Some volunteers bring time. Some bring talent. And then there are those rare individuals who bring wisdom earned over decades and offer it with humility, curiosity, and deep respect for the people sitting across the table.
Craig Kowalski is one of those people. After more than thirty years in transportation planning and engineering, Craig could have easily closed one professional chapter and coasted quietly into retirement. Instead, he chose a path rooted in service, listening, and helping nonprofit leaders see their own missions more clearly and move them forward with confidence.
Craig’s career spanned diverse and challenging roles as a certified planner, project manager, division lead, branch manager, and firm principal at a 200-plus employee consulting firm serving six states. When he accepted a buyout of his ownership share, he found himself at a crossroads. With time and perspective on his side, Craig began asking himself the same thoughtful questions he now asks nonprofits: What do I know well? What do I want to learn more about? Where can my skills do the most good?
Around this time, Craig learned about an organization then known as the Executive Service Corps of Cincinnati. Their mission immediately resonated. Here was a nonprofit built around the belief that experience matters, that leadership knowledge has value, and that seasoned professionals could help strengthen the nonprofit sector by offering their expertise at little or no cost.
In 2009, Craig signed on as a volunteer consultant. He admits he was not entirely sure what that role would look like or how he would fit into the nonprofit world. What he discovered, project by project, was something powerful. Not only was there real value delivered to the nonprofits being served, there was also a deep sense of pride and satisfaction for the volunteer. Helping an organization clarify its direction or strengthen its leadership did not just feel useful. It felt meaningful. That mutual benefit led Craig into a staff role with ESCC, where he supported operations while continuing to serve as a volunteer consultant when appropriate. Eventually, he became Vice President of Consulting Services, a role that carried forward through the merger of ESCC and ReSource to become OneSource Center for Nonprofit Excellence. After retiring in 2019, Craig did not step away. He simply shifted again, staying on as a volunteer consultant coach and trusted guide.
At the heart of Craig’s approach is a deep respect for nonprofits and the people who lead them. He understands that behind every mission are passionate staff and volunteers working with limited time, limited resources, and enormous responsibility. He also understands that clarity is often the most valuable gift a consultant can offer. Some of the first questions Craig asks nonprofit leaders are deceptively simple:
- If money and time were not a concern, how would you grow or improve your mission?
- Would you serve more people, or serve the same people more deeply?
- If your organization disappeared tomorrow, would your mission continue elsewhere or disappear entirely?
- Do you make time for strategic thinking, not just urgent tasks?
- How will you know when you have achieved your mission?
These questions do more than guide planning. They invite reflection. They draw out vision. They help leaders reconnect with their “why” and see new possibilities without judgment or pressure.
Craig’s passion for service was shaped early. Raised by parents who believed strongly in volunteering, Craig and his siblings were immersed in giving back from a young age. Sometimes that meant cutting a neighbor’s lawn, selling raffle tickets, or helping with school fundraisers. Sometimes it meant painting classrooms, assisting with physical therapy for a friend’s child, or supporting church and school committees. Volunteering was not framed as extraordinary. It was simply part of being human and being connected to community.
That mindset carried forward throughout Craig’s life. His volunteer service has included school and parish leadership roles, university advisory committees, youth sports coaching across multiple sports, national board service, consultant training, leadership coaching, and countless nonprofit projects through ESCC and OneSource. Today, his focus remains on helping organizations with strategic thinking, board development, operational solutions, leadership coaching, and organizational assessments. When Craig talks about giving back through consulting, he is clear about what the role is and what it is not.
Consultants are not there to do the nonprofit’s work or to become staff. They are there to support, advise, and help leaders see from another perspective. He often describes it as the “teach to fish” model. Build capacity, strengthen systems, and leave organizations better equipped long after the project ends. This philosophy is central to OneSource’s impact and to Craig’s enduring commitment.
Craig’s love for community extends beyond nonprofit work to the region he calls home. He speaks fondly of Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky, praising the balance of big-city assets and livability. Major sports teams, universities, arts and culture, parks, and music thrive here without the congestion and strain of larger metropolitan areas. He also notes the region’s long-standing generosity, frequently ranking among the top cities for charitable giving.
At the same time, Craig does not shy away from hard truths. With more than 10,000 nonprofits in the region, he worries about the sustainability of smaller organizations. Passion and uniqueness are not always enough. He believes the future depends on deeper collaboration, shared fundraising efforts, thoughtful mergers, and especially succession planning. Too many organizations remain vulnerable when key leaders leave unexpectedly. These challenges, Craig believes, are exactly why capacity building and continuous improvement matter so much. Strong nonprofits do not happen by accident. They are built intentionally, with reflection, planning, and support.
When asked what advice he would offer to fellow OneSource consultants, Craig speaks with gratitude. He credits the strength of the consulting community and names colleagues with affection, joking that it feels like an awards show with too many people to thank. His advice is simple and generous. Get to know members. Share stories. Learn from each other. Every project matters.
Outside of volunteering, Craig’s life is full. He and his wife recently celebrated their 44th wedding anniversary. They are the proud parents of two adult children and the even prouder grandparents of four granddaughters, spread between Southern California and Lebanon, Ohio. It is clear that family, like service, sits at the center of Craig’s life.
In many ways, Craig Kowalski embodies what OneSource stands for. Experience offered freely. Questions asked with care. Guidance given without ego. And a belief that when nonprofits are supported well, communities grow stronger. Craig does not just help organizations move forward. He helps them see themselves more clearly. And that, perhaps, is his greatest gift of all.