Our Mission

At Anchor & Oak Strategies, we are driven by the conviction that every community organization should have the capacity to grow faithfully and bear lasting fruit. A&O exists to help nonprofits, ministries, and churches thrive by equipping them with clarity, strength, and purpose,

The image of the anchor and the oak shapes who we are. An anchor holds firm in shifting waters, offering stability and trust. An oak stands tall, rooted deeply and bearing fruit across generations. Together, they represent the kind of leadership and growth we cultivate in every partnership: steady, resilient, and purposefully fruitful.

We serve mission-driven organizations because we believe their work touches the heart of the human condition. They stand where need and hope meet by addressing brokenness, lifting up communities, and offering renewal. Vision alone is not enough. Sustainable systems, strong leadership, engaged partners, and strategic growth are essential if missions are to flourish.

That is why we exist.

Our consulting is built around three commitments:

  • Clarity — helping leaders see the path forward with confidence.

  • Strength — building healthy boards, teams, and fundraising systems.

  • Faithfulness — stewarding every opportunity with excellence and care.

The work we do is practical — campaign planning, grant strategy, board development. But it is also personal. We believe strong systems and strategies create space for leaders to lead, for missions to expand, and for communities to thrive.

The verse that grounds our work is Psalm 1:3:
“He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.”

This is the vision of Anchor & Oak Strategies: to see faith and purpose bear fruit.

 
 
 

Meet the Team

Malachi Melendez

Assistant-to the Chief Fun Officer

Judah Melendez

Assistant Chief Fun Officer

Elijah Melendez

Founder, Principal

Elizabeth Anne

Chief Fun Officer

Elijah Melendez

Founder & Principal

Elijah Melendez founded Anchor & Oak Strategies to help nonprofits and churches grow with clarity, strength, and purpose. His work is guided by a personal mission shaped years ago (in high school English class) by the enduring question: What is the human condition? That question has become a calling to intellectually advance the social service sector and practically create systems that heal, empower, and multiply impact.

Professionally, Elijah has guided organizations through campaigns, grant funding, and sustainable development planning, with experience spanning grassroots ministries and established nonprofits. He previously served in education, international missions, and student ministry. Most recently, he served as the Director of Operations and Development at the North Charleston Dental Outreach, where he helped expand access to care for underserved families and establish the clinic’s fundraising capacity from the ground-up.

Elijah earned his BA with Honors in English, summa cum laude, from The Citadel, with a minor in Fine Arts. He is a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) and a Certified Nonprofit Accounting Professional (CNAP). He is currently pursuing his MBA at Charleston Southern University, expected May 2026. His research interests include organizational leadership, social entrepreneurship, biblical anthropology, and the theology of work. He serves as a Sergeant (11B) in the SC Army National Guard and is a board member for the Association of Fundraising Professionals - SC Lowcountry chapter.

At Anchor & Oak, Elijah brings this blend of academic training, professional expertise, and lived mission into every engagement. He is supported by an amazing wife (who he doesn’t deserve), a wonderful church-family, and two fun-loving boys, Malachi (18 mo) and Judah (3 yrs).