Boutique advisory for NGOs and mission-driven organizations worldwide

Every complex organization is inherently simple.

Lever & Core helps NGOs and mission-driven organizations, from global networks to local nonprofits, turn ambition into plans that hold, resolve the conflicts that stall them, and use AI where it saves real hours.

The firm

Mission deserves structure.

Lever & Core is a boutique advisory led by Uriel Edery, working with a network of specialists. We work with organizations that operate across countries, cultures and languages, and with the local teams that carry their mission on the ground.

Our work starts where things have grown messy: a plan nobody follows, offices pulling in different directions, a pipeline that never seems to close. We find what is really holding things back, solve it with your people, and leave a system your team can run without us.

  1. 1

    Diagnose

    Interviews, data and a clear picture of how work really flows.

  2. 2

    Design

    The plan, the process or the decision, built with your people.

  3. 3

    Embed

    Playbooks, training and a review rhythm, so it lasts.

Services

Five ways we help an organization move.

01 · Strategy & work plans

Plans that teams actually use.

Annual and multi-year work plans tied to the mission, with named owners, clear timelines and a review rhythm that keeps everyone honest.

What it covers

  • Work plan & accountability frameworks
  • Shared KPIs across countries and offices
  • Quarterly review cadence and dashboards
  • Board-ready strategy documents

Typical formatDiagnostic sprint · 3–6 weeks

Workshops

Workshops for the questions teams get stuck on.

Ready-to-run workshops, delivered by Uriel, in person or online, and adapted to your organization. Choose the question your team is facing; we shape the session around it.

2 hours

Find Your One Constraint

Senior team · 5–12 people

Most organizations push on everything at once. In two hours, your senior team agrees on the single limit that sets the pace of your impact.

What we’ll work through

  1. Agree on what your organization is really measured by
  2. Trace where work, people and money pile up
  3. Agree on the one constraint and the first moves around it

What you leave withOne constraint, named and agreed by the team, and a focus plan for the next month.

Request a proposal

Half day · 3.5 hours

From Conflict to Clarity

Board & management, or cross-department teams · 6–16 people

For the dilemma that keeps coming back. Both sides are heard, the real needs come to the surface, and the team finds a way forward that is not a compromise nobody wants.

What we’ll work through

  1. Put the dilemma on one page, in both sides’ words
  2. Surface the shared goal and the needs behind each position
  3. Test new options and check what could go wrong

What you leave withA shared picture of the conflict and an agreed way forward, with owners.

Request a proposal

Full day · 6.5 hours

The Simple Operating System: AI + Focus

Managers & staff · 10–24 people

A practical day on how work really flows: map it, take out the waste, and put AI to work on the writing, reporting and donor communication your team repeats.

What we’ll work through

  1. Map a core process from request to result
  2. Find the waste and simplify the steps that remain
  3. Practise AI on everyday tasks, with clear rules for responsible use

What you leave withA simpler process, a set of tested AI uses and a team guideline for using AI responsibly.

Request a proposal

Half day · 4 hours

Vision 2028: Where We Want to Be

Board + senior management · 6–16 people

A shared picture of the organization two years from now, clear enough to plan from.

What we’ll work through

  1. Describe what success looks like in 2028
  2. Choose the few strategic bets that will get you there
  3. Decide what you will stop doing

What you leave withA one-page vision and three to five strategic priorities.

Request a proposal

Full day · 6 hours

From Vision to Work Plan

Management + department heads · 8–20 people

Turn the vision and the year’s priorities into a work plan people own, with the time and resources to deliver it.

What we’ll work through

  1. Translate priorities into goals for each department
  2. Set owners, milestones and resources, and name what limits each goal
  3. Agree the review rhythm that keeps the plan alive

What you leave withA draft annual work plan with owners, milestones and a review calendar.

Request a proposal

Half day · 3.5 hours

Mission Reset: Who We Are For

Board + leadership · 6–14 people

When the organization has grown, changed or drifted: agree again on who you serve and the change you exist to make.

What we’ll work through

  1. Define who you serve, and who you do not
  2. Name the change you make and what makes you different
  3. Write a mission sentence and test it with the whole room

What you leave withA mission sentence the whole team can say, and the choices that follow from it.

