Troy Gonda, Development Consultant

Troy Gonda has built his career on one simple but transformative truth: relationships sustain impact. From his earliest days in ministry fundraising to leading multimillion-dollar campaigns, Troy has seen time and again that authentic, long-term donor relationships are the cornerstone of lasting nonprofit success.

Fresh out of graduate school, Troy stepped into the high-pressure world of nonprofit fundraising with Young Life, where he was challenged to raise funds from day one. Guided by seasoned mentors and fueled by his intuitive, relational approach, Troy secured his first major gift within six months. This early success set the tone for a career defined by trust-building, collaboration, and results.

After moving his family closer to home in Connecticut, Troy became Pastor of Operations for a local church, where he spearheaded a successful ministry rebrand, increased annual giving, restructured ministry teams, and even secured funding for a clean-water project in Zimbabwe. His ability to pair vision with execution quickly marked him as a leader who could inspire people and deliver tangible outcomes.

Troy’s development expertise deepened during his tenure as Senior Development Officer at Bridgeport Rescue Mission. There, he helped build a high-performing fundraising team and introduced a portfolio-based donor strategy focused on major and mid-level gifts. During his tenure, annual revenue grew from $2 million to nearly $7 million in just four years. He also played a pivotal role in managing the organization’s $15 million capital campaign, which led to the acquisition and renovation of a 60,000-square-foot community care center.

Building on this success Troy stepped into the Director of Development role at Beth El Center, where he not only established and grew the organization’s first development department but also designed a long-term growth strategy grounded in major and mid-level donor cultivation. Partnering closely with the Executive Director, he implemented an executive-level donor strategy and recruited and led a Development Committee of board members, empowering them to take ownership of events and fundraising initiatives. This move represented a natural progression in Troy’s career—from leading within a large development team to shaping the entire development function of a start-up organization.

In 2021, Troy combined his passion for community service and his fundraising expertise to launch The City Mission. As Founder and Executive Director, he applied his proven relationship-based strategies to grow the nonprofit’s reach and impact in just four years—a testament to the power of mission-driven leadership and authentic donor engagement.

He has worked with organizations such as Young Life, Liquid Church, Motion Church, Bridgeport Rescue Mission, and Beth El Center, helping teams align their mission with sustainable development practices. Today, Troy continues to support nonprofits through consulting services in fundraising strategy, donor development, and communications.

Troy and his wife, Meg, have been married for 16 years and are the proud parents of five beautiful children. His professional journey is matched only by his personal commitment to faith, family, and building communities where generosity can thrive.