Geoffrey W. Peters, a former law school dean turned fundraising executive who helped to raise billions of dollars for nonprofits and sued state and local regulators regarding what leaders believed were duplicate and unconstitutional registration regulation, announced he is retiring.
Peters most recently was a board member and former president of constituent experience management (CXM) and technology firm Moore.
Peters’ career includes decades of contributions to the nonprofit fundraising field. He has received some of the industry’s most notable honors, including Lifetime Achievement Awards from multiple publications, the Max Hart Award from the Direct Marketing Association, Public Service Awards from the National Catholic Development Conference and the Direct Marketing Association of Washington, and recognition on The NonProfit Times “Power and Influence Top 50” list (2005 and 2006).
In addition to his work in fundraising, Peters led pro bono litigation on behalf of nonprofits across federal district courts, the 8th, 11th, and D.C. Circuit Courts of Appeal, and the Supreme Court of the United States. One of the major cases was suing Pinellas County, Florida. The county had passed a regulation requiring for-profit fundraising counsel to register in the county.
“That was a landmark case,” said Seth Perlman, named partner of law firm Perlman & Perlman, which also was involved in the case. “The county wanted fundraising consultants who were not in the county and whose clients were not operating within their jurisdiction” to register and pay fees, said Perlman. The consultants won and also received legal fees. The precedent has been used in other jurisdictions.
“He’s a tireless advocate and warrior for the nonprofit sector. I was surprised to hear he actually slept,” said Perlman.
Peters joined Creative Direct Response (CDR) in 1993, guiding the company through growth in clients, technology, and global expansion into 26 countries. Moore acquired CDR in 2011, and as the company grew, Peters became president of Moore, overseeing the development of its agency solutions. In 2019, he transitioned from managing the company to serve as chairman of the executive board, focusing on product innovation and the advancement of neuroscience to benefit clients and the missions they serve.
“Geoff’s leadership has been a pioneer in our industry and Moore,” said Gretchen Littlefield, CEO of Moore. “His guidance has helped raise billions of dollars for organizations improving lives around the world, and his dedication to developing future leaders has strengthened the entire sector. Geoff’s commitment to service will continue to influence Moore and the missions we serve.”
Peters was instrumental in launching the annual Bridge To Integrated Marketing and Fundraising Conference. He was key to bringing together the Washington, D.C. chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals and the Direct Marketing Association of Washington, which ran annual conferences that were duplicative and often money-losing. The conference now routinely has at least 2,500 attendees.
“We celebrated the 20th Bridge Conference this summer. Geoff Peters was a critical force in establishing this ‘must attend’ educational and networking event at the beginning,” said Karin Kirchoff, president of the board of the DMAW and president of agency K2D Strategies. “We are grateful to Geoff for his foresight and influence on the tens of thousands of direct response practitioners who’ve benefited from his leadership in the creation of this conference.”
Education was central to his work. Peters co-founded Philanthropy and Fundraising North America. He routinely taught fundraising at conferences in the United States and abroad. He lectured reporters of consumer publications on coverage of the sector as part of “The Fourth Estate and the Third Sector” series at the University of Mississippi funded by a grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. The program was later moved to Marshall University.
He was a driving force in creating The Nonprofit Alliance in 2018 when he believed the direct responsive field was not being served well by other associations. “Throughout his distinguished career, Geoff has been a tireless champion for the nonprofit community, devoting himself to protecting organizations from overreaching regulation and defending First Amendment rights,” said Shannon McCracken, president & CEO of The Nonprofit Alliance. “His principled stance on accountability has helped elevate standards across the sector, ensuring nonprofits maintain the public trust essential to their mission,” said McCracken. “The ‘Geoff Peters imprint’ on our field represents a legacy of principled leadership, innovative thinking, and unwavering dedication to the nonprofit mission.”
Peters lives in Sonoma County, California, where he runs an olive farm pressing organic olive oil. He continues to serve his local community through board service and training civilians as first responders during emergencies.
“Serving the nonprofit sector has been one of the great privileges of my life. I have been fortunate to support extraordinary missions and to help guide the next generation of professionals who will continue this work,” Peters said. “My years with Moore have been deeply rewarding, and I am proud of the company’s commitment to our clients’ success. The colleagues I leave behind are exceptional advocates, and I know they will lead our clients confidently into the future.
