Dumbo Octopus Consulting is a values-driven non-profit consulting agency dedicated to empowering grassroots organizations in Waterloo Region. We offer fractional director level services that are affordable, adaptable to meet your unique needs, and grounded in decent work practices.

Co-founded by Robyn Schwarz and Alicia Langill, our team leverages our skills and compassionate approach to provide capacity-building tools and personalized learning experiences. We know what it is like to work at the grassroots in a variety of different settings and roles. Together we have over 20 years' experience, giving us a keen awareness of the strengths and challenges that come along with running a small organization.

Named after the adaptive and resilient dumbo octopus, Dumbo Octopus Consulting excels in working with limited resources and creating impactful solutions even in challenging circumstances. Dumbo Octopus Consulting offers a full suite of services, including grant writing, strategic planning, fundraising support, fund development and sustainable growth plans, communications plans, board governance support, community-based research, and more. We work to support your whole team and know how to build psychologically safe work environments where staff can learn and grow together. We fill gaps in your existing expertise and help implement strategies that make sense for your organization’s unique needs. Our services will allow your organization to do good work, better.

Our team believes it is possible to do non-profit work differently and is deeply committed to walking alongside equity seeking groups to build a more just and equitable world. We have the proven ability to actively listen and amplify what our community has to offer. By making our diverse skill sets available to local leaders and organizations, Dumbo Octopus Consulting works to build a connected, equitable Waterloo Region where everyone can thrive.

Alicia Langill is passionate about delivering accessible, affordable, and highly customizable financial and operational solutions for nonprofit clients. Born and raised in Waterloo Region, Alicia now works full time with Dumbo Octopus Consulting, where she oversees our team's operations and leads our financial literacy and sustainability services.

As a nonprofit bookkeeping specialist, Alicia manages cashflow, payroll, taxes, and financial systems for grassroots and mid-sized organizations. Her client work currently includes bookkeeping for SHORE Centre and Porchlight Counselling and Addiction Services, where she supports both day-to-day financial health and long-term sustainability. Alicia is known for tailoring her services to the unique needs of each nonprofit, ensuring that organizations have the clarity and confidence to make strategic decisions.

Alicia brings more than a decade of experience in nonprofit management, fundraising, strategic communications, and sustainability planning. At SHORE Centre, where she worked for over 13 years, she played a pivotal role in growing the organization’s budget beyond $1 million annually, raising over $1.1 million from donors and foundations, and leading the development of the 2020–2023 strategic plan. Her leadership as Interim Executive Director from 2019 to 2020 was marked by steady navigation through the COVID-19 pandemic and a focus on organizational capacity.

At Dumbo Octopus Consulting, Alicia’s expertise extends beyond bookkeeping. She coaches nonprofit leaders and staff on budgeting best practices, builds systems for sustainable operations, puts together collaborative grant applications, supports fundraisers, and provides accessible financial literacy tools. Her approachable leadership style makes her a trusted partner for both Boards and frontline teams. Alicia is not afraid to roll up her sleeves and get to the bottom of what our clients need.

Outside of her professional life, Alicia is a skilled textile artist whose quilting, crochet, and knitting work has even been featured in the CBC miniseries Alias Grace. She is also a proud mother to her awesome son (who the Dumbo Octopus team loves to embarrass).