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William  Foster

Partner, Head of Boston Office

William Foster is a Bridgespan Group partner, the head of the Boston office, and has been with the organization since 2002. He has led Bridgespan's work with some of the country's most dynamic nonprofit organizations, national networks, and philanthropic funders in planning major expansions, reorganizations, and merger strategies. He has also helped funders to develop more effective approaches to grant making and identify high-potential grantees, and has partnered with both funders and nonprofits to develop the economic imperative for large-scale growth capital campaigns.
 
William guides much of the firm's research on issues related to nonprofit finance and capital, writing and speaking nationally and internationally. His most recent article is "Ten Nonprofit Funding Models" (Stanford Social Innovation Review, Spring 2009). He is also the author of "Money to Grow On" (Stanford Social Innovation Review, 2008) and the co-author, with Jeff Bradach, of "Should Nonprofits Seek Profits?" (Harvard Business Review, 2005); "How Nonprofits Get Really Big" (Stanford Social Innovation Review, 2007); and "In Search of Sustainable Funding" (Nonprofit Quarterly, 2007).

Prior to joining Bridgespan, William worked at Bain & Company where he helped to establish Bain's Silicon Valley office. He also worked at Goldman Sachs and Corporate Decisions, Inc. 

William earned his undergraduate degree in Social Studies from Harvard College and his MBA from Stanford University's Graduate School of Business, where he was an Arjay Miller Scholar.