Helmer is the firm's founding partner, now retired. His career in the field of philanthropy is an eclectic roster of local and national posts, including foundation and national association chief executive, publisher, grantmaker, spokesperson and fundraiser. This experience provides him a rare perspective that he puts to work in his consulting practice furthering philanthropy, whether advising foundations and organizations or guiding special projects.

Helmer served as president of the Giving Institute (formerly American Association of Fund-Raising Counsel, AAFRC) and its public service foundation the Giving USA Foundation (formerly AAFRC Trust for Philanthropy). The Giving Institute is the standard setter for ethical practice and professional conduct for fund-raising and philanthropic consulting. In addition, he was publisher of GIVING USA, the authoritative and most quoted report on philanthropy, published annually since 1955.

For 10 years he was CEO of one of the nation’s oldest and largest community foundations, the Community Foundation for Greater New Haven. This followed five years as its associate director during which time he served as chief financial officer and chief program officer. Helmer also served as a consultant to community foundations for the Council on Foundations’ Organizational Development Program. Prior to that, he organized and served as chief executive for a consortium of United Ways and service agencies in Connecticut. Earlier he had a number of assignments as a YMCA senior director, including field consultant for the National Council of YMCAs.

His various leadership roles have included chair of the National Committee on Community Foundations for the Council on Foundations, chair of the Connecticut Humanities Council, and member of Independent Sector’s GIVE FIVE National Advisory Committee, the Council on Foundations Program on Family Philanthropy Resource Materials and Programs Working Group, and the World Fund-Raising Council CEO Group.

Helmer is an experienced facilitator and trainer. He is trained in the Technology of Participation method of group facilitation as developed by the Institute of Cultural Affairs. Helmer holds a BS in business administration and an MBA from the University of New Haven. He is a native of Connecticut, where he currently resides.