Nancy Hall: We will always remember you with great love

Teacher, mentor, and Godmother of Maryland’s nonprofit sector, Nancy Hall died on December 21, 2024 at the age of 77 from ovarian cancer. Among the first generation of women graduates of Harvard Business School – and as a single mother – Nancy began her career in department store finance, working at Gimbel’s in New York City and Hutzler’s in Baltimore. As that sector devolved in the 1980’s, Nancy applied her financial talents to the nonprofit community.

Nancy prioritized good practice in nonprofit financial management at a time when only a handful of business schools had even begun to offer training in this critical field of finance. In 1992, she co-founded the Maryland Association of Nonprofit Organizations, serving as its Chief Financial Officer and self-proclaimed Grumpy Old Woman until her retirement in 2009.

Nancy continued her deep involvement with the nonprofit sector via her consulting firm, 501cSolutions, advising scores of organizations on issues related to finance and management. It was in her retirement that she pursued her passion for teaching. She was an adjunct professor at the Johns Hopkins University for over 20 years, teaching courses on nonprofit finance and public policy. While Nancy defined herself by her work, she also enjoyed quilting, crochet and knitting, puzzle solving and murder mysteries.

Nancy is survived by her two daughters, Lara Hall and Alaina Brenick; her padawan, Chuck Adkins; her sweetie of the past 15 years, William Poole; and the countless nonprofit professionals who she taught, mentored, and supported throughout her career. Donations in her name can be made to On Our Own of Maryland or the effective nonprofit that means the most to you. A celebration of Nancy’s life will be held on Friday, January 31, 2025 at 10:30 at Westminster Hall, 519 West Fayette Street, Baltimore, MD 21201. Condolences can be sent to the family at 130 West Lee Street, Baltimore, MD 21201.