Request a proposal

Half day · 3.5 hours

The Donor Journey Redesign

Fundraising, resource development & marketing teams · 5–14 people

See your organization through your donors’ eyes, from first contact to long-term partner, and fix the stage where they slip away.

What we’ll work through

  1. Map the journey from first touch to long-term partner
  2. Find the one stage where donors drop off
  3. Redesign that stage and plan the stewardship touchpoints

What you leave withA one-page donor journey map and a stewardship plan for the year.

Request a proposal

Toolkits

Practical toolkits your team can use tomorrow.

Ten short, printable guides. Each one explains a single method in plain language and comes with a worked example, a blank worksheet and facilitator tips. Toolkit #1 is free: download it, print it and use it with your team. Every other Toolkit has a free preview.

  1. Cover of toolkit #1, The Evaporating Cloud

    Toolkit #1

    The Evaporating Cloud

    A practical, one-page method for resolving the chronic dilemmas of mission-driven organizations, without settling for a compromise nobody wants.

    PDF · 8 pages · 141 KB

    Free

    Download PDF
  2. Cover of toolkit #2, Find Your One Constraint

    Toolkit #2

    Find Your One Constraint

    Stop pushing on everything at once. Find the single limit that sets the pace of your impact, and focus the whole team on it.

    PDF · 8 pages · 118 KB

    US$29

  3. Cover of toolkit #3, The Root of Recurring Problems

    Toolkit #3

    The Root of Recurring Problems

    The same problems keep coming back because they share a cause. Map how your symptoms connect, and find the one problem worth solving first.

    PDF · 8 pages · 112 KB

    US$29

  4. Cover of toolkit #4, The Strategy Kernel

    Toolkit #4

    The Strategy Kernel

    A strategy is not a list of goals. Name the real challenge, choose one way to tackle it, and commit to a few actions that fit together.

    PDF · 8 pages · 96 KB

    US$29

  5. Cover of toolkit #5, Why & Where We Win

    Toolkit #5

    Why & Where We Win

    A positioning canvas for mission-driven organizations: why you exist, who you are best for, and why they should choose you.

    PDF · 8 pages · 112 KB

    US$29

  6. Cover of toolkit #6, The Trusted Advisor Meeting

    Toolkit #6

    The Trusted Advisor Meeting

    Prepare and run donor and partner meetings that build trust, not just the next ask.

    PDF · 8 pages · 110 KB

    US$29

  7. Cover of toolkit #7, The One-Page Board Memo

    Toolkit #7

    The One-Page Board Memo

    Write decision memos for boards and CEOs that put the answer first and fit on one page.

    PDF · 8 pages · 123 KB

    US$29

  8. Cover of toolkit #8, Negotiate on Interests

    Toolkit #8

    Negotiate on Interests

    A preparation sheet for partnerships, donor agreements and internal conflicts. Look past positions, invent options and agree on fair standards.

    PDF · 8 pages · 111 KB

    US$29

  9. Cover of toolkit #9, Checklists That Work

    Toolkit #9

    Checklists That Work

    Design short, sharp checklists for the work your team repeats: events, campaigns, onboarding and donor care. Fewer dropped balls, calmer launches.

    PDF · 8 pages · 112 KB

    US$29

  10. Cover of toolkit #10, Your AI Co-Pilot

    Toolkit #10

    Your AI Co-Pilot

    Practical AI for NGO teams: where it helps, ready-to-use prompt cards, how to review what it writes, and the privacy rules that keep your people safe.

    PDF · 8 pages · 90 KB

    US$29

Full pack — all 10 Toolkits

US$149

Buy

Institutional / team license: on request

Case studies

Typical cases we solve.

Situations we see again and again in mission-driven organizations, and what we deliver when we are called in.

A typical caseGlobalStrategy

A network of twelve country offices

The situation
Twelve offices plan in twelve formats, so HQ cannot compare progress or see where help is needed.
What we deliver
One shared plan, a global dashboard and a quarterly review everyone follows.

A typical caseEuropeConflict resolution

Headquarters and regions in a standoff

The situation
HQ wants central budgets, the regions want autonomy, and every meeting ends in the same argument.
What we deliver
A framework both sides agree on, and a 90-day plan to put it to work.

