About Bidwell Advisors

BIDWELL ADVISORS provides a range of real estate and related consulting services to non-profit organizations, private real estate owners and their advisors. The firm is committed to developing creative real estate solutions that:

  • Allow non-profit organizations to access a largely untapped source of financial support — the enormous wealth tied up in the real estate holdings of families and individuals. This has become especially important in an environment where gifts of cash and securities are hard to come by.
  • Provide private property owners and their professional advisors with creative approaches to disposing of real estate, often helping them attain charitable and conservation outcomes not considered possible.
  • Whenever possible, accomplish both of these objectives by creatively linking the planning objectives of private property owners with the fundraising needs of non-profit organizations.
  • Provide non-profits with property disposition assistance, site acquisition help, feasibility studies, and related real estate consulting services.
  • Team up with development consultants and campaign consultants to generate real estate gift activity for their non-profit clients.

Principal Dennis Bidwell

Dennis Bidwell is the principal of BIDWELL ADVISORS. With over twenty-five years of real estate and non-profit management experience, Dennis draws on his extensive track record of working with colleges and universities, conservation and preservation organizations, community foundations, families and their professional advisors, government agencies, financial institutions, and community based housing, educational and human services organizations. This experience is supplemented by decades of volunteerism and civic activity, serving on the boards of numerous non-profit organizations and devoting countless hours to organizing community projects and political campaigns.

Professional Background

  • Bidwell Advisors, Owner/Principal, 2001 to present
  • American Farmland Trust, National Director of Land Protection, Washington, D.C. and Northampton, MA, 1990-2001
  • Leggat McCall Advisors, real estate consultants and appraisers, Vice President, Boston, 1983-1990
  • National Trust for Historic Preservation, Development Officer, Boston, 1980-1983
  • Associated Grantmakers of Massachusetts, Program Officer, Boston, 1976-1979
  • Boston Community Schools, Community School Coordinator, 1972-1975

Educational Background

  • M.B.A., Boston University – Non-profit management, finance, marketing.
  • M. Ed., Harvard University – Management, community education.
  • A.B., Dartmouth College – Government.

Selected Community and Professional Involvements

  • Member, Northampton City Council, elected 2015
  • Past Chair, Board of Directors, National Priorities Project
  • Past Chair, Economic Development Committee, Greater Northampton Chamber of Commerce
  • Advisory Board, Bay Path College Graduate Programs in Nonprofit Management and Philanthropy
  • Founder, Northampton Youth and Community Rowing/Northampton High Crew
  • Past Member, Northampton Zoning Revisions Committee
  • Past Member, Sustainable Northampton Steering Committee
  • Founding board member, Neighborhood Development Corporation of Jamaica Plain

The National Network of Bidwell Advisors

As a consequence of working nationally for over 20 years, Dennis Bidwell has developed a network of real estate attorneys, appraisers, realtors, environmental engineers, surveyors, fundraising consultants and management consultants to draw upon on a case-by-case basis.  BIDWELL ADVISORS assembles the right team of professionals to handle every situation, wherever in the country that might be.