WE’RE BFA.
Leslie Bluestone, CFRE, is the founder and principal consultant of Bluestone Fundraising Advisors LLC, launched in 2025 to help community colleges and small to mid-sized nonprofits strengthen and grow their fundraising programs.
Drawing on her extensive experience in community college fundraising, healthcare, and the performing arts throughout the Greater Philadelphia region, Leslie helps organizations increase their fundraising capacity to expand their impact in the community. Bluestone Fundraising Advisors is also part of a network of nonprofit consultants, enhancing the range and depth of services it offers.
ABOUT LESLIE
Leslie has over 25 years of experience in all areas of fundraising across a range of institutions in Greater Philadelphia, including community colleges, four-year colleges and universities, health systems and performing arts organizations.
Leslie was most recently the Associate Vice President of Development at Community College of Philadelphia where she oversaw the major gifts, planned giving and corporate and foundation relations programs. In addition, she led the fundraising for the College’s annual Black & Gold Gala, increasing revenue from $300,000 to a record high of $900,000. The event now raises over $600,000 annually. Her strategic approach to event fundraising has been featured in presentations at both regional and national conferences.
Prior to her work at Community College of Philadelphia, Leslie has also served as the Senior Director of Development at Montgomery County Community College, the Director of Individual Giving at the Mann Center for the Performing Arts, the Director of Development at Bryn Mawr Hospital and as a Major Gifts Officer at Bryn Mawr College. She began her career as a prospect researcher at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and then as the assistant director of Alumni Relations and Annual Giving at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing. Leslie has extensive experience in major gift fundraising, volunteer and board management and training, campaign management, planned giving, donor qualification, and executive staffing. She is known for building strong relationships with donors and advancing donor-centered, mission-driven fundraising efforts.
Leslie holds a bachelor’s degree from Barnard College in French and English Literature and a master’s degree in Comparative Literature from the University of Michigan. She is a Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE) and currently pursuing a Certification of Fundraising Management (CFRM) at the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at Indiana University.