The Preston Group

Organizational development and fundraising management

About Us


Founded in 1996 in Los Angeles, The Preston Group is a management consulting firm specializing in organizational development and fundraising management serving for-profit and non-profit organizations.


Molly Preston is a professional fundraiser who has spent 17 years serving California's non-profit community from Los Angeles to San Luis Obispo. In that time, she has established a distinguished record of fundraising and communications achievements.

Molly has particular expertise in emerging development programs, helping organizations to create and implement strategies to secure support through individual and major gifts, planned giving, event/corporate sponsorships and foundation grantsmanship. She has conducted prospecting and feasibility studies for capital and endowment campaign planning purposes. She has conducted donor prospecting studies, campaign readiness assessments and feasibility studies for capital and endowment campaign planning purposes.  She has created and implemented effective board development programs and facilitated board retreats.  Molly is expert at volunteer and staff leadership training in the art of fundraising.   Molly has produced award-winning publications, including annual reports, campaign case statements, and donor and foundation proposals. She has developed and implemented public relations, marketing and advertising programs that secure support and raise awareness.

Molly's Southern California fundraising experience includes service to Los Angeles-area organizations such as Marlborough School, John Tracy Clinic, Pilgrim School, Union Rescue Mission, Camp Coca-Cola Foundation, Viewpoint School, YWCA Santa Monica/Westside, Loyola High School, and the USC Rossier School of Education. Molly's current and past clients along the Central Coast include the San Luis Obispo International Film Festival, The Land Conservancy of San Luis Obispo County, Friends of Hearst Castle, the Art Center SLO, Ten Thousand Villages SLO, and the Cal Poly Sustainable Agriculture Resource Consortium (SARC).

Molly has taught Introduction to Nonprofit Organizations at the UCLA Extension Progam.  Molly is an active member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP).



David Preston, Ph.D, Founder

David Preston has consulted for corporations, nonprofit organizations and educational institutions since 1992. In 1996 David founded The Preston Group, a consulting and training firm specializing in organizational development. Since that time David has worked with clients in various market segments and phases of growth, including Fox Liberty Networks, University of California Los Angeles, Good Samaritan Hospital, the Los Angeles City Employees Association, Exceptional Children’s Foundation, and many others.

David is a leader and an innovator in the field of organizational development. He is the author of Time for Success, and the creator of the Too Many Cooks teambuilding program. David also developed a Master's Degree program in Organizational Behavior, for which he received Congressional commendation.

In addition to his work in the private and nonprofit sectors, David has continued his commitment to public education. For ten years he taught management and education courses at UCLA.  In 2004 David also began teaching high school courses, and he has expanded The Preston Group's consulting services for charter schools and school districts around the country.