A typical caseIsraelAI for nonprofits

A six-person amuta behind on donor updates

The situation
A team of six writes every donor update by hand, in Hebrew and English, and donors hear from them late.
What we deliver
A reusable message library and a monthly calendar the team can keep up with.

A typical caseNorth AmericaFundraising

A full pipeline where gifts close slowly

The situation
Plenty of prospects and a busy team, yet gifts close slowly and nobody knows why.
What we deliver
The point where the pipeline stalls, named, and a short list of changes to free it.

A typical caseGlobalGlobal operations

One campaign, five languages, no single view

The situation
Assets arrive late, local teams improvise and results cannot be compared across markets.
What we deliver
Faster launches, one consistent message and a single view of what worked where.

A typical caseLatin AmericaPartnerships

Two community institutions, one city, the same families

The situation
Two organizations in one city compete for the same families and donors.
What we deliver
A partnership design both boards can vote on, with every open question owned.

Selected work

Work Uriel has delivered.

Real projects from his career, described without budgets or names.

  1. 01

    Global operations

    Marketing operations for a worldwide Israel-experience organization

    Challenge
    A field network of about 20 representatives across 13+ countries, each market with its own language, culture and partners.
    Result
    One operating rhythm for the whole network: shared data reviews, clear budgets and a global events calendar.
  2. 02

    Performance management

    A performance rhythm for every market

    Challenge
    Decisions in the field were made on instinct, with no common view of progress.
    Result
    A monthly cadence of KPI reviews, live dashboards and one-to-one check-ins with every market lead.
  3. 03

    Process automation

    From months to weeks: a manual process, automated

    Challenge
    A core fulfillment process ran on manual steps, emails and spreadsheets, and took months from request to delivery.
    Result
    An automated digital ordering and delivery workflow that cut lead time from about three months to two weeks at most.
  4. 04

    Standard operating procedures

    One protocol for a global events program

    Challenge
    A recurring global program of around 50 events a season, in person and online, ran differently in every market.
    Result
    One standard working protocol: shared formats, a common visual identity, an annual calendar and a lead capture-to-follow-up flow, so every market delivers to the same standard.
  5. 05

    Partner networks as a channel

    Turning a partner network into a recruitment channel

    Challenge
    A large partner network on the ground was not being used as a structured channel.
    Result
    A strategy with goals, KPIs, training and recognition, whose first phase began turning the network into a recruitment channel.
  6. 06

    Operations · Handover

    An operating manual that runs without its author

    Challenge
    When the role changed hands, the work had to keep running from day one.
    Result
    Every recurring workflow written down as a clear process that a successor or partner office can run.
  7. 07

    Strategy · Multi-country network

    A work plan and accountability model for a regional office network

    Challenge
    Offices in several countries planned in different formats, so progress was hard to compare and support.
    Result
    One shared framework, presented at the region’s leaders’ congress and rolled out across the regional offices.
  8. 08

    Convening · Leadership

    Nine round tables, one leaders’ congress

    Challenge
    Leaders, volunteers and professionals from many countries needed conversations that end in ideas, not speeches.
    Result
    Nine themed round tables, designed and moderated, each closing with clear takeaways.
  9. 09

    Fundraising · AI-assisted

    Donor materials in days instead of weeks

    Challenge
    Donors and partner offices needed clear materials in their own language, often on short notice.
    Result
    Brochures, co-funding proposals and a narrated ceremony video, made with AI and reviewed by a person.

How we work

Five principles, applied every time.

  1. 01

    Structure first

    Good people inside a broken setup still get stuck. We fix the setup.

  2. 02

    Focus where it matters

    Find the one thing that limits everything else, and start there.

  3. 03

    No loose ends

    Every action item owned, every email answered, every loop closed.

  4. 04

    Speed with care

    Short cycles and fast replies, without trading away quality.

  5. 05

    Integrity

    Honest numbers, honest timelines and work we are proud to sign.

Our toolkitWe work with the Theory of Constraints and practical AI tools, adapted to each organization.

What working together looks like

The process

  1. 01

    Diagnosis

    We listen, read and understand where the organization stands.

