UpCity Consulting
redesigning organizations for greater impact
How We Think
At UpCity, we believe organizations and companies are most stable and sustainable when they operate like businesses with heart.
UpCity consultants are highly creative, wickedly sharp, and impressively resourceful. We are also professional, fast, and affordable.
WE AFFIRM
Delight, prosperity and social innovation
Representative short- and long-term strategic action plans
Efficient, dynamic organizational systems and structures
Diversified revenue streams, including earned income
Fairly compensated employees who relish work/life balance
Professional, collaborative boards
Hearty laughter and candid conversation
WE PROTEST
Martyrdom, scarcity, and static thinking
Top-down, long-term strategic plans that live on a shelf
Absent or fractured structures and systems
Dependence on a single funding stream, e.g., grants
Underpaid staff battling burnout
Unprofessional, disengaged boards
Cynicism and murky communication
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What We Do
UpCity consultants strengthen and stabilize communities, as well as the nonprofits and businesses that serve them.
Our innovative approaches are holistic in scope and carefully tailored to an agency's specific goals and objectives.
EXPERTISE
EXPERIENCE
EQUITY AND INCLUSION
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Culture assessment and transformation
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Recruitment, onboarding, and retention strategies to support diverse teams
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Digital and remote workforce tools to cultivate connection and belonging
ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
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Short- and long-term strategic plan development and implementation
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Board/staff recruitment and training
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Executive coaching, interim management, and founder transition support
RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
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Complex, short- and long-term planning
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Major gifts, social enterprise, and earned income opportunities development
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Public relations, marketing, and communication, including social media
OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT
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Team collaboration tool implementation (e.g., Slack, Zoom, Asana, Basecamp)
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Constituent database assessment, recommendations, and integration, with special expertise in Salesforce, Raiser's Edge, DonorPerfect, and Little Green Light
Who We Serve
Our talented team members have worked for and consulted with many reputable organizations around the world:
Africa Bridge
Airway Science for Kids, Inc.
American Lung Association
Assistance League of Greater Portland
Black Parent Initiative
Community Cycling Center
Doernbecher Children’s Hospital
Earthrise at Lewis & Clark Law School
Medical Teams International
Mercy Corps
MODE Studios
Multnomah Education Service District
OPAL Environmental Justice
Olivia Travel
OPEN Schools
Oregon Entrepreneurs Network
Oregon Health & Science University
Oregon Humanities
Portland Community Football Club
Ronald McDonald House Charities
Portland Community College
Start Making a Reader Today (SMART)
UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital
United Way of the Columbia-Willamette
University of Oregon
U.S. Peace Corps
Our Team
Rebecca 'Beck' Channer
FOUNDER & PRINCIPAL
[she/they]
A dynamic NGO leader and passionate social entrepreneur, Beck brings over 20 years of international experience stewarding diverse communities, families and children.
Beck greets every personal and professional interaction through a lens of equity and belonging. She holds herself accountable as both anti-racist and accomplice in the pursuit of social justice.
Beck's primary areas of expertise: executive coaching; strategic organizational development; people management; systems design and implementation; and leadership transitions.
Beck has worked closely with small, grassroots organizations, as well as large, professional companies both in the United States and abroad. She also served as a community development volunteer with the Peace Corps in Namibia.
Alongside an expansive career in the NGO sector, Beck is a graduate of Founder Gym and created several unique social ventures over the years, most recently: CodeBreakers. She is also a head coach for Seth Godin's international altMBA program.
In 2023, Beck graduated with honors from a yearlong residency program in end-of-life/spiritual care at UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital. Today she applies these skills as a pediatric hospice volunteer with George Mark Children's House and Anchor Health in the San Francisco Bay Area.
In her free time, Beck is an avid bike commuter (one set of All-City wheels in particular), tireless idea generator, and Chicago-style pizza connoisseur.
Testimonials
LISA PERRIN
IT Project Manager,
MACRO.CSS
"Rebecca was hired as CEO at a time of enormous transition in the organization. The project I was managing was already underway when she arrived and she immediately added value. She jumped aboard, got up to speed quickly and provided leadership and support at critical junctures. She was an ideal manager to work for because she trusted me to do my job but was decisive and available when I needed her. She has an amazing ability to get down in the weeds but still see the big picture."
MICHAEL ACHTERMAN
Program Officer,
Oregon Community Foundation
“Rebecca is a passionate, motivated, and well-organized leader committed to developing and executing complex and challenging projects and initiatives. Her writing and team-oriented approach was key to producing high-quality work. She treats coworkers with tremendous respect and is a true mentor. I highly value Rebecca's talents, visionary leadership, and positive attitude. She is an exceptional asset to non-profit organizations, research groups, schools, and businesses alike.”
Contact Us
UpCity Consulting
Rates
We offer sliding scale rates based on an organization's budget size, ranging from $175-$250 per hour. Project-based agreements receive a 10% discount.