of Nicaragua, Haiti and Honduras. As well as consulting and developing Capital Fundraising Campaigns in over 75 churches and nonprofits across the US. Until recently, Tracy has guided the International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame as the Director of Business Development. He has recently accepted the position of Chief Development Officer at Directions 12 Step, a residential chemical dependency campus in Dallas, TX. He holds all three NANOE Credentials including Certified Nonprofit Executive (CNE), Certified Development Executive (CDE) and Certified Nonprofit Consultant (CNC).

Tracy is fond of sharing, “Years ago singer/songwriter Jackson Browne made the phrase ‘running on empty’ famous, and in comparison that’s exactly what the nonprofit sector has been doing for decades! RUNNING ON EMPTY. Executives work harder than ever to secure a shrinking piece of the philanthropic pie. NANOE is the catalyst we’ve all been looking for and provides our members what they really need, the courage to challenge the status quo, and reshape our world!”

An accomplished pubic speaker and motivator, Tracy Ebarb has been privileged to speak to thousands of organizations in a variety of venues. He spent many years as a high school and small college radio sports broadcaster. Tracy and his wife Jacque are parents to 7 children ranging in age from 31 to 19.