    You leave withA clear summary of the situation.

  2. 02

    Focus

    Together, we define what needs solving first.

    You leave withAn agreed objective.

  3. 03

    Workshop and design

    We work with your team: the vision, the plan or the solution.

    You leave withThe deliverable and the tools.

  4. 04

    Launch

    We stay with you through the first steps.

    You leave withOwners, timelines and follow-up.

The thinking behind the work

What shapes our approach.

An ongoing program of study across six areas that matter to mission-driven organizations. A few titles from the library behind our approach:

  1. 01

    Foundations & positioning

    Why an organization exists, and how to say it so people repeat it.

    • Start with WhySimon Sinek
    • Obviously AwesomeApril Dunford
  2. 02

    Trust & communication

    How trust is earned, and how a message lands with busy people.

    • The Trusted AdvisorMaister, Green & Galford
    • SupercommunicatorsCharles Duhigg
  3. 03

    The consulting craft

    Running an engagement cleanly, from the first question to the final page.

    • Flawless ConsultingPeter Block
    • The Pyramid PrincipleBarbara Minto
  4. 04

    Conflict & facilitation

    Turning disagreement into a decision both sides can own.

    • Getting to YesRoger Fisher & William Ury
    • It’s Not LuckEliyahu M. Goldratt
  5. 05

    Strategy for mission-driven organizations

    Plans that hold in organizations that run on mission.

    • Good Strategy Bad StrategyRichard Rumelt
    • The ChoiceEliyahu M. Goldratt
  6. 06

    AI & operations

    Practical AI, and the working habits that give real hours back.

    • Co-IntelligenceEthan Mollick
    • The Checklist ManifestoAtul Gawande

Where we work

Global by design, local by language.

We work remotely and on site, across time zones, in English, Hebrew, Spanish and Portuguese.

  • English
  • Hebrew
  • Spanish
  • Portuguese
  • GlobalNetworks and campaigns across many countries at once
  • North AmericaFederations, foundations and Israel-facing organizations
  • EuropeIncluding Spain & Portugal and emerging communities
  • Latin AmericaFrom the Southern Cone to Mexico, in Spanish and Portuguese
  • IsraelHome base: amutot, national organizations, donor visits

Who you’ll work with

Uriel Edery

Founder & Principal

A Jewish professional with more than a decade inside the institutions he now advises: running regional desks, leading global marketing operations across markets and languages, and sitting with donors, partners and community leaders on several continents.

He holds an MA in Nonprofit Management and is a long-time student of the Theory of Constraints. What he enjoys most is taking a setup that has grown messy and rebuilding it so it runs clean.

  • MANonprofit & Community Organization Management, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
  • B.EdEducation & Teaching Certificate, Lifshitz College, Jerusalem
“If something carries my name, it has to be right: precise, clean and finished.”
Uriel Edery
  1. Director, Latin America South Desk

    Keren Kayemet LeIsrael – JNF · Resource Development & External Affairs

  2. Director of Global Marketing Operations

    Masa Israel Journey · worldwide markets, field teams and campaigns

  3. Product Manager, Gap Year & Jewish Studies

    Masa Israel Journey

  4. Head of Latin America Desk

    World Bnei Akiva & World Mizrachi

  5. Lecturer

    The Jewish Agency (youth-movement counselor training) · Midreshet Lindenbaum · Yeshivat HaKotel

Before we get started

Frequently asked questions.

What organizations usually ask before the first conversation.

Do you work with small organizations or only with large networks?

Both: from global networks to local nonprofits. The format adapts to the size and the moment of your team.

Do we need to know exactly what we need?

No. Often the first step is precisely finding where the bottleneck is.

Is it remote or in person?

Both. We work remotely and on site, across time zones.

Which languages do you work in?

English, Hebrew, Spanish and Portuguese.

How much does a workshop or a project cost?

Each proposal is built around the organization and the scope. Request a proposal and we will send you a concrete one.

Do we have to use AI?

No. We use it only where it saves real hours, never because it is trendy.

Contact

Let’s build something that holds.

A plan that needs structure, a conflict that needs untangling, a team that wants to use AI well. Write to us in English, Hebrew, Spanish or Portuguese.